Abrosexual

Abrosexual: Someone who is abrosexual has a fluid sexual orientation. They experience different sexual orientations over time. This means that their sexual identity can change.

Aegosexual

Aegosexual: Aegosexual often enjoy having sexual fantasies, watching porn and masturbating, but tend to feel limited or no sexual attraction nor interest in having sex with others.

the new term added: 1/6/2021 ds

Agender

Agender : Person with no (or very little) connection to the traditional system of gender, no personal alignment with the concepts of either man or woman, and/or someone who sees themselves as existing without gender.

Alia/Aporagender

Alia/Aporagender: Defines gender as "other" or apart from existing genders. 

the new term added: 4/8/2021 ds

Ally

Ally (typically straight and/or cisgender): Person who supports and respects members of the LGBTQ community. We consider people to be active allies who take action on, in support and respect.

Androgyny

Androgyny : A gender expression that has elements of both masculinity and femininity.

Androgyne

Androgyny: Identifies as androgynous, gender-wise.

 the new term added: 4/8/2021 ds

Androsexual

Androsexual / Androphilic : Person being sexually, romantically and/or emotionally attracted to men, males, and/or masculinity.

Aromantic asexual

Aromantic asexual, often shortened to aroace or aro ace, is a term that refers to a person who is both aromantic/aro-spec and asexual/ace-spec. Aroace can be used for any individual who identifies with both spectrums. For example, an aromantic asexual, an aromantic demisexual, an acespike frayromantic, and a lithromantic greyasexual can all be described as aroace.

the new term added: 8/29/2021 ds

Aromantic

Aromantic : Person with little or no romantic attraction to others and/or has a lack of interest in romantic relationships/behavior.

Asexual (Ace)

Asexual (ace): A person who does not have, sexual attraction to others, or desire for any sexual activity.

Ball Culture

https://haenfler.sites.grinnell.edu/subcultures-and-scenes/underground-ball-culture/ 

The drag ball scene is a fascinating subculture that illuminates themes of race, gender, and sexual orientation within society. Balls are competitions that consist of individuals, often drag queens, who perform different drag genres and categories.

LGBTQ+ International recommends TV Show POSE & Rupaul Drag Race, and documentary Paris is Burning for LGBTQ+ Ball Culture.

Note from Administration OF LGBTQ+ International

* NEW LGBTQ+ Terminology February 18th 2021 DS

Bear Brotherhood Flag

The International Bear Brotherhood Flag was designed to represent the bear subculture within the LGBTQ+ community. The gay (and also bi, and possibly any other non-het orientation) bear culture celebrates secondary sex characteristics such as growth of body hair and facial hair.

the new term added: 8/29/2021 ds

Bicurious

Bicurious: Curiosity towards experiencing attraction to people of the same gender/sex (similar to questioning).

Bigender

Bigender : Person who fluctuates between traditionally "woman" and "man" gender-based behavior and identities, identifying with two genders (or sometimes identifying with either man or woman, as well as a third, different gender).

Binary

Binary Noun: The belief that such things as gender identity have only two distinct, opposite, and disconnected forms. In other words, they believe in the gender binary, that only male and female genders exist. As a rejection of this belief, many people embrace a non-binary gender identity.

Binder

Binder : An undergarment used to alter or reduce the appearance of one's breasts. Binding is often used to change the way other's read/perceive one's anatomical sex characteristics, and/or as a form of gender expression.

Biphobia

Biphobia : A range of negative attitudes (e.g., fear, anger, intolerance, invisibility, resentment, erasure, or discomfort) that one may have or express toward bisexual individuals. Biphobia can come from and be seen within the LGBTQ community as well as straight society.

Bisexual

Bisexual : A person having romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior towards two sex or gender.

Butch or masc

Butch : A person who identifies themselves as masculine, whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally. 'Butch' is sometimes used as a derogatory term for lesbians, but is also be claimed as an affirmative identity label.

Cis Gender (Cis-Sexual / Cis)

Cis-Gender / Cis-Gender Male / Cis-Gender Female: A term for people whose gender identity matches the sex that they were assigned at birth.

