Glossary

The quality of having the means or skill to do something. Ability is not permanent, can fluctuate throughout one’s life, and is another aspect of diversity in our communities. Disabilities do not necessarily limit people unless society imposes assumptions that do not account for the variation in people’s abilities.

The pervasive system of discrimination and exclusion that oppresses people who are disabled, including differences in mental, cognitive, emotional, and/or physical abilities, through attitudes, actions, or institutional policies.

Assigned Female at Birth. The terms AFAB and AMAB are used by a wide range of individuals, including those who are transgender, non-binary, or intersex. While AFAB or AMAB may be useful for describing different trans or non-binary experiences, they are generally not considered identities in and of themselves. Calling a transman “AFAB,” for example, erases his identity as a man. Instead, use a person’s requested pronouns and self-description.

Denoting or relating to a person who does not identify as having a gender.

AIDS is the final and most serious stage of an HIV infection. People with AIDS have very low counts of certain white blood cells and severely damaged immune systems. They may have additional illnesses that indicate that they have progressed to AIDS.

Without treatment, HIV infections progress to AIDS in about 10 years.

The pervasive system of discrimination and exclusion that oppresses asexual people built out of the assumption that everyone does and should experience sexual attraction.

A sexual orientation generally characterized by feeling sexual attraction or a desire for partnered sexuality.

An adjective used to describe a straight and/or cisgender person who supports and advocates for LGBTQ people. Plural is allies.

The practice of confronting heterosexism, sexism, genderism, allosexism, and monosexism in oneself and others out of self-interest and a concern for the well being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual people. Is founded on the understanding that dismantling heterosexism, monosexism, trans oppression/trans misogyny/cissexism and allosexism is a social justice issue.

A person with a gender that is both masculine and feminine or in between masculine and feminine. An androgynous person.

An adjective used to describe a person who is primarily sexually, aesthetically, and/or romantically attracted to masculinity.

Is both aromantic and asexual, meaning they experience little to no romantic or sexual attraction.

Experiencing little or no romantic attraction to anyone; not having romantic feelings.

Often called “ace” for short, asexual refers to a complete or partial lack of sexual attraction or lack of interest in sexual activity with others. Asexuality exists on a spectrum, and asexual people may experience no, little or conditional sexual attraction.

A gender identity in which a person experiences two distinct genders, which can be simultaneous or alternate between them. These two genders can be any combination, such as male and female, or a mix of binary and non-binary genders

The process of reducing the appearance of breasts by wrapping or compressing the chest using various methods. Binding can be very gender-affirming for many people, however it must be done safely.

The fear and hatred of, or discomfort with, people who love and are sexually attracted to more than one gender.

A person emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to more than one gender, though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree. Sometimes used interchangeably with pansexual.

Folks of Black/African descent and/or from the African diaspora who recognize their queerness/LGBTQIA identity as a salient identity attached to their Blackness and vice versa. 

How a person feels, acts, and thinks about their body. Attitudes about our own body and bodies in general are shaped by our communities, families, cultures, media, and our own perceptions.

Any behavior which (indirectly or directly, intentionally or unintentionally) attempts to correct or control a person’s actions regarding their own physical body, frequently with regards to gender expression or size.

A gender expression that fits societal definitions of masculinity. Usually used by queer women and trans people, particularly by lesbians. Some consider “butch” to be its own gender identity.

A gender identity, or performance in a gender role, that society deems to match the person’s assigned sex at birth. The prefix cis- means “on this side of” or “not across.” A term used to highlight the privilege of people who are not transgender.

Attitudes and behaviors that incorrectly assume gender is binary, ignoring genders besides women and men, and that people should and will align with conventional expectations of society for gender identity and gender expression. Heteronormativity often combines with heteronormativity to create societal expectations of behavior. For example, someone assigned female at birth is expected to 1) have a body that is considered “female” by the dominant culture, 2) identify as a girl or woman, 3) act feminine and fulfill the roles associated with girls and/or women, 4) be romantically and sexually attracted to men, and 5) being in a monogamous relationship with someone of the opposite assigned sex at birth.

The pervasive system of discrimination and exclusion founded on the belief that there are, and should be, only two genders and that one’s gender or most aspects of it, are inevitably tied to assigned sex. This system oppresses people whose gender and/or gender expression falls outside of cis-normative constructs. Within cissexism, cisgender people are the dominant group and trans/gender non-conforming people are the oppressed group.

Historically used in the U.S. to describe state-based relationship recognition for same-sex couples that offered some or all of the state rights, protections, and responsibilities of marriage, but none of the federal rights. While many Western countries (including the United States) have now legalized marriage equality, others only legally recognize same-sex relationships through civil unions or other legal partnerships.

