Glossary
F2M
F2M, or FTM, is an older shorthand for "female-to-male," describing someone assigned female at birth who identifies and lives as male.
F2M, more often written FTM, stands for "female-to-male." It describes a person who was assigned female at birth and who identifies as male, whether or not they pursue medical or social transition. The term appears in transgender communities and in healthcare and research settings as shorthand for a transmasculine path. Many people now prefer "trans man," "transmasculine," or simply the person's own words, because FTM frames someone through their birth assignment rather than the identity they actually hold. Transition also takes many forms. Not everyone uses hormones or surgery, and some nonbinary people use transmasculine care too. Follow the language each person uses for themselves.