FTM

FTM stands for "female-to-male." It describes someone assigned female at birth who has a male gender identity, and it appears in medical, legal, and some community settings. The abbreviation centers the direction of transition, which is why many trans advocates now prefer identity-first language such as trans man or transmasculine. Transmasculine is broader, covering trans men as well as some nonbinary people assigned female at birth who lean masculine. FTM is not offensive, and some trans men still use it comfortably, but current best practice usually leads with who a person is rather than where they started. When unsure, follow the language a person uses for themselves.