Describes a person who is not open about their sexual orientation. Better to simply refer to someone as not out about being LGBTQ. People may be out to some people in their life, but not out to others due to fear of rejection, harassment, violence, losing one’s job, or other concerns.

A lifelong process of self-acceptance. People come to understand their own sexual orientation first, and then they may reveal it to others. It is not necessary to have sexual experiences to come out as LGBTQ, nor is it necessary to tell others. It is possible to simply be out to one’s self.

The discredited and harmful practice of trying to forcibly change a person’s sexual
orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

A word to describe a person who dresses, at least partially, as a member of a gender other than their assigned sex; carries no implications of sexual orientation or gender identity. Has replaced “Transvestite.”

Calling someone by their birth name after they have changed their name. This term is often associated with trans people who have changed their name as part of their transition.

Demisexuality is a sexual orientation in which someone feels sexual attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond. Most demisexuals feel sexual attraction rarely compared to the general population, and some have little to no interest in sexual activity. Demisexuals are considered to be on the asexual spectrum.

Civil/legal recognition of a committed relationship between two people that sometimes extends limited legal protections to them.

The theatrical performance of one or multiple genders via dressing in the clothing of a different gender, or in a manner different from how one would usually dress. Drag queens perform in distinctly feminine attire. Drag kings perform in distinctly masculine attire. Drag is a form of gender expression and is not an indication of gender identity. Individuals who dress in drag may or may not consider themselves to be transgender. They may identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight or some other sexual orientation.

A lesbian or queer woman. Some members of the LGBTQ+ community have reclaimed this term, but it is still considered offensive to many. Only people who self-identify as a dyke should use this term.

A slang term used for nonbinary. Enby is the phonetic pronunciation of “NB,” an abbreviation for nonbinary.

A term predominantly used to describe feminine lesbians. It is also sometimes used more generally to describe feminine LGBTQ+ people.

Refers to a man who is attracted to men. Some non-binary people also identify with this term.

Gay is also a generic term for lesbian and gay sexuality. For example, some women define themselves as gay rather than lesbian.

The male sex or the female sex, especially when considered with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones, or one of a range of other identities that do not correspond to established ideas of male and female.

A broad term encompassing actions, language, medical care, and more, that affirms someone’s gender identity or expression. For example, surgery that alters someone’s appearance to align with their gender identity is referred to as gender-affirming surgery.

A system in which gender is constructed into two strict categories of male or female. Gender identity is expected to align with the sex assigned at birth and gender expressions and roles fit traditional expectations.

Clinically significant distress caused when a person’s assigned birth gender is not the same as the one with which they identify.

A euphoric feeling often experienced when one’s gender is recognized and respected by others, when one’s body aligns with one’s gender, or when one expresses themselves in accordance with their gender. Focusing on gender euphoria instead of gender dysphoria shifts focus towards the positive aspects of being transgender or gender expansive.

A person with a wider, more flexible range of gender identity and/or expression than typically associated with the binary gender system. Often used as an umbrella term when referring to young people still exploring the possibilities of their gender expression and/or gender identity.

External appearance of one’s gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.

A person’s innate sense of their gender (chiefly used in contexts where it is contrasted with the sex registered for them at birth).

A term used to describe the mismatch between a person’s gender and the sex they were assigned at birth. 

This is also the clinical diagnosis used by the NHS for someone who is trans.

Refers to anything that is not gendered. For example, gender-neutral language does not use binary male or female words, and gender-neutral restrooms are available to be used by anyone of any gender identity or expression.

A person whose gender expression doesn’t align with societal expectations of gender. Both cis and trans people can be gender non-conforming. 

A person who refuses to be defined by conventional definitions of male and female.

‘Gender reassignment’ is the phrase used in the Equality Act 2010 to describe the characteristic under which trans people are protected from discrimination in the workplace and wider society.

The phrasing of the Equality Act 2010 says that a person is covered by the protected characteristic of gender reassignment if they are ‘proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of reassigning the person’s sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex’.

‘Gender reassignment’ is generally used when referring to the law. It is commonly referred to as ‘transition’ or ‘transitioning’

A commonly used model to explain various aspects of one’s identity, including assigned sex at birth, gender identity, gender expression, physical attraction, and romantic attraction. The Gender Unicorn illustrates how, with the exception of assigned sex at birth, these different aspects of identity exist on spectrums. The Gender Unicorn is available at transstudent.org/gender

An identity for someone whose gender identity is not fixed and changes over time. A genderfluid person may identify as a man, a woman, both, or neither at different times, and these changes can happen over days, months, or even years. Their gender expression (how they dress and present) may also change to align with their identity.

Genderqueer people typically reject notions of static categories of gender and embrace a fluidity of gender identity and often, though not always, sexual orientation. People who identify as “genderqueer” may see themselves as being both male and female, neither male nor female or as falling completely outside these categories.

