Terms Commonly Associated with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Questioning Communities
Language is dynamic; it grows, changes, and develops. This is particularly true with the language of diversity and the terms (labels) used to identify ourselves. As respectful individuals, we should strive to be sure that our language does not demean, exclude, or offend. We must allow others to self identify, for definitions of terms will vary for everyone. These definitions provide a starting point for discussion and understanding.
Lesbian: Someone who is female-identified whose primary emotional, romantic, sexual, spiritual affectional, and/or relational attraction is to other people who are female-identified.
Gay: Someone who is male-identified whose primary emotional, romantic, sexual, spiritual affectional, and/or relational attraction is to other people who are male-identified. Gay is sometimes used colloquially as an umbrella term to include gay men, lesbians, bisexual people, and sometimes transgender people although many view this as essentializing and problematic.
Bisexual: (also bi) A person whose emotional, romantic, sexual, spiritual affectional, and/or relational attraction is to men and women or to many genders. Degree of attraction and choice of primary relationship partner varies for each bisexual person.
Transgender: An umbrella term for individuals whose gender identity is not accurately or adequately described by the sex they were assigned at birth. This term includes individuals who live in accordance with their gender identity even when this does not match their biological sex. It runs the gamut of gender identities and expressions and includes transsexuals, cross-dressers, gender queer, and gender variant people.
Terms commonly related to transgender communities:
FTM (female to male): People who were born female but see themselves as male. Many also use the term “trans-man.”
MTF (male to female): People who were born male but see themselves as female. Many also use the term “trans woman.”
Bigenderist: A person who develops and expresses a distinctly male persona and a distinctly female persona. A bigenderist might, for example, work as a women or socialize as a man (or vice versa). See also: Crossdresser.
Crossdresser: A person who dresses in the clothing of the opposite biological sex. Crossdressers
generally want to relate as, and be accepted as, a person of the gender they are presenting. Crossdressing may be partial or total in amount of time and amount of clothing worn. See: Bigenderist. Crossdressers may identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
Drag: Dressing in the clothing of the opposite biological sex, or in a manner different than how one will usually dress (i.e. “corporate drag” or “military drag”). “Drag” is often theatrical, and often presents a stereotyped image. Individuals who dress in “Drag” may or may not consider themselves part of the transgender community. They also may identify as heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
Female or Male Impersonator: Person who crossdresses as performance art and/or as stage personalities. They may also consider themselves as “drag performers” (i.e., drag queens and drag kings). They may or may not consider themselves to be crossdressers or bigenderists, and they may identify as heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
Transsexual: A person whose gender identity is other than their biological sex. This person may wish to change their anatomy to be more congruent with their self-perception. Transsexuals may desire to alter their bodies through hormonal therapy, sex reassignment surgeries or other means.
Transition: In referring to transgender issues, a transition is the process by which individuals change their gender presentation and expression to align with their gender identity. This may include a name change, pronoun change, and hormonal and/or surgical modifications. Transition is an individual process that can include any, all, or none of these changes. An individual may be transitioning currently, or be pre-, post-, or non-transition.
Two Spirit *: An individual who has a hold on two spirit worlds. This term is an English translation of a concept present in some Native American cultures that an individual can express or exist in both masculine and feminine realms.
Intersex: A person whose reproductive organs or secondary sex characteristics don’t seem to fit the typical definition of male or female, or which combine features of the male and female sexes. For example, a person might be born appearing to be female on the outside, but having mostly male-typical anatomy on the inside. Arbitrary medical guidelines have often decided whether intersex babies will be assigned male or female sex. Although complex genetic testing may give a clearer picture of the biology of an intersex child, many decisions are made based solely on the assessment of the externally visible genitalia. Given several well known cases of these decisions resulting in emotional and physical trauma for people later and life and increasing awareness of intersex issues, some parents are refusing medical “treatment” for their intersex children until they are old enough to participate in the decision.
Queer:
1) An umbrella term used by some to refer to all LGBTIQ people
2) A political statement which advocates breaking binary thinking and seeing both sexual orientation and gender identity as potentially fluid. An individual may relate more to the use of queer in terms of sexual orientation (sexual fluidity) or political orientation (critically questioning dominant ways of thinking about a variety of issues, including sexuality and gender).
