ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces knowledge which supports practice that social workers need to establish beginning competency in working with transgender and gender nonconforming youth. The concepts and variables explored in this collection require a common language. Traditional clinical social work language can often be “out of step” with the vernacular of trans communities themselves, which sometimes makes translation of ideas and concepts into practice more challenging. Trans communities have developed an inventive, expressive, and diverse language of preferred identities, terms, knowledge, and pronouns. Whenever possible, this chapter emphasizes the language, terminology, and vocabulary of trans culture, with a specific focus on trans youth, rather than the language or terminology used by social services providers.
