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Definitions for LGBTIQA Related Terms
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LGBTIQA communities use various terms, phrases, and words to discuss and/or identify LGBTIQA concepts. Definitions of these terms and phrases are constantly changing, often contested, and based upon personal preferences and social changes.
Ally
Someone who confronts heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, heterosexual and genderstgraight privilege in tehselves and others; who has concern for the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex people; who believes that hetersexism, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia are social justice issues.
Androgyny/Androgynous
Appearing and/or identifying as neither man nor woman, presenting a gender either mixed or neutral.
Assigned Gender
The gender one is socially considered to be at birth, due to the presence of one’s external sex organs.
Bigendered
A person whose gender identity is a combination of male/man and female/woman.
Biological Sex
A term used to refer to the way ones sex is classified at birth as male, female, or intersex based on anatomical, chromosomal, and hormonal characteristics.
Biphobia
Irrational fear of or aversion to people who identify as bisexual, omnisexual, or pansexual.
Bisexual
A term used to describe someone who is attracted to and may form sexual and romantic relationships with someone regardless of that person’s gender-identity or genitalia. Omnisexual and Pansexual are analogous terms that are used by some to connote their recognition of the fluidity of gender or that there are more than two genders.
Butch
A person who identifies themselves or is identified by others as masculine by current cultural standards whether physically, mentally or emotionally. ‘Butch’ is sometimes used as a derogatory term but it can also be claimed as an affirmative identity label.
Closet/Closeted
A term used to describe concealment of sexual orientation or gender identity. Sometimes, due to concerns about physical, emotional, or financial security people feel they must conceal their identities.
Coming Out
May refer to the process by which one accepts one’s own sexuality, gender identity, or status as an intersex person (to ‘come out’ to oneself). May also refer to the process by which one shares one’s sexuality, gender identity, or intersex status with others (to ‘come out’ to friends, family, etc.). This is a continual, life-long process for LGBTIQ-identified individuals.
Drag
The performance of one or multiple genders theatrically.
Discrimination
Prejudice + power. It occurs when members of a more powerful social group behave unjustly or cruelly to members of a less powerful social group. Discrimination can take many forms, including both individual acts of hatred or injustice and institutional denials of privileges normally accorded to other groups. Ongoing discrimination creates a climate of oppression for the affected group.
Dyke
A term used to refer to women who partner with women. Can be used as a derogative or affirmative label. Also can be applied in a derogatory manner to people who are gender nonconforming.
Family (In the Family)
Asking if someone is “in the family” or just “family” is a way of referencing or inquiring about someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Femme
Displaying stereotypically feminine-gender characteristics in terms of gender expression.
FTM/F2M
Abbreviation used to refer to female-to-male transgender or transsexual person.
Gay
A term used to describe a male who is attracted to and may form sexual and romantic relationships with another male. Often gay is used to describe both men and women who partner with the same-sex; this is not universally preferred. Personal preference usually determines how one would like to identify their sexuality.
Genderqueer
Term used to describe a person who crosses gender lines through appearance and behaviors without necessarily trying to pass as a different gender; also used to describe a person who challenges the gender binary or gender stereotypes.
Gender Binary
The idea that there are only two genders; male/female or man/woman and that a person must be strictly gendered as either/or.
Gender Cues
What human beings use to attempt to tell the gender/sex of another person. Examples include hairstyle, gait, vocal inflection, body shape,facial hair, etc. Cues vary by culture and historical time period.
Gender Dysphoria
A term coined by psychologists and medical doctors that refers to the state of discomfort felt by transsexuals and some transgender people caused by the incongruity between one's physical sex and one's gender identity.
Gender Expression
How someone performs or expresses themselves in appearance, behavior, speech, or other mannerisms. A person’s gender expression may or may not be analogous to their gender identity.
Gender Identity
The gender an individual identifies as psychologically, regardless of what gender they were assigned at birth.
Gender conforming
A term used to describe a person who by nature or choice conforms to gender based expectations of society (also referred to as ‘genderstraight’).
Heterosexism
Societal and institutional reinforcement of heterosexuality as the privileged and norm; the assumption that everyone identifies as heterosexual.
Heterosexuals
A term used to describe someone who is attracted to and may form sexual and romantic relationships with only someone of a different gender than themselves.
Homophobia
The irrational fear of and/or aversion to, or discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) people or communities.
