Pride Month: LGBT+ Glossary
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Agender: A term used by people who don't see themselves as fitting anywhere on the gender spectrum. Agender people often use 'without gender', or 'genderless' to describe what being agender means to them.
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Ally: A supporter of LGBT+ rights, generally cishet/not falling under the LGBT+ umbrella themselves.
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Allosexual: A sexual orientation generally characterized by feeling sexual attraction or a desire for partnered sexuality. An umbrella term that generally encompasses any non-asexual sexuality.
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Androgynous: Term used to describe an individual whose gender expression may be neither distinctly “female” nor “male,” usually based on appearance.
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Androsexual: Being primarily attracted to masculinity.
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Asexual (Ace): Someone who does not experience sexual attraction to people of any gender. May still experience romantic attraction and want a relationship.
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Aromantic: Someone who does not experience romantic attraction to people of any gender. May still experience sexual attraction.
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Bicurious: Similar to questioning, people might describe themselves as this if they're exploring whether or not they're attracted to people of the same gender as well as those of another gender.
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Bigender: Having two genders, exhibiting cultural characteristics of masculine and feminine roles.
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Binder: Something worn to constrict the breasts into a more flat chested appearance. It's very important to use proper binders for this, and not bandages or any other DIY methods, as these can cause long-term health issues.
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Bisexual: Someone attracted to two (or more) genders.
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Bottom Surgery: Surgery performed on a person’s genitals as part of gender reassignment.
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Butch: A gender expression that fits societal definitions of masculinity. Usually used by queer women and trans people, particularly by lesbians.
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Cisgender: Someone who identifies with the same gender/sex they were assigned at birth.
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Closeted: Someone who has not yet made their sexuality/gender identity public knowledge.
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Coming Out: The process of making public one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
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Deadnaming: Calling someone by their birth name after they have changed it.
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Demisexual: Demisexuality is a sexual orientation in which someone feels sexual attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond. Most demisexuals feel sexual attraction rarely compared to the general population. Demisexuals are considered to be on the asexual spectrum, meaning they are closely aligned with asexuality.
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Drag King: A person (often a woman) who appears as a man. Generally in reference to an act or performance. This has no implications regarding gender identity.
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Drag Queen: A person (often a man) who appears as a woman. Generally in reference to an act or performance. This has no implications regarding gender identity.
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Dyke: A lesbian - previously considered a slur, this was reclaimed as early as the 1970s, and many gay women now self-identify as this.
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Enby: See non-binary.
F
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Femme: A female, generally lesbian, whose appearance and behaviour are seen as traditionally feminine.
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FTM: Someone assigned female at birth and identifies as male.
G
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Gay: Someone, generally male, who is attracted, usually exclusively, to those of their own gender.
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Gender: A social construct used to classify a person as a man, woman, or some other identity. It's definition is fundamentally different from the sex one is assigned at birth.
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Gender Dysphoria: A recognised medical term that refers to the physical, mental and/or social discomfort of the mismatch between a person’s gender identity and their assigned sex.
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Gender Expression: How one expresses oneself, in terms of dress and/or behaviors.
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Gender Fluid: A person whose gender identification and presentation shifts, whether within or outside of societal, gender-based expectations.
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Gender Identity: A sense of one’s self as trans, genderqueer, woman, man, or some other identity, which may or may not correspond with the sex and gender one is assigned at birth.
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Gender Queer: A person whose gender identity and/or gender expression falls outside of the dominant societal norm for their assigned sex, is beyond genders, or is some combination of them.
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Gender Reassignment: Another way of describing a person’s transition. To undergo gender reassignment usually means to undergo some sort of medical intervention, but it can also mean changing names, pronouns, dressing differently and living in their self-identified gender.
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Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC): This enables trans people to be legally recognised in their affirmed gender and to be issued with a new birth certificate. Not all trans people will apply for a GRC and you currently have to be over 18 to apply. You do not need a GRC to change your gender markers at work or to legally change your gender on other documents such as your passport.
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Gold Star Lesbian: A lesbian who has not slept with someone of the opposite gender; 'Gold Star' can also apply to those of other sexualities.
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Gynesexual: Being primarily attracted to femininity.
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Heterosexual: Someone who is attracted to, usually exclusively, those of the opposite gender.
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Homosexual: Someone who is attracted to, usually exclusively, those of their own gender.
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Homophobia: Discrimination, through actions or words, against someone based on their sexual orientation.
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HRT: Hormone replacement therapy whereby sex hormones and other hormonal medications are administered to transgender or gender nonconforming individuals for the purpose of more closely aligning their secondary sexual characteristics with their gender identity.
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Intersex: A term used to describe a person who may have the biological attributes of both sexes or whose biological attributes do not fit with societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female.
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L
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LGBT+: The umbrella term for the community. Many other variants exist, such as LGBT, LGBTQ, and LGBTQIA.
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Lesbian: A person, usually female, who is attracted to those of their own gender, generally exclusively.
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Lipstick Lesbian: See femme.
M
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MTF: Someone assigned male at birth and identifies as female.
N
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Non-Binary (Enby): An umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’.
O
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Outed: Someone whose sexuality and/or sexual orientation is revealed against their will.
P
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Packer: Wearing padding or a phallic object in the front of the pants or underwear to give the appearance of having a penis.
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Pansexual: Someone whose sexual attraction to others is not limited by sex or gender.
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Platonic: A deep friendship, that does not involve romantic or sexual attraction, but often holds love for the other person.
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Platinum Star Lesbian: A lesbian who has not slept with, or kissed, someone of the opposite gender; 'Gold Star' can also apply to those of other sexualities.
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Polysexual: Someone who is attracted to people of many, but not necessarily all, genders.