An adjective used to describe a person who is primarily sexually, aesthetically, and/or romantically attracted to femininity.

An adjective used to describe a person whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attraction is to people of a sex different than their own. Also: straight.

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. HIV infects and destroys cells of your immune system, making it hard to fight off other diseases. When HIV has severely weakened your immune system, it can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Because HIV works backward to insert its instructions into your DNA, it is called a retrovirus.

The fear and hatred of or discomfort with people who are attracted to members of the same sex.

Outdated clinical term considered derogatory and offensive. The Associated Press, The New York Times, and The Washington Post restrict usage of the term.

Intersex people are born with a variety of differences in their sex traits and reproductive anatomy. There is a wide variety of difference among intersex variations, including differences in genitalia, chromosomes, gonads, internal sex organs, hormone production, hormone response, and/or secondary sex traits.

The scale developed by Alfred Kinsey in the 1940s, which was used for measuring sexual attraction and behavior along a continuum. Instead of assigning people to two categories—heterosexual and homosexual—Kinsey used a spectrum ranging from 0 (exclusively heterosexual) to 6 (exclusively homosexual). The scale is an early recognition of varying sexual attractions and behaviors and is credited with challenging the heterosexual/homosexual binary.

Denoting or relating to women who are sexually or romantically attracted to other women, or to sexual attraction or activity between women.

Prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs or views about lesbians. This can include the fear or dislike of someone because they are or are perceived to be a lesbian.

Abbreviation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual. The additional “+” stands for all of the other identities not encompassed in the short acronym. An umbrella term that is often used to refer to the community as a whole.

Inaccurate term used by anti-LGBTQ activists to denigrate LGBTQ people and inaccurately imply that being LGBTQ is a voluntary or a “choice.” As there is no one straight lifestyle, there is no one LGBTQ lifestyle.

A name (often a first name) that someone uses that differs from their legal name. There are many reasons someone may have a lived name that differs from their legal name. Some trans and nonbinary people may use a lived name to affirm their gender identity. “Preferred name” has also been used, however it has been largely replaced by lived name. “Preferred name” suggests that using someone’s lived name is optional, which can lead to deadnaming. 

In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that every American has the constitutional right to marry the person they love. When reporting on marriage for same-sex couples, preferred terminology includes marriage equality, marriage for same-sex couples, or just marriage. Note, the terms “gay marriage” and “same-sex marriage” should be avoided, as they can suggest marriage for same-sex couples is somehow different or less equal than other marriages.

A term coined by B. Cole of the Brown Boi Project to describe folks, including lesbian/queer womyn and trans folks, who lean towards the masculine side of the gender spectrum. These can include a wide range of identities such as butch, stud, aggressive/AG, dom, macha, tomboi, trans-masculine, etc.

Attributing a gender to someone that is incorrect/does not align with their gender identity. Can occur when using pronouns, gendered language (i.e. “Hello ladies!” “Hey guys”), or assigning genders to people without knowing how they identify (i.e. “Well, since we’re all women in this room, we understand…”).

An abbreviation for men who love men, which includes gay men, as well as men who are attracted to men and people of other genders.

The belief in and systematic privileging of monosexuality as superior, and the systematic oppression of non-monosexuality.

People who have romantic, sexual, or affectional desire for one gender only. Identifying as straight or gay are the most well-known forms of monosexuality.

An abbreviation for men who have sex with men; they may or may not identify as gay.

An umbrella term to describe attraction to more than one gender. It can include sexual attractions like bisexual, polysexual, omnisexual, and others. The aforementioned terms are used by some interchangeably and for others the subtle differences among them are important.

Gender-neutral pronouns such as ze/zir or ey/em that are used instead of more traditional ones such as they/them.

A non-binary gender identity that falls under the genderqueer or transgender umbrellas. There is no one definition of Neutrois, since each person that self-identifies as such experiences their gender differently. The most common ones are: Neutral-gender, Null-gender, Neither male nor female, Genderless and/or Agender.

 An adjective describing a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories. While many also identify as transgender, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender-fluid.

Possessing all genders. The term is used specifically to refute the concept of only two genders.

A term describing a person’s attraction to other people. This attraction may be sexual (sexual orientation) and/or romantic (romantic orientation). 

Orientations include, but are not limited to, lesbian, gay, bi, ace and straight.

A person who self-identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer and/or transgender  in their personal, public, and/or professional lives. For example: Ricky Martin is an out gay pop star from Puerto Rico. Preferred to openly gay.

Exposing someone’s lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender or gender non-binary identity to others without their permission. Outing someone can have serious repercussions on employment, economic stability, personal safety or religious or family situations.

A sexual orientation characterized by romantic or sexual attraction to individuals of all gender identities, regardless of their sex or gender expression.

