LGBT Terms & Defintions

Note: The following definitions are short working definitions to create a basic understanding of LGBT issues and concerns. You are encouraged to seek additional information for a better understanding of the many aspects of each term.

Advocate:
A person who actively works to end intolerance, educates others, and supports LGBT issues, concerns, equal rights legislation, etc.

Ally:
A heterosexual or LGBT person who supports LGBT people.

Asexual:
A person who does not experience sexual attraction. May or may not experience emotional, physical, or romantic attraction. Asexuality differs from celibacy in that it is a sexual orientation, not a choice.

Binary:
The division of people or things into two distinct and opposite categories (e.g. male/female, man/woman, gay/straight. Binaries are beginning to be recognized as social constructs, as there are many identities in-between and outside of these categories.

Bisexual:
A person who is emotionally, physically, spiritually, and sexually attracted to members of more than one gender. Because the prefix “bi-“ implies a sex and gender binary, some people identify with more inclusive and non-binary terms for this orientation, such as pansexual/omnisexual (attracted to people regardless of gender) or polysexual (attracted to more than one gender).

Biological Sex:
A binary system (male/female) set by the medical establishment, usually based on reproductive organs. See Intersexed.

Cisgender:
Describes someone whose gender identity matches the gender they were assigned at birth (inverse of transgender).

Closeted:
One who has not “come out of the closet” or who has come out to only a few people. One who may not be comfortable enough with their own sexuality to share it with others.

Coming Out:
The life-long process of discovering, defining, and proclaiming ones (non-heterosexual) sexuality.

Gay:
Usually, but not always, refers to homosexual men. Also used as an umbrella term for the LGBT community.

Gender Identity:
How a person perceives and what they call themselves; may or may not agree with societal gender roles outlines for their sex; typically masculine/feminine. Coincides with what doctors and/or society have prescribed for that person or can also refer to a multitude of expressions like femme, boy, faggot, leather, androgynous, etc.

Gender Presentation/Performance:
How one presents oneself and one’s gender to the world via dress, mannerisms, etc. May or may not coincide with or indicate one’s gender identity.

Genderqueer:
Both a specific and an umbrella term for a non-binary gender identity. Other non-binary gender identities which may fall under this umbrella (or stand alone) include agender, neutrois, androgyne, and bigender/polygender/pangender.

Gender Role:
The societal and cultural expects of people based upon their biological sex.

Heterosexual:
A person who has emotional, physical, spiritual, and sexual attractions to persons of the “opposite sex”. The sexuality that dominant discourse prescribes.

Heterosexism:
The belief that all people are heterosexual, the assumption and/or belief that heterosexual relationships and behavior are superior, and the actions based on this assumption.

Homosexual:
A person who has emotional, physical, spiritual, and sexual attraction to persons of the “same sex”. More of a medical term, it is considered an outdated term when referring to gay people or communities.

Homophobia:
Fear, anger, discomfort, intolerance, or lack of acceptance toward LGBT people, or experiencing these feelings about one’s own non-heterosexual preference.

Intersexed:
People born with “unexpected” genitals. Formerly referred to hermaphrodites (although this term is now a slur), intersexed people are not easily categorized as male or female because of ambiguous genitals and/or chromosomes or other biological sex signifiers. Most intersexed people do not possess “both” sets of genitals, rather a blending or a different appearance that is medically unacceptable to most doctors. Intersexuality is fairly common. Many who identify as intersexed believe that early childhood surgical intervention is not only unnecessary but cruel and advocate counseling and support for children and families.

Lesbian:
A woman who has emotional, physical, spiritual, and sexual attractions to other women.

Lifestyle:
How a person chooses to live and behave. Being LGBT is not a choice, and therefore is not considered a lifestyle (ie: yuppie, vegan, hobbies, rural/urban, etc.).

Preferred Personal Gender Pronouns:
The personal pronouns by which someone wishes to be called and referred to, usually based on gender identity. (He/she/they/ze, him/her/them/hir, his/hers/theirs/hirs, himself/herself/themself/hirself etc.)

Pride:
Not being ashamed of oneself and/or showing your pride to others by coming out, marching, etc. Being honest and comfortable.

Rainbow Flag:
In 1978, San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker designed a flag for the city’s Gay Freedom celebration and LGBT movements worldwide have since adopted it as a symbol of gay identity and pride. It has six stripes in the traditional form, but can be seen as streamers, etc, which run in the order of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. The flag also symbolizes diversity within unity.

Questioning:
The process of exploring one’s on sexual identity, including but not limited to one’s upbringing, expectations from others (family, friends, church, etc.), and inner motivation.

Queer:
Derogatory slang term used to identify LGBT people. This term has been embraced and reinvented as a positive, proud, political identifier when used by LGBT people among and about themselves.

Sexual Orientation:
To whom a person is sexually attracted.

Stonewall:
On June 28, 1969, NYC police attempted a routine raid on the Stonewall Inn, a working class gay and lesbian bar in Greenwich Village. Unexpectedly, the patrons resisted, and the incident escalated into a riot that continued for several days. Most people look to this event as the beginning of the American Gay Liberation movement and subsequent LGBT movements.

Transgender:
An umbrella term for people who transgress society’s view of gender and biological sex as necessarily fixed, unmoving, and following from one’s biological sex. Gender is viewed on a spectrum or as a universe, rather than as a polarized, either/or construct. This can range from identification, to cross dressing, to undergoing hormone therapy, to sex reassignment surgery, and/or to other forms of dress/presentation. Transgender people can include transsexuals, cross-dressers, drag kings/queens, masculine women, feminine men, and all those who defy what society tells them is appropriate for their “gender.” Political trans activists seek to create more space around gender, and to create a space and a society where everyone’s gender expression/presentation is respected, valued, and validated.

Transsexual:
A person whose core gender identity is “opposite” their assigned sex. Transsexuals may live as the opposite sex, undergo hormone therapy, and/or have sex reassignment surgery to “match” their bodies with their gender identity.

Triangle:
Pink Triangle:
This was a symbol used by the Nazis to label gay men in the concentration camps. It has since been adopted as a symbol of identity and pride.

Sources:

• Florida State University’s Campus SafeZones web page: www.fsu.edu/~volunteer/news/safe.html
• Ohio University’s Office of LGBT Programs Staff Members
• Plymouth State College’s Task Force Against Homophobia SafeZone handout
• Virginia Association of College and University Housing Officers (VACUHO) SafeZone Project handout