Within gay men's culture, there is sometimes a dismissal of trans men (female-to-male) as "lesser" partners, or a fetishization of trans bodies. Similarly, trans women in gay male spaces (having been assigned male at birth) sometimes report being treated as "confused gay men" rather than women.

Transgender (or trans) people have a gender identity that differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. This includes binary trans people (trans women and trans men) and non-binary people (genderfluid, agender, bigender, etc.). The trans community is not a monolith; it encompasses diverse racial, economic, and cultural backgrounds. Key concerns include access to gender-affirming healthcare, legal recognition of name and gender markers, protection from violence (especially for trans women of color), and social acceptance.