I think I'll copy and save this explanation because i know this is the third or fourth time I've explained it since Saturday:
Transgender is an umbrella term for ALL the various categories of "gender variant" people it includes androgynous people, drag queens, crossdressers/transvestites, transsexuals, and so-called "genderqueers" (people who refuse to acknowledge the gender binary at all)
Transsexuals are the ONLY sub-group of transgender who wish to physically modify their body to align with their mind/spirit.
One can be post-op, pre-op but on HRT, or neither - even still in the closet - and be transsexual.
this is in contrast to recreational or fetishistic crossdressers (transvestites) and drag queens who do NOTNOTNOT wish to actually change their bodies (albeit, some transsexuals work as drag queens as the only financial option to survive and pay for their therapy and surgery and such).
But if you don't want to change your body to match your mind, you may be transgender but you are NOT transsexual.
The distinction is important because if one is a recreational crossdresser who doesn't actually want or need to BE a female, then it's perfectly legitimate to ask him to submit his hobby to society's customs (re bathrooms, or professional dress, or whatever) - on the other hand if this person is a transsexual, their course of treatment REQUIRES them to live 24/7 in the target gender in order to be approved for further treatment. If they want any simbelence of a relatively happy existence they MUST follow this path.
Albeit I'm sure many freepers would be just fine with it if they ate a bullet rather than disturbing any "normal" people in the course of their day.
Too many confuse the game-playing of the crossdresser with the life-and-death struggle of the transsexual.
Transsexuals are mentally ill and need help. You need help and you need to stop pushing the GLBT agenda on FR.