Cisnormativity

Cisnormativity : The assumption, in individuals and in institutions, that everyone is cisgender, and that cisgender identities are superior to trans* identities and people. This leads to the invisibility of non-cisgender identities.

Cissexism

Cissexism : The behavior that grants preferential treatment to cisgender people, reinforces the idea that being cisgender is somehow better or more "right" than being transgender, and/or makes other genders invisible.

Closeted

Closeted : An individual who is not open to themselves or others about their (queer) sexuality or gender identity. This may be by choice and/or for other reasons such as fear for one's safety, peer or family rejection, or disapproval and/or loss of housing, job, etc. Also known as being "in the closet."

Coming Out

Coming out : The process by which one accepts and/or comes to identify one's own sexuality or gender identity to oneself or with others.

Crossdresser

Crossdresser (GE) Noun: Someone who wears clothes associated with a different gender. This activity is a form of gender expression, and is not always done for entertainment purposes. Many crossdressers may not wish to present as a different gender all of the time. (NOTE: Avoid using the term "transvestite.")

Cupiosexuality 

Cupiosexuality: Cupiosexuals can be characterized as an asexual person that, "...simply does not feel sexual attraction, but may have sex for a host of reasons, including the physical pleasure of sex or the pleasure of their partner(s)."

the new term added: 1/6/2021 ds

Demigender

Demigender: Feeling a partial, but not full, connection to particular gender identity (also called Demiboy & Demigirl)

Demigirl/Demiboy- A demi girl is a person who feels their gender identity partially identifies with a feminine identity, but is not wholly binary, regardless of their assigned gender. Likewise a demiboy is a person who feels their gender identity partially identifies with a masculine identity but is not wholly binary. Like a demigirl, a demiboy may identify this way regardless of their assigned gender.

the new term added: 4/8/2021 ds

Demisexual

Demisexual: Person who does not experience sexual attraction unless they form a strong emotional connection with someone.

Drag

Drag Noun, adjective: The act of performing a gender or presenting as a different gender, usually for the purpose of entertainment (i.e. drag kings and queens). Many people who do drag may not wish to present as a different gender all of the time.

Drag King

Drag King: A person and especially a woman who dresses as a man and performs as an entertainer in male drag

Note from Administration OF LGBTQ+ International

* NEW LGBTQ+ Terminology February 18th 2021 DS

Drag Queen

Drag Queen: A man who dresses up in women's clothes, typically for the purposes of entertainment.

Note from Administration OF LGBTQ+ International

* NEW LGBTQ+ Terminology February 18th 2021 DS

Femme or Fem

Femme, or fem Adjective:  Someone whose gender expression is feminine.
Other gender expressions include androgynous (or androgyne, someone who presents as neither male or female, mixed, or neutral) and stemme (or stem, someone whose gender expression is both masculine and feminine).

Gay

Gay: A person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to members of the same gender.

Gender Affirmation Surgery

Gender Affirmation Surgery Noun: Medical procedures that some individuals elect to undergo to change their physical appearance to more closely resemble how they view their gender identity. (NOTE: Avoid saying inaccurate phrases such as "sex change," "gender reassignment surgery," "pre- or post-operative," and, in general, avoid overemphasizing surgery when discussing transgender people or the process of transition.)

Gender Dysphoria

Gender Dysphoria: Clinically significant distress caused when a person's assigned birth gender is not the same as the one with which they identify. According to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the term - which replaces Gender Identity Disorder - "is intended to better characterize the experiences of affected children, adolescents, and adults."

Gender Expansive

Gender-Expansive: Conveys a wider, more flexible range of gender identity and/or expression than typically associated with the binary gender system

Gender Expression

Gender Expression:  External appearance of one's gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, haircut or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.

Gender Fluid

Gender-Fluid: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a person who does not identify with a single fixed gender; of or relating to a person having or expressing a fluid or unfixed gender identity.

Gender Flux

Gender Flux: Having a gender that varies intensity or degree over time, related to but distinct from gender fluid.

the new term added: 4/8/2021 ds

Gender Identity 

Gender identity:  One's innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither - how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One's gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.

