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Glossary

Words Have Meaning

There are many words and terms used to understand sexuality, gender, and identity.

Below you will find a glossary of terms that may be relevant to the LGBTQIA+ community. This isn’t a complete list of words, and new ones are coming into use all the time.

Keep in mind that words also change and evolve. Some words may have multiple meanings, and an individual may have a unique definition for words and terms. If you’re not sure or don’t understand the context in which a person may be using a word, you can respectfully ask them to tell you what that word means for them.

Jump To:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Agender

Someone who does not identify as having a gender.

Ally

A non-LGBTQ person who supports and stands up for the LGBTQ community.

Androgyny

The combination of elements of masculinity and femininity.

Aromantic

A person who does not experience emotional or romantic attraction.

ASAB – Assigned Sex at Birth (including AMAB & AFAB)

Abbreviations that refer to one's Assigned Sex at Birth, typically AMAB (assigned male) or AFAB (assigned female). Used to describe trans people's experiences of socially assigned gender and intersex people's experiences of surgically assigned gender.

Asexual

A person who does not experience sexual attraction. A person who has no (or low) sexual attraction or desire for sexual activity.

A

Agender

Someone who does not identify as having a gender.

Ally

A non-LGBTQ person who supports and stands up for the LGBTQ community.

Androgyny

The combination of elements of masculinity and femininity.

Aromantic

A person who does not experience emotional or romantic attraction.

ASAB – Assigned Sex at Birth (including AMAB & AFAB)

Abbreviations that refer to one's Assigned Sex at Birth, typically AMAB (assigned male) or AFAB (assigned female). Used to describe trans people's experiences of socially assigned gender and intersex people's experiences of surgically assigned gender.

Asexual

A person who does not experience sexual attraction. A person who has no (or low) sexual attraction or desire for sexual activity.

B

Bigender

A nonbinary identity used by individuals who identify with two or more genders.

Binding

The act of binding down one's chest. Performed primarily by trans masculine individuals, typically to achieve both release from dysphoria and avoid misgendering.

Bisexual

A person who is capable of being attracted emotionally, romantically, and/or sexually to more than one gender.

C

Chaser

A cis person with a fetishistic attraction towards trans people.

Cis Man

A man who was assigned male at birth.

Cis Woman

A woman who was assigned female at birth.

Cisgender

Also abbreviated as "Cis." Someone whose gender identity conforms to the sex assigned to them at birth. "Cis" is a Latin prefix which means "to remain on the same side of," the antonym of the Latin prefix "Trans."

Cissexism

The institutionalized assumption that everyone is cisgender and that cis people are inherently superior and preferable to trans and nonbinary people.

Crossdresser

Individuals who enjoy dressing in ways that do not conform to expectations of their gender identity. This does not imply that the person identifies as that gender, nor does it imply anything about their sexuality. ("Crossdresser" replaces outdated terminology "transvestite")

D

Dead Name

The name a person, usually a trans person, was given at birth which they no longer use. This is extremely personal and private information, and typically unacceptable to use or ask about.

Demi-Boy

Someone who only partially identifies as a man, boy, or otherwise masculine, no matter their assigned gender.

Demi-Girl

Someone who only partially identifies as a woman, girl, or otherwise feminine, no matter their assigned gender.

Demigender

Someone who only partially identifies with one gender, no matter their assigned gender. For instance, a demi-boy/man identifies only partially with masculinity, a demi-girl/woman only partially identifies with only femininity, etc.

Demisexual

A person who does not feel sexual interest towards others unless a strong emotional connection is formed first

Drag

Exaggerated hyper-performance of gender presentation, most often involving crossdressing, often for shows or entertainment. This does not imply anything about the person's gender identity or sexuality. Performing drag is not the same as being trans, though some drag performers are trans.

Dysphoria

Literally "a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with life." Antonym of euphoria. Typically used among trans people to refer to emotional difficulty, depression, and distress caused by their body, but also often from how others interact with them and being misgendered.

E

F

FTM/MTF

Stands for "Female to Male" and "Male to Female," referring to trans men and trans women respectively. Used more often by cisgender people and older trans people - younger trans people use these terms less frequently. Still prominent outside of English speaking communities. Among the nonbinary community, FTX and MTX are sometimes used.

G

Gay Male

A man who is attracted emotionally, romantically, and/or sexually to other men.

Gender Expansive

An individual who does not identify with normative gender identities, but instead broadens it, not confined to one particular narrative or experience. While this is a term that can apply to anyone, it is most often used for young children.

Gender Expression

How one expresses their gender, be it through clothing, makeup, etc.

Gender Identity

An individual's internal sense of what their gender is, be it male, female, or outside the binary, which may or may not align with their gender assigned at birth. It has nothing to do with sexual orientation.

Gender Neutral

Not specifying any particular gender. Definition can vary depending on context and individual use of the term.

Gender Nonconforming/ Gender Variant

Individuals who do not conform to society's expectations of their gender role - e.g., men who wear makeup or women who present as butch.

Gender Roels

The socially constructed and culturally specific patterns of behavior, appearance, and presentation expected and imposed on people based largely around perceived gender.

Genderfluid

An individual who is highly flexible about their gender expression and presentation. They may fluctuate between presentations and identities or combine them.

Genderqueer

Someone who identifies outside the normative gender binary. This term is used as both an umbrella term and as an identity in itself. There is often a connotation of transgressiveness for those who identity with this label.