3) A label to explain a complex set of sexual behaviors and desires. For example, a person who is attracted to multiple genders or a heterosexual man who does not fit society’s narrow view of acceptable masculinity may identify as queer.
Importantly, some people in the LGBT community feel the word has been hatefully used against them for too long and are reluctant to embrace it.
Questioning: A person who is questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity.
LGBTIQ: Often referred to the gay alphabet that takes the first letter of each identity a person may select such as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and/or Questioning/Queer. These letters may be seen in different order (example: GLBTQ, BGLTQ, etc.).
Same Gender Loving *: Used within some communities of color, most frequently in the African American community, this term refers to someone who experiences affectional, emotional, sexual, and/or spiritual attraction to people of the same gender.
In the Life: Similar to Same Gender Loving, this term is used within some communities of color, most frequently in the African American community, this term refers to someone who experiences affectional, emotional, sexual, and/or spiritual attraction to people of the same gender.
Down-low: Term avowed by and ascribed to men (media coverage has focused on African American men, but it applies to all races/ethnicities) who engage in romantic or sexual relations with other men while living heterosexual lives. Men on the down-low may have a variety of reasons for being so and may or may not be in relationships with women.
Heterosexual: An individual whose primary emotional, romantic, sexual, spiritual, affectional, and/or relational attraction is to people of a gender different from their own. Heterosexual people are also referred to as "straight."
Homosexual: A clinical and technical term that is not generally used by lesbian and gay people
or their community. For example, Representative Barney Frank refers to himself as gay, or openly gay, not as a confirmed homosexual or a practicing homosexual.
Sexual Orientation: is an enduring emotional, romantic, sexual, spiritual, affectional, and/or relational attraction to another person or persons. It can involve fantasy, behavior, and self-identification; a person’s general makeup or alignment in terms of partner attraction. Sexual orientation evolves through a multistage developmental process, and may change over time. One’s sexual orientation is not necessarily associated with a person’s gender identity; and the two can be completely unrelated. Some words that refer to sexual orientation include: gay, lesbian, heterosexual, bisexual, pansexual, queer, straight, etc.
Sex: An act, or series of acts, which are natural part of human expressions of desire, love, and affection, or the identification of biological sex.
Gender identity: The gender that a person sees themselves as: ex. As a woman, as a man, as a transgender/gender queer person, as a combination, or as none of these categories. A person’s gender identity may or may not conform to the conventional expectations for their birth sex. For example, a person may be born biologically male yet has a female gender identity.
Gender expression: is how an individual expresses their gender through clothing, behavior, mannerisms, hair style, speech, grooming, etc. A person’s gender expression may differ from their gender identity. For example, regardless of their body or what they claim as a gender identity, if a person dresses and acts in a manner that is consistent with society's definition of being female, that person is expressing a female gender.
Homophobia; "The fear, hatred, or intolerance of lesbians, gay men, or any behavior that is outside the boundaries of traditional gender roles. Homophobia can be manifested out of fear of association with lesbian or gay people or being perceived as lesbian or gay. Homophobic behavior can range from telling jokes about lesbian and gay people to physical violence against people thought to be lesbian or gay."
Biphobia; The discomfort and fear others feel around bisexual people and the myths that exist about bisexuality. Bisexuality is often misperceived as an invalid sexual orientation. Biphobia is structurally supported by monosexism, "the structural and cultural privileging of sexuality directed toward only one sexual orientation (heterosexuality or homosexuality)." Bisexual people are not only stigmatized by heterosexual people, but also by lesbian and gay people because they "blur the boundaries between insider and outsider."
Heterosexism: "The societal/cultural, institutional, and individual beliefs and practices that assume that heterosexuality is the only natural, normal, acceptable sexual orientation."
Sexism: The belief in the inherent superiority of one sex or gender and thereby it’s right to dominance. Most modern societies are patriarchal, meaning that men are considered superior to women and transgender people and given unearned advantages.
Heterosexist/Heterosexual Privilege: "The benefits and advantages heterosexuals receive in a heterosexual culture. Also, the benefits lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people receive as a result of claiming heterosexual identity or denying gay, lesbian, or bisexual identity." The assumption is that all people are heterosexual.