Gender Nonconforming

Gender Nonconforming Adjective:  Someone whose gender identity and/or gender expression does not conform to the cultural or social expectations of gender, particularly in relation to male or female. This can be an umbrella term for many identities including, but not limited to:

Agender (or neutrois, gender neutral, or genderless) - someone who has little or no personal connection with gender.

Bigender - someone who identifies with both male and female genders, or even a third gender.

Genderfluid - someone whose gender identity and/or expression varies over time.

Genderqueer (or third gender) - someone whose gender identity and/or expression falls between or outside of male and female.

Graygender: Ambivalent about their gender identity/ expression, but who identifies at least partially with a gender (defined or not) outside of the binary. the new term added: 4/8/2021 ds

Intergender - Someone whose identity is between genders and/or a combination of gender identities and expressions.

Metagender - Person identifies as neither cisgender nor transgender.

Pangender - Someone whose identity is comprised of all or many gender identities and expressions.

Polygender- Many genders, experience multiple gender identities, either simultaneously or varying between them. the new term added: 4/8/2021 ds

Gender Pronoun

Gender pronoun: is a pronoun that a person choose to use for themself.

Genderqueer

Genderqueer: Genderqueer people typically reject notions of static categories of gender and embrace a fluidity of gender identity and often, though not always, sexual orientation. People who identify as "genderqueer" may see themselves as being both male and female, neither male nor female or as falling completely outside these categories.

Gender Transition

Gender Transition: The process by which some people strive to more closely align their internal knowledge of gender with its outward appearance. Some people socially transition, whereby they might begin dressing, using names and pronouns and/or be socially recognized as another gender. Others undergo physical transitions in which they modify their bodies through medical interventions

Heterosexual

Heterosexual: Sexual attraction to people of a different gender or opposite sex than your own.

Note from Administration OF LGBTQ+ International

* NEW LGBTQ+ Terminology February 18th 2021 DS

Heterosexuality

Heterosexuality: A sexual orientation in which a person feels physically and emotionally attracted to people of a gender other than their own.

Note from Administration OF LGBTQ+ International

* NEW LGBTQ+ Terminology February 18th 2021 DS

Homophobia

Homophobia:  The fear and hatred of or discomfort with people who are attracted to members of the same sex.

Homosexual (Gay/Lesbian)

Homosexual (Gay/Lesbian): Person with romantic/sexual attraction or sexual behavior with an individual of the same sex or gender.

Internalized homophobia

Internalized homophobia: The fear and self-hate of one's own LGBTQIA identity, that occurs for many individuals who have learned negative ideas about LGBTQIA+ people throughout childhood. One form of internalized oppression is the acceptance of the myths and stereotypes applied to the oppressed group.

Note from Administration OF LGBTQ+ International

* NEW LGBTQ+ Terminology February 18th 2021 DS

Intergender 

Intergender: Someone whose identity is between genders and/or a combination of gender identities and expressions.

Intersectionality 

Intersectionality a Noun: The idea that people who find themselves at the crossroads of mul- tiple identities (for example, in terms of race, gender, or sexuality) experience discrimination in a way uniquely different from those who with whom they may only share one or some identities in common. For example, Black women will experience racism differently than Black men and sexism differently than white women, and the way they experience racism and sexism is informed by their unique intersectional identities. The term was first used in the context of feminism by civil rights scholar and advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw.

Intersex

Intersex: Individuals born with any of several variations in sex characteristics including chromosomes, reproductive glands, sex hormones, or genitals. An umbrella term used to describe a wide range of natural bodily variations. In some cases, these traits are visible at birth, and in others, they are not apparent until puberty.

Leather Pride

Leather Pride: The leather pride flag is a symbol used by the leather subculture since the 1990s. It was designed by Tony DeBlase in 1989, and was quickly embraced by the gay leather community. It has since become associated with leather in general and also with related groups such as the BDSM community

Lesbian

Lesbian: A woman who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to other women.

LGBTQQIP2SAA+

LGBTQQIP2SAA+: An acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit (2S), androgynous, and asexual. The plus sign represents the fact that many communities choose to expand the acronym to include other identities.

Living Openly

Living openly: A state in which LGBTQ people are comfortably out about their sexual orientation or gender identity - where and when it feels appropriate to them.

