Definitions

Vocabulary is a living organism that is constantly changing within our society and within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQQ) community. These terms are in no way comprehensive or representative of everyone within the LGBTQQ community, but are those that are commonly used. These are terms and definitions for sexual orientation as well as gender identity/expression. Please use these terms and definitions as a suggested guideline for appropriate language with people that identify as LGBTQQ and as a starting point to open dialogue with clients, students, staff and families.

Sexual Orientation: Sexual orientation is a person’s emotional, physical, spiritual, intellectual, and sexual attraction and the expression of that attraction. [We recognize that the following definitions are inherently limited due to the presumption of a binary gender system (see defined below).

Bisexuality: A sexual orientation in which a person feels attracted to some members of both genders.

Heterosexuality: A sexual orientation in which a person feels attracted to some members of the opposite gender.

Homosexuality: A sexual orientation in which a person feels attracted to some members of the same gender – commonly, gay or lesbian.

Anatomical Sex: Anatomical sex is a person’s genital sex often as assigned at birth. Anatomical sex is also called biological or physiological sex.

Gender: Gender covers a wide range of issues that affect everyone. Subcategories of gender include:

Gender Characteristics: Characteristics that are used by others to attribute gender to an individual, such as facial hair or vocal pitch.
Gender Expression/Gender Presentation: The way a person expresses gender through gestures, movement, dress, and grooming.
Gender Stereotypes: Societal, cultural and mental templates we all have for how each sex should look, dress and act.
Gender Identity: A person’s understanding, definition, or experience of their own gender, regardless of anatomical sex. Gender identity may or may not be the same as the individual’s anatomical sex.
Gender Binary: A social system that requires everyone to be raised as a boy or girl (dependent on what sex you are assigned at birth). It is a system in which those who fall within “gender norms” benefit at the expense of those who do not. This system results in transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia (see below definitions) as well as intersex discrimination.
Gender Nonconformity: Expressing gender or having gender characteristics or gender identity that does not conform to the expectations of society and culture.
Gender Role: Culturally accepted and expected behavior associated with biological sex. The feelings, attitudes, mannerisms, and behaviors that are culturally associated with men or with women.
Intersex: A person born with full or partial genitalia or reproductive organs of both sexes, or with underdeveloped or ambiguous sex organs. About 4% of all births are Intersex to some degree. (Intersex replaces the previously used, more offensive “hermaphrodite.”)
Genderqueer: An increasingly popular term used by people who feel their identities do not easily fit into a male/female binary. Maybe a genderqueer person feels they are both male and female, or neither one, or flexibly transform between expressions or identities. It is a term used by people who redefine or play with gender, who refuse gender altogether, and/or who bend/break the rules of gender and blur gender boundaries.
Gender Baiting: Taunting intended to harass or humiliate an individual because they are perceived as insufficiently masculine or feminine.
Transgender (TG): An umbrella term used to refer to individuals for whom their anatomical sex does not accurately or adequately describe their gender identity. It is a term for designating those who transcend or transgress gender by not looking, acting, being or identifying as traditionally male or female; this umbrella term can include crossdressers, transsexuals, intersex people and other gender nonconformists. Because sexual orientation and gender identity are two separate identity issues, transgender individuals may also self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or heterosexual.
Transsexual (TS): A person who transitions from one gender to another. Their transition may or may not involve medical transition (i.e. surgery or hormone use).
Cross-living: Living full-time in the preferred gender (other than assigned sex at birth); sometimes in preparation for gender reassignment surgery, sometimes not.
Crossdresser (CD): Used by people who privately or socially present in clothing, name, and/or pronouns that differ from their everyday gender. While some trans and gender variant people begin their self-discovery by crossdressing, many people who self-identify as crossdressers are not transgender and do not seek transition. Trans people find it disparaging to be called crossdressers.
Drag King/Queen: Used by people who present socially in clothing, name, and/or pronouns that differ from their everyday gender, usually for enjoyment, entertainment, and/or self-expression. Drag queens typically have everyday lives as men; drag kings typically live as women and/or butches when not performing. Drag shows are popular in some gay, lesbian, and bisexual environments. Many trans people consider it offensive to be called drag queens or drag kings.
FTM (F2M, Female-to-Male): Shortened term for female-to-male trans men. This term is not preferred or used by everyone and should not be used unless a person prefers it.
MTF (M2F, Male-to-Female): Shortened term for Male-to female trans women. This term is not preferred or used by everyone and should not be used unless a person prefers it.
Passing: Term used to describe individuals and situations where people of TG/TS experience are not publicly identifiable as having undergone transition or as having a birth-designated sex that diverges from their current presentation. Many trans people are unable to pass. Ability to pass should not be a factor when deciding whether a person’s transition is successful or when determining bathroom access and pronoun usage.
Transition: This term can refer to the social and/or legal process of changing from a birth-designated gender to the gender with which a person identifies and/or to the medical process involved in changing physical appearance and anatomical characteristics. This term is preferred to the misleading phrase “sex change”, which makes transition seem inextricably linked with genital surgeries. Some people seek transition to non-binary gender identities. Some people seeking medical transition have a body concept that differs from standard male or female bodies; desire for medical transition to non-standard bodies should be respected by medical providers.
Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS): process of changing/reassigning anatomy through surgery. Some transsexuals may elect to have one surgery to alter one part of their body or may elect for numerous surgeries to alter many parts of their body.
- Non-operative (non-op): Transsexual who is not seeking or does not desire GRS.
- Pre-operative (pre-op): Transsexual who has not had GRS but may be preparing for GRS.
- Post-operative (post-op): Transsexual who has undergone GRS.
Hormones: Estrogen (taken by pill or injection) or testosterone (taken by injection) taken to alter gender presentation. Some, not all, transsexuals elect to take hormones to alter their appearance to more closely resemble their internal gender, also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

All of the above are labels for people to use in self identification and about themselves, not for others to impose.