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Pronoun: The words we use to refer to someone's gender in conversation, such as she/he/they/zir. Many people who don't identify as cisgender will have a preferred pronoun.
Q
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Queer: An umbrella term for non-cis and/or non-hetero, used by people who do not otherwise want to label themselves, or just prefer the term queer. Although some LGBT people view the word as a slur, it was reclaimed in the late 80s by the queer community who have embraced it.
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Questioning: The process of exploring your own sexuality, romantic orientation, or gender identity.
R
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Romantic Orientation: A person's romantic attraction to another person, or group of people. This is distinct from their sexual orientation.
S
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Sapiosexual: Those who identify as sapiosexual see a person’s intelligence as their most important trait.
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Sexuality/Sexual Orientation: A person's sexual attraction to another person, or group of people. This is distinct from their romantic orientation.
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Sex (of a person): Assigned to a person on the basis of primary sex characteristics and reproductive functions.
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Squish: Generally used within the asexual/aromantic communities, and refers to a platonic crush.
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Skoliosexual: Someone primarily attracted to those who are genderqueer, transgender, or non-binary.
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SRS: Sex reassignment surgery, also known as gender reassignment surgery (GRS) and several other names, is a surgical procedure (or procedures) by which a transgender person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble that socially associated with their identified gender.
T
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Top Surgery: A term that trans people may use when referring to surgeries designed to produce a male or female shaped chest.
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Transgender: An umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as the sex they were assigned at birth.
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Transfeminine: Used to describe transgender people who were assigned male at birth, but identify with femininity to a greater extent than with masculinity.
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Transitioning: A general term for the process someone who is trans takes to live as the gender with which they identify; the steps may vary between individuals, and may involve legal and medical steps, though not all trans people choose to take medication or have surgery.
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Transphobia: The fear or dislike of someone based on the fact they are trans, including the denial/refusal to accept their gender identity, or to use their preferred name/pronouns.
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Transmasculine: Used to describe transgender people who were assigned female at birth, but identify with masculinity to a greater extent than with femininity.
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Transsexual: Previously used as a medical term to refer to someone whose gender is not the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. This term is not commonly used now, and is considered to be offensive by many.
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Please note: This thread is by no means comprehensive - please do reply with any additional terms you think need including, or feel free to tag me if there are any you have further questions on!
). There are 2 things I don't understand here listed below.I've always thought of asexual as a lack of sexual orientation and allosexual as the opposite (i.e. the majority of people), so it isn't an orientation, but your definition contradicts mine.
Shouldn't the "definition of gender" be fundamentally different to "the definition of sex" rather than gender being fundamentally different to sex (which in most cases isn't true)?
I guess this misunderstanding is normal for definitions of a trending subject, they are going to be based on how people use them, like every other word and definition of intangibles vary between different types of people.
). There are 2 things I don't understand here listed below.I've always thought of asexual as a lack of sexual orientation and allosexual as the opposite (i.e. the majority of people), so it isn't an orientation, but your definition contradicts mine.
Shouldn't the "definition of gender" be fundamentally different to "the definition of sex" rather than gender being fundamentally different to sex (which in most cases isn't true)?
I guess this misunderstanding is normal for definitions of a trending subject, they are going to be based on how people use them, like every other word and definition of intangibles vary between different types of people.
Asexual is an orientation, at least in my view, whilst allosexual is more of an umbrella term, if that makes sense?
Totally see what you mean in terms of the latter, I've updated that now - thanks!
I would possibly consider adding 'aesthetic attraction' to this list. There are also a whole bunch of different types of romantic attraction that could be added, but they would probably be too much.
I won't comment on the personal beliefs aspect initially, as I don't think that's what you're asking for - you've said yourself that you're treating trans people with respect, using the pronouns they prefer etc, so I don't think you're being outwardly transphobic!
In terms of the rest of it, I think perhaps it would be worth you reading up a little more on aspects of it - I'm not sure about transphobic, but I would say there are a few inaccuracies in what you've said.
Most of these seem to be made up for the sake of individuals seeking attention and labels to feel unique.
Want to feel inclusive, stop the over-labelling.
I don't feel that any of this is over-labelling - it's not difficult to read up on a few extra terms, so I don't think it's reasonable to suggest inclusivity should come from the LGBT+ community pandering to a set number of labels.
I would possibly consider adding 'aesthetic attraction' to this list. There are also a whole bunch of different types of romantic attraction that could be added, but they would probably be too much.
I will add this when I'm on my laptop later! Yeah for romantic attraction I was a bit unsure how much to cover, I was cautious of swamping the list
I did, thank you for asking! There is so much ignorance around on what a lot of different terms mean that I thought it was important to try and address some of that
Naturally no-one gets beaten up for not following a list. I would urge that you try and understand the terms that you're coming across or engaging with, though. Not because you'll get beaten up if you don't, but because it makes the person feel included, and it costs you nothing.
Good question! So non-binary is generally more of an umbrella term for anyone falling outside the gender binary, but within that umbrella they might then identify in different ways.
Agender falls within non-binary, but it's more specific that the umbrella. It basically means that not only do they not identify as man or woman, but they also don't identify anywhere along the spectrum inbetween those.
The key difference is that non-binary means someone doesn't identify with just man or woman, but agender means they don't identify anywhere on the gender spectrum, binary or otherwise.
Most of these seem to be made up for the sake of individuals seeking attention and labels to feel unique.
Want to feel inclusive, stop the over-labelling.
You only say this because you don’t know the joy or finding a label that fits you; knowing that you are not alone and that there is a word to describe how you feel.
Thank you!
Yes, it’s probably best to leave it out and let people explore the aspects of the split attraction model more if they want.
Another point of note is that maybe it’d be better to make clear that ‘allosexual’ is an umbrella term which basically covers everyone but asexuals.
I see.
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