When meeting a new or relatively new client, advisers know next to nothing about that person, including their sexual orientation and how they identify in terms of gender. Getting into the habit of using gender neutral language, particularly when speaking to new clients, is a good first step.
You would then know and can use that language. The client may then choose to share their pronouns. Just as when someone gets your name right, having your correct pronouns used is a very validating experience.
This is often used as an umbrella term for anyone whose gender does not align to the sex they were assigned at birth. Every human has a chromosomal makeup of XX and XY. But I am unique — my appearance and the way I choose to live my life is unique to me. Who they are and know themselves to be would not align with the sex they were assigned at birth, so they may choose to transition.
There are many gender identities within the community not just Transgender identities. Non-binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities, while others reject them entirely. Someone who is non-binary may also use a gender-neutral title, commonly Mx. Being open and non-judgemental is the best way to approach such conversations. Gender neutral pricing across the industry has been law since December but the terminology used on application forms could be more inclusive.
This drives relevant questions, including those on cancer and those surrounding any family history of cancer. Certain surgeries may protect a transgendered person from some diseases but not others. For example, if a trans man has a double mastectomy, that will remove a lot of the risk of breast cancer because the tissue is no longer there. But depending on their transition, they may still be at risk of cervical cancer or ovarian cancer. Equally, a trans female will still typically have a prostate and a risk of prostate cancer.