Grey-A(sexual)

Refers to an individual who experiences sexual desire very rarely.

H

Heterosexism

The institutionalized assumption that everyone is heterosexual and that heterosexuality is inherently superior and preferable to homosexuality, bisexuality, etc.

Homophobia

The irrational fear, hatred of, or discrimination against people who are attracted to people of the same gender.

I

Internalized Homophobia

The experience of shame, aversion, or self-hatred in relation to one's own attraction to a person of the same gender.

Intersex

Includes people born with ambiguous genitalia, chromosomal combinations other than XY and XX, or certain hormonal conditions that cause differences in sex development. Those with ambiguous genitalia are often surgically altered at birth, a practice that is increasingly being spoken out against. Intersex people are not necessarily trans, though some are.

J

K

L

Lesbian

A woman who is attracted emotionally, romantically, and/or sexually to other women.

M

FTM/MTF

Stands for "Female to Male" and "Male to Female," referring to trans men and trans women respectively. Used more often by cisgender people and older trans people - younger trans people use these terms less frequently. Still prominent outside of English speaking communities. Among the nonbinary community, FTX and MTX are sometimes used.

Misgendering

Referring to someone with terms and pronouns that do not match their gender identity. This can be particularly distressing for trans people. Often a form of harassment.

MSM/MLM

MSM, Men who have Sex with Men or alternately, MLM, Men Loving Men. Used to refer to men of all sexualities who are attracted in some way to men.

N

Non-Labeling

Someone who does not wish to identify with any existing labels.

NonBinary (NB)

Often abbreviated as "NB" or "enby." Individuals who do not identify as either male or female, but rather outside of the gender binary. The term is used both as a self-identifier, but also to encompass any other identities that do not fit into the binary genders. Non binary people may or may not identify as trans.

O

P

Packing

Wearing a penile prosthesis or other object to emulate the appearance of having a penis.

Pangender

A nonbinary identity. Someone who identifies as pangender may identify with two or more genders, with any/all genders, or as a separate, third gender.

Pansexual

Someone who is capable of being attracted emotionally, romantically, and/or sexually to any gender.

Passing

Being perceived by straight/cisgender people as one of them, i.e. "passing as straight." In the trans community it is used to refer specifically being recognized as one's gender by others (such as a trans woman being recognized as a woman). This usage has fallen out of favor, however, due to implications that one is not genuinely that gender to begin with. As such, it should be avoided unless the other person has already used it first.

POC/WOC/QPOC/TPOC

POC - Person of Color WOC - Woman of Color QPOC - Queer Person of Color TPOC - Trans person of Color among other variations

Poly (Polyamorous)

Poly, short for "polyamorous." Describes someone who is open to the idea of being in a relationship with multiple partners (regardless of whether or not they are currently in such a relationship).

Q

POC/WOC/QPOC/TPOC

POC - Person of Color WOC - Woman of Color QPOC - Queer Person of Color TPOC - Trans person of Color among other variations

Queer

A catch-all umbrella term for gender and sexual minorities who are not cis, not straight, or both. The word queer is a reclaimed slur and sometimes still used as such, so use it with sensitivity - do not use it for others unless they already have for themselves.

Questioning

An individual who may be trying to understand or questioning their sexuality and/or gender identity.

R

S

Sexual Orientation

Defined by whom you are attracted to, emotionally, sexuality, and/or romantically. Has nothing to do with gender.

Stealth

When a trans individual chooses to not be openly trans in their social life.

Straight

Refers to men who are exclusively attracted to women and women who are exclusively attracted to men. Attraction between men and women is heterosexual regardless of if either person is trans.

T

POC/WOC/QPOC/TPOC

POC - Person of Color WOC - Woman of Color QPOC - Queer Person of Color TPOC - Trans person of Color among other variations

Trans Feminine

Someone assigned male at birth whose identity has moved away from masculinity. Used for trans women and AMAB nonbinary people.

Trans Man

A man who was assigned female at birth.

Trans Masculine

Someone assigned female at birth whose identity has moved away from femininity. Used for trans men and AFAB nonbinary people.

Transgender

Abbreviated at "trans." People whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned to them at birth.

Transmisogyny

Refers to the ways in which misogyny and transphobia can intersect, as well as the specific forms of oppression faced by trans women.

Transphobia

The irrational fear, hatred of, or discrimination against people who are trans.

Transsexual

Similar to transgender, this is a more specific term typically referring to trans people who are hormonally and/or surgically transitioning from one binary gender to another. This term has largely fallen out of use. While not necessarily offensive, this term is fairly out of use among younger trans people and likely should be avoided unless the individual self-identifies.

Tucking

A technique used to bind and minimize the appearance of the testicles and penis, often used by trans feminine people or crossdressers. Performed both to relieve dysphoria and avoid misgendering, or for simple aesthetic reasons.

Two-Spirit

An umbrella term referring to various forms of gender identity and sexuality specific to the culture of the indigenous peoples of North America.

U

V

W

POC/WOC/QPOC/TPOC

POC - Person of Color WOC - Woman of Color QPOC - Queer Person of Color TPOC - Trans person of Color among other variations

WLW/WSW

WLW, Women Loving Women or alternately, WSW, Women having Sex with Women. Used to refer to women of all sexualities who are attracted in some way to women.

X

Y

Z

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