PRISM: Human Rights issues relating to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) in Aotearoa New Zealand - A report with recommendations Sex assigned at birth – All babies are assigned a sex at birth, usually determined by a visual observation of external genitalia. A person’s gender may or may not align with their sex assigned at birth. Sex characteristics – refer to each person’s physical features relating to sex, including genitalia and other sexual and reproductive anatomy, chromosomes, hormones, and secondary physical features emerging from puberty. Sexual orientation – refers to each person’s capacity for profound emotional, affectional and sexual attraction to, and intimate and sexual relations with, individuals of a different gender or the same gender, or more than one gender. SOGIESC – An acronym including sexual orientation, gender expression and identity, and sex characteristics. Takatāpui – A traditional Māori term which means ‘intimate companion of the same sex.’ It has been reclaimed by some Māori to describe their diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and sex characteristics. Tangata ira tāne – A te reo Māori term which roughly translates as trans man. Transgender – An umbrella term for a person whose gender differs from their sex assigned at birth. Transgender people may be binary or non-binary, and some opt for some form of medical intervention (such as hormone therapy or surgery). Used as an adjective rather than a noun, and often shortened to ‘trans.’ 62 Transition – Steps taken by trans people to live in their gender which may include social, legal, or medical aspects. A social transition may include changing clothes, hair, pronouns, or name; a legal transition may include changing name and/or gender marker on legal documents; and a medical transition may include medical treatments such laser hair removal, hormone therapy, or various surgeries. There are no wrong or right ways to transition; each person will have their own personal goals. Trans man – A man who was assigned female at birth. Trans woman – A woman who was assigned male at birth. Transsexual – An older term considered to be outdated by some younger populations. Transsexual is not an umbrella term; those who prefer this term often see it as an important distinction from transgender. It may refer to a person who has had or is in the process of changing their body to affirm their gender. Whakawahine – There is no direct English translation, but roughly translates as trans woman. More literally, it translates as being or becoming, in the manner or spirit of a woman.