LGBTQ-related Definitions

Ally: A person who advocates for, speaks out for, or takes actions on behalf of LGBTQ+ individuals or groups of which they are not a member.

Asexual: A person who does not experience (or experiences very minimal) sexual attraction or sexual desire for other people.

Bisexual or Bi: A person who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to people of more than one sex, gender or gender identity, though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way, or to the same degree.

Cisgender: A person whose gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to them at birth.

Gay: A person who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted predominantly to members of the same gender. This is sometimes used to refer to men who are attracted to other men, but can be used for a person of any gender who is attracted to members of the same gender.

Gender: A person’s internal sense of self as male, female, both, neither, or other (see gender identity), as well as one’s outward presentation and behaviors (see gender expression). Gender norms vary among cultures and over time.

Gender Binary: The idea that there are only two genders, male and female. This idea is outdated, and can be alienating to many in the LGBTQ+ community.

Gender Expression: How a person expresses their gender through outward presentation and behavior. This includes, for example, a person’s name, clothing, hairstyle, body language, voice, and mannerisms.

Gender Identity: An internal, deeply felt sense of being male, female, both, neither, or other -- the ways individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One’s gender identity can be aligned with, or different from, their sex assigned at birth.

Heterosexual: A term describing a person who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted predominantly to people of a different gender. Also known as straight.

Homophobia: Fear, hatred, antagonism, or significant discomfort with people who are attracted to members of the same sex or gender. Expressed homophobia is a form of discrimination.

Homosexual: A term describing a person who is attracted predominantly to members of the same sex or gender. This term is usually used in medical or scientific references. More common conversational terms are gay, lesbian, or queer.

Intersex: The term used for the 2% of people who are born with naturally occurring variations in chromosomes, hormones, genitalia, and other sex characteristics that make them biologically neither male nor female.

Lesbian: A term describing a woman who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted predominantly to women.

LGBTQ+: An acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer and/or Questioning. Additions to this acronym (the "+") can include A, for “Asexual,” “Ally,” or "Agender"; I, for “Intersex”; and other words denoting expressions of gender identity and sexual orientation.

Other / Othering: To view or treat a person or group of people as intrinsically different from, alien to, or inferior to, oneself. Othering is a way to create categories of LGBTQ people that alienate, differentiate, and push individuals and groups away from inclusion. Othering is the opposite of inclusion and welcoming.

Queer: A term some people use to identify themselves with a flexible and fluid view of gender and/or sexuality. Also used interchangeably with LGBTQ to describe a group of people, such as “queer youth.” It is also seen in academic fields, such as queer studies or queer theory. Historically, it was sometimes used as a negative term for LGBTQ people.

Sex: One’s biological and physical attributes––external genitalia, sex chromosomes, and internal reproductive structures––that are used to assign someone as male or female at birth.

Sexual Orientation: Describes a person’s emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to other people. Some examples of sexual orientations are gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, or pansexual.

Straight: A slang term for heterosexual.

Trans: A term used to describe people who identify as a different gender from the sex they were assigned at birth. Being trans does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Trans people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc. Being trans is an identity. It does not indicate or imply anything else about a person's body or life.

NOTE: The term "transgender" is still sometimes used to refer to trans individuals, but this term is considered outdated and is not preferred. It is widely accepted that there are more than two genders. Not all trans people have transitioned between specifically male and female identities. You might hear some people use the terms "trans woman" or "trans man," but these terms are redundant and unnecessary. They tend to create "othering (see above definition)" and are not preferred. "Trans" is the preferred term.

Transphobia: Fear, hatred, antagonism, or significant discomfort with people who are trans. Expressed transphobia is a form of discrimination.