The modern transgender rights movement is often credited to have started in the 1950s with the work of Christine Jorgensen, an American actress and singer who became one of the first Americans to undergo sex reassignment surgery. However, transgender individuals have been present in various cultures and societies for centuries, with some cultures even revering them as spiritual leaders or shamans.

The transgender (or "trans") community includes:

The modern LGBTQ movement was significantly ignited by transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.

Despite significant progress, the transgender community and LGBTQ culture continue to face challenges, including:

Yet, outside of reality TV, the boundary is blurring. Many trans people got their start in drag, using it as a gateway to explore femininity. Meanwhile, non-binary performers are redefining what drag means. This cultural back-and-forth suggests that while political factions may squabble, the artistic and lived experience of gender nonconformity remains a shared language.