I came across this article (http://www.pennlive.com/...), in which an author gives and answers some frequently asked questions.
And then I made up some answers of my own :-)
Q: What if, when I am talking to a transgender person, I make a mistake and they get upset?
A: Stop immediately and become prostrate in front of them. It's possible to stop the process of physical enlargement and green shading that trans people undergo when offended, but you must act quickly. While you are on the ground in the submissive and worshipful position, slowly remove any valuables you are wearing and place them on the ground in front of you. STOP SPEAKING! This only tends to make matters worse. Instead, slowly nudge your valuables towards them without making any eye contact, and, for good measure, include any of your higher-limit credit cards along with the keys to your car and a list of all of your accounts with passwords. It's best to have such a list on you at all times because you never know when you might offend one. They're EVERYWHERE.
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Q: How do I refer to a transgender person?
A: With only the most extreme deference.
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Q: How do I find out what it is like to be a transgender person?
A: I believe the best way is to take hormones for a year and have "the surgery". (Don't worry, the old one will grow back if you're not really trans.)
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Q: What if, no matter how many times I hear about an aspect of being transgender, I still do not quite get it?
A: This is a tricky one. In my experience, that's an indication of either one of two things: you're Hungarian or you're an ally of the trans community. Either way, you need more help than we do.
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Q: So if someone talks to me about being a transgender person, can I talk about how that person is transgender with others?
A: Of course you can; it's a free country. But know ye this: we are aware of when we're being talked about and by whom. It's a sort-of sixth sense that comes with being trans. It's much better to do it in front of us by calling us over in crowded rooms and introducing us by going, "This is my trans friend."