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From Laverne to Caitlyn - Last  year, the world was introduced to Caitlyn Jenner, bringing the discussion of transgender people into the spotlight like never before. Though Ms. Jenner has already made huge strides in advancing the national dialogue — and public support — for trans issues, there are many more who paved the way for her. From Orange Is the New Black star and Time's "Transgender Tipping Point" cover girl Laverne Cox to New York Times best-selling author Janet Mock and trans activist Tiq Milan, these pioneers have dedicated their lives to trans visibility. Nonetheless, "transgender" is still a new idea for some, so here are ten things to know about the transgender community.— Written by Clay Cane (Photos from left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Annie Leibowitz for Vanity Fair Magazine/July 2015, D Dipasup...

Photo By Photos from Left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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Keep It Simple - Is the concept of "transgender" confusing to you? Well, quite simply, transgender means you are not the gender you were assigned at birth. For example, Jay Kelly (pictured), R. Kelly's child, was assigned female at birth but identifies as male.(Photo: Jay Kelly via Instagram)

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Gender and Sexual Orientation - Some were perplexed when Caitlyn Jenner told Diane Sawyer that she was still attracted to women. As Janet Mock, host of MSNBC's So POPular!, has explained: Gender is who you go to bed as; sexual orientation is who you go to bed with. A man can transition to female and be attracted to women. A woman can transition to male and be attracted to men. Your sexual orientation does not change because you are transgender.(Photo: Brad Barket/Getty Images for Ketel One)

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Drag Queens Are Not Trans - The forever fab Shangela (pictured) is a drag queen who rocked two seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race. But Shangela is not a trans woman — he does not identify as a woman like Caitlyn Jenner. Drag is about performance and artistry, while being transgender is fundamental to a person's being and daily life. Calling a trans person a drag queen is insulting, because trans folks like Caitlyn, Laverne Cox and Isis King do not "change" their appearance for performance. Their gender is their identity, like any other cisgender (nontrans) person.(Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images for MTV)

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Pronouns Are Important - Some people laugh at calling a trans woman "he" or a trans man "she." However, respecting identity is important, whether it is race, religion, sexual orientation or gender. Once a trans person expresses how they like to be identified, it is paramount to respect their wishes. If you are still confused, try avoiding "he" or "she" and stick to "they" or "them." It would be ludicrous to call Tiq Milan (pictured), who is married and the senior media strategist at GLAAD, "she" when he clearly identifies as male. No one, trans or cisgender, wants to be "mis-gendered" according to another's perception.(Photo: D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Logo TV)

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Surgery Is Not Your Business - When Katie Couric famously quizzed Laverne Cox on surgery in 2014, the always classy actress and trans activist replied, "The preoccupation with transition and surgery objectifies trans people. And then we don’t get to really deal with the real lived experiences. The reality of trans people’s lives is that so often we are targets of violence." Surgical procedures, especially below the waist, are none of your business. A man would not want a stranger to grill him about his penis nor would a woman want someone to ask about her vagina. If you wouldn't ask your neighbor, your boss or any other acquaintance about their private parts, it's not right to ask a trans person, either. Sometimes curiosity is offensive.   (Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TIME)

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Trans Violence  - Many do not have the protection of money and fame like Caitlyn Jenner. Islan Nettles (pictured), London Chanel, Lamia Beard, Sumaya Ysl and Ty Underwood are just a few transgender women who have been brutally murdered with little to no media coverage. For many trans people, it is a life-changing act to leave their homes due to the fear of being assaulted or losing their life. Furthermore, being Black and trans puts you more at risk. According to GLAAD.org, "The overall number of hate murders of members of the LGBTQH community has increased by 11 percent. Of those murdered, 87 percent were people of color, showing an increase from 70 percent in 2010." Click here for transgender people who have been murdered in 2015.(Photo: Islan Nettles via Facebook)

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Trans Suicide -   Rest in peace to Blake Brockington (pictured), who at only 18, committed suicide in March of 2015. There are many more, such as Leelah Alcorn, Eyelul Cansin and Taylor Alesana. Sadly, a reported 41 percent of trans people have attempted suicide, which is ten times higher than the national average. Therefore, an affirming, loving and educated community is important for trans people to exist. Transphobia, hatred and violence makes every day harder. Don't be part of the problem.(Photo: Courtesy of WCNC NBC)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy of WCNC NBC

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Gender Is Fluid - Not everyone "fully" transitions. Some trans people are comfortable in the middle of the gender scale and "male" or "female" might not fit. Facebook offers 50 custom gender identifiers. It is up to the individual to decide how they identify, not you. (Photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

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Trans or Gender Non-Conformity Is Nothing New - Trangender is not a new phenomenon. Gender non-conformity dates back to berdaches ("two spirits") in Native American culture and even Ancient Africa. Queen Hatshepsut famously ruled Egypt during the 18th dynasty — dressed as a man, wore a false beard and even dropped the female ending to her name (t) and became known as His Majesty, Hatshepsu. All hail the king! There are countless other examples of gender non-conformity throughout history.   (Photo: The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)

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It Is OK to Make Mistakes - For many, this language is new, so it is OK to say the wrong things and even be uncomfortable. We are all learning. As Janet Mock told BET.com in June 2014, "Uncomfortability is the first step to hopefully transcendence, learning and evolution." That said, when you make mistakes, operate from a space of love and understanding, not hate. Hate is toxic and not only affects the person you are directing the hate to, but it also affects yourself.(Photo: Annie Leibovitz exclusively for Vanity Fair Magazine, July 2015)