Mahu

The term 'Mahu' is commonly used in cultures of Hawaii and various Pacific Islands to refer to people who identify themselves as both male and female. The culture promotes acceptance of their traits, however different from the consensus.

Native Polynesian cultures readily accept the coming out of a person and celebrate gender fluidity. According to them, it is as much a part of our lives as any other human experience.  https://edtimes.in/native-hawaiian-culture-teaching-us-about-gender-identity-mahu/?fbclid=IwAR2AYBCp-kqI8MW6ihC2pumQ-TEFptmZx6Kyf7xivmFohTkN793o6jXPvws 

the new term added: 4/16/2021 ds

Masculine

Masculine: Expresses qualities and characteristics typically associated with masculinity.

Note from Administration OF LGBTQ+ International

* NEW LGBTQ+ Terminology February 18th 2021 DS

Metagender

Metagender: Person identifies as neither cisgender nor transgender. 

Note from Administration OF LGBTQ+ International

* NEW LGBTQ+ Terminology February 18th 2021 DS

Misgender

Misgender: Misgendering describes any situation in which a person is referred to as, or implied to be, a gender other than their gender identity. This includes using the wrong form of gendered languages, such as pronouns or titles, but can also include challenging someone's right to be in a gender-restricted area such as a public bathroom.

Neopronouns

Neopronouns: Are a category of new (neo) pronouns that are increasingly used in place of "she," "he," or "they" when referring to a person. Some examples include: xe/xem/xyr, ze/hir/hirs, and ey/em/eir.

the new term added: 4/16/2021 ds

Non Binary & Enby

Non-binary: An adjective describing a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories. While many also identify as transgender, not all non-binary people do.

Outing

Outing: Exposing someone's lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender + identity to others without their permission. Outing someone can have serious repercussions on employment, economic stability, personal safety or religious or family situations.

Pangender

Pangender: Someone whose identity is comprised of all or many gender identities and expressions.

Pansexual (Omnisexual)

Pansexual / Omnisexual:  A person whose sexual, romantic or emotional attraction is towards people regardless of their sex or gender identity.

Polyamorous

Polyamorous: People who have consensual relationships that involve multiple partners and talk openly with their partners about having or having the desire to have sexual and /or emotional relationships with multiple people.

Polysexual

Polysexual: A term for a person who may be attracted to multiple genders, including those outside the gender binary.

Pomosexual

Pomosexual: Pomosexuals, however, typically have a fervent aversion to subscribing to any sexual orientation whatsoever.

the new term added: 1/6/2021 ds

Positive Body Image

Positive Body Image: An acceptance of the unique qualities of our own bodies and a feeling of comfort and confidence with them.

Pride

Pride: The celebration of LGBTQ+ identities, and of the global LGBTQ+ community's resistance against discrimination and violence. Pride events are celebrated in many countries around the world, usually during the month of June to commemorate the Stonewall Riots that began in New York City in June 1969, a pivotal moment in the modern LGBTQ+ movement.

Pronoun

Proun: A word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g., I, you ) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g., she, it, this ).

Queer

Queer: A term people often use to express fluid identities and orientations. Often used interchangeably with "LGBTQ."

Questioning

Questioning: A term used to describe people who are in the process of exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Romantic Orientation 

Romantic Orientation: Describes an individual's pattern of romantic attraction based on a person's gender(s) regardless of one's sexual orientation.

Aromantic: Experiences little to no romantic attraction. 

Biromantic: Romantic attraction to people of more than one gender.

Demiromantic: Experiences little to no romantic attraction until a close emotional bond is formed. 

Hetroromantic: Romantic attraction to people of a different gender than your own.

Homoromantic: Romantic attraction to people of the same-gender than your own.

Panromantic: Romantic attraction regardless of gender. 

Note from Administration OF LGBTQ+ International

* NEW LGBTQ+ Terminology February 18th 2021 DS

Same Gender Loving

Same gender loving: A term some prefer to use instead of lesbian, gay or bisexual to express attraction to and love of people of the same gender. 

