Was transgender even a word in 1996? We used to call them freaks, or just mentally ill back then from what I recall.. that was us being polite. Edit: I remember 'transvestite' being a term once used.. is there a difference between transvestite and transgender? Brb going to see what the definition of a vestite is.. oh its a cross dresser, a person who only prefers the clothing of the opposite sex rather than embracing the social identity in full.