Glossary of Terms

Important note: these definitions are by no means final or completely agreed upon. We are providing them to add context to our other content. Other groups and individuals may use different definitions. For a more robust description of LGBTQ+ terminology, we recommend The ABC's of LGBT by Ash Hardell and the glossary on ItGetsBetter.org.

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Ally -

A person who does not personally identify as LGBTQ+, but supports civil rights, gender equality, and other LGBTQ+ causes and advocates alongside the community.

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Agender -

A gender identity where the person experiences little to no personal connection to gender.

 

Asexual (Ace) -

A sexual orientation where the person experiences little to no sexual attraction towards others.

 

Allosexual -

A sexual orientation where the person experiences sexual attraction.

 

Aromantic (Aro) -

A romantic orientation where the person experiences little to no romantic attraction towards others.

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Alloromantic -

A romantic orientation where the person experiences romantic attraction towards others.

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Bigender -

A gender identity where the person identifies as two distinct genders. 

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Binary - 

Idea that things such as gender identity have two distinct and opposite forms (e.g. male and female)

 

Bisexual -

A sexual orientation where the person experiences sexual attraction towards their own gender and other genders

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Biromantic

A romantic orientation where the person experiences romantic attraction towards their own gender and other genders

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Cisgender (Cis) -

An adjective describing a person whose gender identity aligns with their sex assigned at birth. A person who is not transgender.

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Demisexual -

A sexual orientation often considered to be on the asexual spectrum where the person experiences sexual attraction towards someone only after a strong romantic bond is formed.

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Demiromantic -

A romantic orientation often considered to be on the aromantic spectrum where the person experiences romantic attraction towards someone only after a strong platonic bond is formed.

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Demi-boy/girl -

A gender identity where the person partially, but not fully, identifies as a boy/girl.

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Drag -

The act of performing a gender, usually in an exaggerated sense for entertainment (e.g. drag queens and kings). People who do drag do not necessarily wish to present as a different gender at all times. 

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Gay -

A sexuality where the person experiences romantic and/or sexual attraction towards their own gender. (See also: homosexual and homoromantic)

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Gender Identity -

A person's sense of self in relation to gender.

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Gender dysphoria -

A feeling of discomfort experienced when one's physical characteristics or perception by others is at odds with their gender identity.

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Gender euphoria - 

A feeling of elation when one's physical characteristics or perception by others is aligned with their gender identity.

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Gender expression/presentation -

How someone expresses or presents themself in relation to gender (e.g. clothing, hair, mannerisms, etc). 

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Genderfluid - 

A gender identity where the person's gender shifts between different identities.

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Genderflux -

A gender identity where the intensity of a person's gender fluctuates.

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Gender nonconforming -

A description of someone whose gender expression/presentation does not conform to the expectations usually placed on people with their gender identity.

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Genderqueer -

A gender identity which falls between or outside of the binary of male and female.

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Heterosexual -

A sexual orientation where the person only experiences sexual attraction towards people of a gender identity different to their own.

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Heteroromantic -

A sexual orientation where the person only experiences sexual attraction towards people of a gender identity different to their own.

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Homosexual -

A sexual orientation where the person only experiences sexual attraction towards people of the same gender identity as their own.

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Homoromantic -

A romantic orientation where the person only experiences romantic attraction towards people of the same gender identity as their own.

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Intersex -

A naturally occurring variation of sex characteristics, reproductive organs, and/or chromosomes that do not fit the typical definition of male or female. 

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Lesbian -

A sexual orientation describing women who are sexually and/or romantically attracted to other women.

 

LGBTQIA+ -

Acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual/Aromantic. The abbreviation may include additional letters or fewer letters at times.

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Metagender -

A gender identity where the person identifies as neither cisgender nor transgender.

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Nonbinary -

A gender identity outside the binary of male and female.

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Pansexual -

A sexual orientation where the person experiences sexual attraction to people regardless of gender.

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Panromantic -

A romantic orientation where the person experiences romantic attraction to people regardless of gender.

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Queer -

An umbrella term describing people who do not straight and/or cis. (note: this term has a long history of being used as a slur against LGBTQ+ people and is in the process of being reclaimed. Many LGBTQ+ people do not identify with this term.)

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Straight -

A sexuality where the person is romantically and/or sexually attracted only to people with a gender identity that is different to their own. (see also: heterosexual and heteroromantic)

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Transgender (trans)-

A description for a person whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth. (some may consider this to be a gender identity, while others consider it a descriptor to add to their gender identity).

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Trans(gender) man -

A man of transgender experience.

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Trans(gender) woman -

A woman of transgender experience.

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Transition -

The process a transgender person may go through to better align themself with their gender identity. This process can include physical alteration to the body including surgeries and hormones and/or social changes including name changes and pronoun changes.

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Two-Spirit -

A Native American gender identity/role outside of or between male and female believed to be common among most, if not all, first peoples of North America.

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Sex Assigned at Birth -

The sex ascribed to a baby when they are born based on their genitalia.