Sex Assigned At Birth

Sex assigned at birth: The sex (male or female) given to a child at birth, most often based on the child's external anatomy. This is also referred to as "assigned sex at birth

Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation: An inherent or immutable enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people.

Straight or Heterosexual

Straight or Heterosexual: Adjective. A word to describe women who are attracted to men and men who are attracted to women. This is not exclusive to those who are cisgender. For example, some transgender men identify as straight because they are attracted to women.

They/Them/Their

They/them their, pronouns: One of many sets of gender-neutral singular pronouns in English that can be used as an alternative to he/him/his or she/her/hers. Usage of this particular set is becoming more and more prevalent, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.

Transgender (Trans)

Transgender: An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.

Transgender Transition

MTF: male‐to‐female. Indicates a transgender individual who was originally assigned the sex of male at birth, but has claimed a female identity through clothing, surgery, hormones, and/or attitude changes.

FTM: female‐to‐male. Indicates a transgender individual who was originally assigned the sex of female at birth, but has claimed a male identity through clothing, surgery, hormones, and/or attitude changes.

Transphobia

Transphobia | The fear and hatred of, or discomfort with, transgender people.

Transexual

Transsexual Adjective: Someone who has undergone, or wishes to undergo, gender affirmation surgery. (NOTE: This is an older term that originated in the medical and psychological communities. Many transgender people do not identify as transsexual, although the term is preferred by some.)

Transitioning 

Transition: The process through which some transgender people change their gender expression to more closely resemble how they view their gender identity. This can include personal, medical, and legal steps, such as: using a different name and pronouns; dressing differently; changing one's name and/or sex on legal documents; hormone therapy; or gender affirmation surgery. Some transgender people may not choose to make these changes, or may only make a few. The experience is an individualistic one; there is no right or wrong way to transition.

Trigender

Trigender: One shift between or among the stereotypical behaviors of males, female, and third gender.
the new term added: 4/8/2021 ds

Two Spirit

Two-Spirit: Refers to a person who identifies as having both a masculine and a feminine spirit, and is used by some Indigenous people to describe their sexual, gender and/or spiritual identity. As an umbrella term it may encompass same-sex attraction and a wide variety of gender variance, including people who might be described in Western culture as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, gender queer, cross-dressers or who have multiple gender identities. Two-spirit can also include relationships that could be considered poly

Xenogender

Xenogender is an umbrella term for non-binary gender identities that cannot be fully described through their relation to concepts typically used to describe genders such as masculinity, femininity, androgyny, neutrality, agenrity, or outherinity. Instead, xenogenders can best be described through how they relate to things, beings, or concepts that most people don't think of as having to do with gender, such as animals, plants, things, or concepts. It is sometimes described as any gender that "cannot be contained by human understandings of gender". People who identify as a xenogender may call themselves xenic. The gender quality associated with xenogenders is xeninity. The opposite of xenogender is anthrogender.

the new term added: 4/16/2021 ds

Sources of Information

Better Project, It Get. Its Gets Better Project LGBTQ Glossary Terms. Its Gets Better Project LGBTQ Glossary Terms, Savage Love, LLC, 2019.

Human Rights Campaign. "Glossary of Terms." Human Rights Campaign, The Human Rights Campaign, 2020, www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms.

"LGBTQ Glossary." It Gets Better, It, 21 Jan. 2020, itgetsbetter.org/blog/lesson/glossary/.

"LGBTQ Terminologies." LGBTQ by Mist, Mist, 2020, lgbtq.co.in/terminologies/.

Grace, Asia. "What Is Cupiosexuality? All about the Term for Asexual People Who Still Want Sex." New York Post, New York Post, 30 Dec. 2020, nypost.com/2020/12/30/cupiosexuality-is-the-term-for-asexual-people-who-want-sex/.

Avani Raj, et al. "Native Hawaiian Culture Teaching Us About Gender Identity: Mahu." ED Times | Youth Media Channel, ED Times., 10 Apr. 2021, edtimes.in/native-hawaiian-culture-teaching-us-about-gender-identity-mahu/?fbclid=IwAR2AYBCp-kqI8MW6ihC2pumQ-TEFptmZx6Kyf7xivmFohTkN793o6jXPvws.  

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