Depending upon whom you ask, the definitions may vary slightly, but as a general rule this is the distinction:

• Transsexual refers to someone who has had or is pursuing SRS or full transition.
• Transgendered, or transgender, refers to someone who does not conform to accepted gender norms in some way. Such a person may not desire to live full-time as the opposite gender. However, they are usually thought of as being distinct from cross-dressers (see below).
• Transvestite, or cross-dresser (they're really the same word, if you know your Latin roots!) refers to a person (most often male) who sometimes dresses in the clothing of the opposite gender. The main distinction between cross-dressers and the two terms above is that for cross-dressers, there is a sexual element involved in dressing, and they do not want to actually be a member of the opposite gender.

Yes, there are a lot of acronyms involved! Probably the most common are MtF and FtM. These refer to the direction of transition, with the first letter representing the person's biological gender and the second letter represented the gender with which they identify. Put more simply: 'Mtf' mean "male-to-female" and 'FtM' means "female-to-male".

The acronyms TS, TG, and CD are often used to stand for transsexual, transgender, and cross-dresser, respectively.

Other acronyms refer to procedures the individual may undergo during transition:

• HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy
• FFS - Facial Feminization Surgery
• RLT - Real Life Test
• SRS - Sexual Reassignment Surgey (or, a type of Toyota truck)

This is from the "Rules of Conduct" thread on the board:

First and foremost, this board is for significant others of TS/TG people. Others are welcome to join (e.g., a transsexual partner) but must understand the fundamental purpose of this board (spelled out elsewhere in the Announcement thread). Any posts that, intentionally or unintentionally, create an uncomfortable or hostile environment for SOs, will be deleted.

It's supposed to be a play on 'SOS', as in Help, with a 'T' inserted. Originally my idea for a logo had been SOS with the 'O' as a lifesaver, and the 'T' as an anchor. But I'm not that good at graphics. (If anyone wants to volunteer, feel free...!)