Homosexuals
Initially, introduced in the American Psychological Association (APA) to diagnosis someone who partners with the same-sex. Presently, not part of (APA) as a diagnosis and often not preferred to describe men and women who partner with the same-sex.
Internalized Homophobia
Experience of shame, aversion, or self-hatred in reaction to one’s own feelings of attraction for a person of the same-sex. This type of homophobia can be experienced by anyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Intersex
a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male; see www.isna.org for more information on this topic.
Lesbian
A term used to describe a female who is attracted to and may form sexual and romantic relationships with another female. Often lesbians are incorporated into the term gay; which may be used to describe both men and women who partner with same-sex. This is not universally preferred. Personal preference usually determines how one would like to identify their sexuality.
MTF/M2F
Abbreviation used to refer to male-to-female transgender or transsexual person.
Out (someone)
To disclose someone else’s sexual orientation or gender identity without permission from that person. Also, used to describe how public (how “out”) someone is regarding their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Oppression
The systematic subjugation of a group of people by another group with access to social power, the result of which benefits one group over another and is maintained by social beliefs and practices.
Partner (significant other)
Gender-neutral and non-heterosexist method of describing someone’s “boyfriend/girlfriend”, or “husband/wife”; using partner or significant other is often preferred in LGBTQ communities.
Polyamory
A term used to refer to the ethical philosophy and practice of having nonpossessive, honest, responsible loving and/or sexual relationships with multiple partners within parameters that are known and agreed upon by all people involved. Can include: open relationships, polyfidelity, and relationships of different levels of commitment. For more information see http://www.polyamorysociety.org.
Queer
A term with varied meanings. In the mid-late 1900s this was a derogatory slang term for the LGBTQ community and currently is still used by some in this manner. In the early 1990s many individuals and organizations began to reclaim this term. Some people use it as an all-inclusive or umbrella term to refer to all people who identify as LGBTIQ. This usage is not accepted by the entire community. Often used by people who wish to challenge norms of sexuality and/or gender expression as well as to defy identities and labeling of persons.
Rainbow (Flag)
Designed in 1978 for Gay Pride in San Francisco. Colors symbolize the diversity within the LGBT population. The flag is now used to within LGBTQ and Ally communities to celebrate diversity and pride.
Same Gender Loving
A term sometimes used by members of African American/Black communities to express an alternative sexual orientation without relying on terms and symbols of European descent. The term emerged in the early 1990’s with the intention of offering Black women who love women and Black men who love men a voice, a way of identifying and being that resonated with the uniqueness of Black culture (sometimes abbreviated as SGL).
Sexual Orientation
Refers to a person’s openness to or desire for emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, and/or sexually intimate relationships with people of the same sex/gender, different sex/gender, or irrespective of sex/gender.
Stereotype
A preconceived or oversimplified generalization about an entire group of people without regard for their individual differences.
Transgender (TG)
An umbrella term used to describe a loose association of people who transgress gender norms in a wide variety of ways. A person who identifies as trangender may be heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, or asexual; they are not always a sexual minority. See http://www.nctequality.org for more information.
Transsexual (TS)
An individual who self-identifies and presents themselves as a gender different than their assigned sex at birth. Transsexual individuals may pursue hormone therapy and/or sex reassignment surgeries through a process called transitioning. A person who identifies as transsexual may be heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, or asexual; they are not always a sexual minority. See http://www.nctequality.org for more information.
Transition
A term used to describe the process a person undergoes when changing their bodily appearance either to be more congruent with their gender identity or to be in harmony with their preferred gender expression. Can include hormone therapy and/or various surgical procedures.
Transman
An identity label sometimes adopted by female-to-male transsexuals to signify that they are men while still affirming their history as females; also referred to as ‘transguy(s)’
Transwomen
An identity label sometimes adopted by male-to-female transsexuals to signify that they are women while still affirming their history as men.
Ze, hir, hirs, hirself
Gender non-specific pronouns sometimes preferred by individuals instead of pronouns that are gendered. There are multiple versions of gender non-specific pronouns currently in use.
This terminology sheet was created by the staff of the UNC LGBTQ Center with input from multiple sources including websites, books, and consideration of definitions used at other university LGBTQ related centers (special recognition to LGBT Resource Center at UC Riverside and The University of Georgia LGBT Resource Center).
