: Individuals who transition from male to female or female to male.

LGBTQ culture, including that of the transgender community, is rich and diverse, expressed through various forms of art, literature, film, and activism. Drag culture, for example, has become a popular form of entertainment and self-expression, with drag queens and kings often serving as ambassadors for LGBTQ culture.

The modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, galvanized by the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, was led by trans women of color such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Historically, trans individuals were not just allies but architects of queer liberation. However, in subsequent decades, mainstream gay and lesbian organizations often sidelined trans issues to pursue more "palatable" goals (e.g., marriage equality, military service). This created a legacy of conditional inclusion—where trans rights were deprioritized for political expediency. The current era (post-2015) has seen a corrective shift, with many legacy organizations adopting explicit trans-inclusive policies.

There is a lot of conversation right now about the "T" in LGBTQ+. But the truth is, you cannot tell the story of queer culture without telling the story of transgender people.

Transgender individuals have been the primary architects of much of the language and aesthetics used in LGBTQ+ culture today.