Notes

LGBTQ+ Terms and Definitions

Sex- A person’s biological birth assignment as male, female, or intersex.

Gender Identity- A person’s understanding of what gender they belong to or identify with. This is each person’s unique understanding or feeling, and is separate from a person’s physical body or appearance.

Gender Expression- How an individual externally presents one’s gender identity. Usually shown through clothing, haircut, voice or body characteristics.

Gender Pronouns- How a person would like to be referred to. Ex: “She/Her” “He/Him” “They/Them” etc.

Bisexual- An individual who is sexually attracted to more than one gender and/or sex sometimes but not always including non-binary individuals.

Pansexual- An individual who is sexually attracted to all genders, regardless of if they are binary (male or female) or non-binary.

Lesbian- A person who identifies as a woman and is sexually attracted primarily to other women.

Gay- A person who identifies as a man and who is sexually attracted primarily to other men.

Queer- 1) A general term used by some to describe Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Non-Binary people.
-or -

2) Used by some to describe a person’s feeling of not fitting into the standard ideas of sexual orientation or gender identities.

Sexual Orientation- A pattern of sexual attractions. A sense of one’s personal identity based on attractions and behaviors expressing them. Unrelated to a person’s sex, romantic orientation or gender.

Transgender or Trans*- A person who feels that their gender identity does not match their gender assigned at birth.

Genderqueer- A specific term that one can identify as if one’s gender identity is outside of the Gender Binary. Other similar terms include Non-binary, Bigender, Gender Fluid, Gender non-conforming, Pan Gender, Two Spirit, Third Gender, etc.

The Gender Binary- The societal idea that there are only two genders: male and female, usually determined by someone’s birth sex. A black-and-white way of looking at gender.


Cisgender- Someone whose gender identity matches their birth sex. (I.e., someone who is biologically male and identifies as a man)

Ally- A person who actively supports and advocates for people belonging to less privileged groups, though they are personally not a member of those groups.

Homophobia- The irrational fear or hatred of love/affection between people of the same gender. Expressed as negative feelings, attitudes, actions and discriminations against those that are perceived as non-heterosexuals.

Transphobia- Irrational fear or hatred of people who break gender roles and do not subscribe to the gender binary.

Romantic Orientation- A pattern of romantic attractions, regardless of one’s sexual orientation. For individuals who experience sexual attraction, their sexual orientation and this orientation are often in alignment.

Agender- A specific identity where one rejects the existence of gender to begin with and identifies off the gender spectrum.

Intersex- A person whose biological sex characteristics are a mixture of male and female. (The newer term for the outdated word ‘hermaphrodite’)

Heteronormativity- Describes a society in which being heterosexual is considered ‘normal’, and other expressions of sexual orientation and gender are considered ‘abnormal’.

Cross-Dresser- Someone whose gender expression (how they present and dress) is opposite to their gender identity. Drag queens are an example of this. A newer word for the outdated term “transvestite”.

LGBTQ*- an acronym which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Trans*, Queer/Questioning, with an asterisk signifying that it extends beyond just these five terms.

Heterosexual- Someone whose gender identity falls within the gender binary (male or female) and is attracted to the opposite sex or gender.

Semantic Drift- Refers to the evolution of word usage. It is a “drift”, change or shift in the meaning of a word. Sometimes the shift is so radical that the word takes on an entirely different meaning than what it was originally.

Asexual - A person who does not experience sexual attraction. However, people of this identity may still experience romantic attraction.