PHOBIAS/ISMS:
Some have defined these terms as “groundless irrational fear and hatred.” In actuality, from the time most of us were young, people and institutions (parents/guardians, peers, teachers, clergy, the media, etc.) have taught us to conform to societal notions of “proper gender behavior” and to hold in contempt those who challenge or transgress these standards. That said, these terms indeed define forms of oppression that occur on personal, institutional and societal levels. These phobias/isms exclude the needs, concerns and experiences of LGBTQQ people and result in disrespect, jokes, harassment, denial of rights and needs, violence and threats of violence.

Transphobia: The fear, dislike and hatred of transgender people and what they do (or of what they are feared to do).

Homophobia: The fear, dislike, and hatred of people who are, or are presumed to be, lesbian or gay.

Biphobia: The fear, dislike and hatred of people who are, or are presumed to be, bisexual.

Internalized Homophobia: The experience of shame, aversion or self-hatred in reaction to one’s own feelings of attraction for a person of the same gender. Most lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals learn negative ideas about homosexuality throughout childhood. These individuals learn that they are members of a group that is often despised, rejected, and stigmatized. Individuals accept and internalize these beliefs, resulting in fear and hatred of themselves.

Heterosexism: The presumption that all people are or should be heterosexual, and the institutionalized assumption that heterosexuality is inherently superior and preferable to other sexual orientations. Heterosexism reinforces silence and invisibility for lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals, while conferring advantages on heterosexuals.

Transphobia: The fear, dislike, and hatred of people who are, or are presumed to be, gender non-conforming and/or gender queer; display characteristics of personality, dress or mannerisms not consistent with their biological gender.

OTHER DEFINITIONS:
Coming Out: (Also called “coming out of the closet” or being “out”.) Refers to the process during which a person acknowledges, accepts, and in many cases appreciates their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. This often involves sharing of this information with others. The process of coming out to oneself and to others is unique for every individual.

Co-Parent: Refers to adults raising a child together. Sometimes refers to the non-biological or non-adoptive parent raising a child.

Passing: Acting, behaving and/or dressing in such a way as to be perceived as a member of the majority.

Down Low/DL: Refers to people whose public identification is straight, but who have discreet sex with other people of the same sex, sometimes outside their primary relationship. A person who identifies this way would be said to be "on the down low," or "on the DL." Often these people do not consider themselves gay or bisexual. Their primary partners are often not aware that they have same sex relations.

Family of Choice: Persons forming an individual’s social support network and often fulfilling the functions of one’s family of origin. Some LGBTQQ people are rejected when their families learn of their sexual orientation or gender identity or may remain “closeted” to their biological relatives. In such cases it is often their partner/significant other and close friends who will be called on in time of illness or personal crisis. It is important for clinicians to be aware of who clients consider family and who they would like to involve in their care.

Family of Origin: The family in which one was raised (biological, adoptive or foster). These individuals may or may not be part of a person’s support system.

Inclusive Language: The use of gender non-specific language (i.e. “partner” instead of “husband”) in conversation, forms, education materials, and public health campaigns to avoid assumptions which limit the information available to clinicians and to enhance the accessibility of services to LGBTQQ individuals.

Invisibility: The constant assumption of heterosexuality renders LGBQQ people (youth in particular) invisible and seemingly non-existent. LGBTQQ youth are rarely discussed or portrayed in the media or in schools, churches, or other institutions. This invisibility results in feelings of isolation for LGBTQQ people, reinforcing internalized homophobia and/or transphobia.

LGBTQQ: Acronym representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning.

Men who have Sex with Men (MSM): Term is often used when discussing sexual behavior. Is inclusive of all men who participate in this behavior regardless of how they identify their sexual orientation. The acronym MSM is conventionally used in medical literature.

Partner or Significant Other: Primary domestic partner or spousal relationship(s). May be referred to as “girlfriend/boyfriend,” “lover,” “roommate,” “life partner,” “wife/husband” or other terms.

Queer: Term often used in derogatory manner that is being reclaimed by academics, activists and young people as a source of power and pride. Thought to be inclusive of both gender identity/expression and sexual orientation, its use is controversial, and not uniformly accepted.

SGL: Used most frequently in communities of color. Acronym for same gender loving.

Two-spirit: First Nation lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people. Two-Spirit is a term that can encompass alternative sexuality, alternative gender and an integration of Native spirituality. In many native tribes, these are special and well respected spiritual leaders, healers, and teachers. Native American and First Native peoples see gender along a continuum, not as opposite categories, and enjoy a tradition that respects, honors and reaffirms each being as part of the sacred web of life and society.

Women who have Sex with Women (WSW): Term is often used when discussing sexual behavior. Is inclusive of all women who participate in this behavior regardless of how they identify their sexual orientation. The acronym WSW is conventionally used in medical literature.