Pansexual individuals are attracted to people based on their personality, traits, and other factors, rather than their gender. They may be open to forming relationships with people who identify as male, female, non-binary, genderqueer, or any other gender.

It’s important to note that pansexuality is distinct from bisexuality, which describes attraction to two or more genders. While pansexual individuals may be attracted to all genders, bisexual individuals typically have a preference for specific genders.

When a trans person is perceived to be the gender with which they identify, based on their appearance.

Someone who identifies as male or female or a man or woman, but was assigned the opposite sex at birth. This is increasingly used by people to acknowledge a trans past.

People who are on the ace and/or aro spectrum may have platonic partnerships. These are relationships where there is a high level of mutual commitment which can include shared life decisions, shared living arrangements, and co-parenting of children. These partnerships can include more than two people. Like allosexual and alloromantic people, ace and aro spectrum people may be monogamous or polyamorous.

Polyamory has come to be an umbrella term for various forms of non-monogamous, multi-partner relationships, or non-exclusive sexual or romantic relationships.

Being attracted to people of multiple genders, but not necessarily all genders. It is distinct from polyamory, which is having multiple romantic relationships at once, and pansexuality, which is attraction to people regardless of gender. While bisexuality can also mean attraction to two or more genders, some individuals prefer the term polysexual to specify attraction to many, but not all, genders.

Shortened term for HIV positive. For example, stating “I’m positive” is a way to voluntarily disclose one’s HIV status.

Pronouns are words we use to refer to people’s gender in conversation – for example, ‘he’, ‘she’ or ‘they’.

An acronym that stands for Queer, Transgender and Intersex People of Colour. 

A term people often use to express a spectrum of identities and orientations that are counter to the mainstream. Queer is often used as a catch-all to include many people, including those who do not identify as exclusively straight and/or folks who have non-binary or gender-expansive identities. This term was previously used as a slur, but has been reclaimed by many parts of the LGBTQ+ movement.

A term used to describe people who are in the process of exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

A person’s romantic attraction to other people, or lack thereof. Along with sexual orientation, this forms a person’s orientation identity.
Stonewall uses the term ‘orientation’ as an umbrella term covering sexual and romantic orientations.

A term some prefer to use instead of lesbian, gay or bisexual to express attraction to and love of people of the same gender.

Used to describe any female-identifying person who is attracted to other female-identifying people. This broad term includes lesbians, bisexuals, omnisexuals, pansexuals, romantic asexuals, and other orientations, as well as nonbinary folks. Often sapphic is used as a more inclusive term instead of “women who like women (WLW)” or lesbian.

The categories of male and female, which are assigned to a person on the basis of their primary sex characteristics (genitalia) and reproductive functions.

‘Sex’ also refers to sexual activity and intercourse.

The sex, male, female or intersex, that a doctor or midwife uses to describe a child at birth based on their external anatomy.

An individual’s enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction to others. It describes who a person is attracted to, regardless of their gender identity or the gender of their partners.

Historically used to selectively persecute gay people, the state laws often referred to as “sodomy laws” were ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas (2003). “Sodomy” should never be used to describe relationships or sexual orientation.

An acronym that stands for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression. Is used by some in a similar way to the umbrella acronym: LGBTQIA.

A term used to cover a variety of identities that have a root commonality or shared experience.

A culture-specific identity that is often defined as a black masculine lesbian. As such, it is meant to be an identity label that is exclusively used by black people. 

A term used to describe a man who was assigned female at birth. This may be shortened to trans man, or FTM, an abbreviation for female-to-male.

Transgender refers to individuals whose gender identity, or sense of belonging to a particular gender, differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. This means that they may identify as a gender other than the one that corresponds to their physical sex characteristics.

A term used to describe a woman who was assigned male at birth. This may be shortened to trans woman, or MTF, an abbreviation for male-to-female.

A series of processes that some transgender people may undergo in order to live more fully as their true gender. This typically includes social transition, such as changing name and pronouns, medical transition, which may include hormone therapy or gender affirming surgeries, and legal transition, which may include changing legal name and sex on government identity documents. Transgender people may choose to undergo some, all or none of these processes.

Prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs or views about trans people. This can include the fear or dislike of someone based on the fact they are, or are perceived to be trans.

This was more commonly used in the past as a more medical term (similarly to homosexual) to refer to someone whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

This term is still used by some today, although many people prefer the term trans or transgender.

An adjective used by some Indigenous and First Nations people as an umbrella term to describe people who are not straight and/or cisgender. Many Indigenous communities have specific words in their language to describe these experiences, but some do not. This term should not be used to describe people who are not Indigenous. Only use it for an Indigenous person if they use it to describe themselves.

HIV medication (antiretroviral treatment, or ART) works by reducing the amount of the virus in the blood to undetectable levels. This means the levels of HIV are so low that the virus cannot be passed on. This is called having an undetectable viral load or being undetectable.