Heterosexual Ally: "A heterosexual person who confronts heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, and heterosexual privilege in themselves and others out of self-interest, a concern for the well-being of lesbian, gay and bisexual people, and a belief that heterosexism is a social justice issue."
Coming Out: An ever-evolving process of publicly integrating one's sexual identity, gender identity, or HIV status into various aspects of their lives including personal, professional, and intimate relationships. It is an intra-personal as well as interpersonal process and may include public proclamation of identity as well as political action in the larger society. Some people, especially those in marginalized communities who face multiple forms of oppression or those in religious or regional contexts that do not openly discuss or accept LGBTIQ or HIV+ people, may not “come out.” Coming out requires a certain amount of privilege and capital that some people do not, or do not feel, they have. People should be allowed freedom in choosing whether or not to come out as it is not a viable option for everyone. Being in the closet does not necessarily mean one is ashamed of their identity, as the closet can be strategically used as a space of agency and resistance. Ultimately, people who are exploring sexuality and gender should be encouraged and supported whether or not coming out is ultimate outcome.
Being Out or Out of the Closet: A term which means being open and public about being
lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex, transgender, or queer. Some people are "out" in some settings (for example, with friends) and not "out" in other settings (for example, at work, with family, or in religious communities). Movements for coming out (i.e., “Out of the closets and into the streets”) were mostly spearheaded by white, middle to upper class gay men and lesbians who had the privilege and social capital to do so. Being out is not an option for everyone (see “Coming Out”).
Out-ed: Being “Out-ed” is a term used when a LGBTIQ individual’s sexual or gender identity or HIV status is disclosed by another person without the LGBTIQ or HIV + individual’s consent. “Outing” someone can have significant negative consequences for an LGBTIQ or HIV + person, such as jeopardizing employment, housing, health insurance, relationships, personal safety, and child custody.
Lover, Partner, Domestic Partner, and Significant Other: Terms that lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer people use to identify those people with whom they have romantic or sexual relationships. In addition, used by adults who are not legally married, who share resources and responsibility for decisions, share values and goals, and have commitments to one another over a period of time. Legal definitions may vary among city ordinances, corporate policies, and by individuals and families.
Family, or Family of Origin, or Family of Choice: “Two or more persons who share resources, share responsibility for decisions, share values and goals, and have commitments to one another over a period of time. The family is the climate that one comes home to; and it is the network of sharing and commitments that most accurately describes the family unit, regardless of blood, or adoption, or marriage.” Source: American Home Economics Association. In addition, “Family” is often a term used by LGBTQ individuals to describe their close circle of support since many have been abandoned or ostracized by their natural/biological family.
LGBTIQ Activist: An individual who engages in a continuum of direct action in the service of securing civil rights and social justice for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. This continuum of action can range from educating oneself on the issues to recognizing and interrupting homophobic, heterosexist, and transphobic behaviors on a personal level to participating in rallies, protests, and other efforts with the aim of achieving political and social change on a community level.
Rainbow Flag: Artist Gilbert Baker first proposed the Rainbow Flag as the symbol for the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade. Volunteers hand-dyed and hand-stitched two huge flags out of organically grown cotton. The original design used eight colors, but hot pink and turquoise were eliminated because of cost. The six colors of the resulting flag displayed at the 1979 parade symbolized the following: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sun, green for harmony with nature, blue for art, and purple for spirit. The Rainbow Flag became nationally known after a 1988 lawsuit in which John Stout, a gay man living in West Hollywood, CA. successfully fought his landlord's attempt to keep him from flying the flag from his apartment balcony. A mile-long rainbow flag weighing over 7,000 pounds was carried by over 10,000 people as part of the 1994 New York City Pride Parade, marking the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.
* Colorado Anti-Violence Program. Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation: Terms and Definitions.
Adapted by the DU Queer and Ally Commission (August 2007) from University of Illinois Springfield Safe Zone Program. Safe Zone Definitions:
Terms Commonly Associated with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Communities. Available on-line at: http://www.uis.edu/studentaffairs/safezone/resources/definitions.html