Avoid making prejudicial generalizations about people. Everyone is different and unique. Be politely curious about what you don’t understand and you may learn something revelatory.

Get informed by finding out about the culture and customs of other people. When you learn about someone’s background, you may be surprised and intrigued to learn more about them as an individual.

Politely ask someone to tell you more about their culture, religion, or background. It’s okay to be curious about your differences, and you might make a friend.

Help others get informed. Be aware of useful educational resources that you can share with friends, educators, parents, and others.

Talk to transgender people in your community. The best way to be an ally is to listen with an open mind. Also, check out books, films, YouTube channels, and transgender blogs to find out more about what it means to be transgender.

If a transgender person has reached out to you for support, offer to help identify appropriate resources. Remember, it’s better to admit you don’t know all the answers than to say something that may be incorrect or harmful.

Educate yourself and others on what it means to be transgender. Keep updated on what’s going on in the trans community by liking the TransAdvocate page on Facebook.

Use a transgender person’s preferred pronouns when referring to or speaking with them. If you aren’t sure what pronouns to use, it’s okay to politely ask. Do not ask for a transgender person’s “real name.”

Speak to transgender people like you would non-transgender people. Avoid comments that you wouldn’t say to non trans-people. Would you ask your cisgendered friend what it was like for them to be born a boy? Be respectful and don’t be intrusive.

When you hear people making uninformed assumptions, consider a phrase like, “I felt that way too, until I found out that ___.”