Glossary
Definition of terminology
Lesbian and Gay
People who experience feelings of sexual and/or emotional attraction to others of the same sex and/or gender. A lesbian is a woman who is attracted to other women. A gay person is a man who is attracted to other men. Some people use gay as a gender neutral term that also encompasses lesbians.
Bisexual
A person who is emotionally and romantically attracted to multiple genders. They may have preference for one gender over another, but they do feel attraction to multiple genders. A bisexual person is romantically involved with a person of a different gender is still bisexual.
Transgender (also trans or trans*)
An umbrella term used to describe people whose gender identity is different from the sex assigned to them at birth. An example is a child who is assigned a male sex at birth but actually feels more comfortable living as a girl and identifies as female.
A trans woman is a person who was assigned male sex at birth, whereas a trans man is a person who was assigned female sex at birth. We use the gender identity that is current (rather than that of the past).
The term "transexual" is now considered offensive.
Intersex
People who are born with natural variations in genital, chromosomal or other physical characteristics that differ from stereotypical ideas about what it means to be female or male. Intersex refers to biology rather than sexual orientation or gender identity. Intersex people have the same range of sexual orientations and gender identities as non-intersex people. Most identify with the gender they were raised, as either male or female.
Intersex is often associated with a medical diagnosis of disorders, or differences of sex development (DSD). Some intersex individuals may prefer to be described as a ‘person with an intersex variation’ or be identified by their specific variation.
Queer
A word for any sexuality that isn't straight.
Gender diverse
A broad term that can refer to all forms of gender identity and gender expression and includes people who may identify as for example trans, transgender, genderqueer or gender questioning.
It refers to people whose gender expression or identity differs from the gender identity associated with the sex assigned them at birth or society’s expectations. The person may identify as neither male nor female, or as both.
Same sex/gender attracted
This term includes people who may identify in ways such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual or heterosexual, who are questioning their sexuality, or who are not wanting to label themselves.
Straight
A person who experiences feelings of sexual and/or emotional attraction to others of a different sex and/or gender to themselves.
Pansexual
A person who experiences feelings of sexual and/or emotional attraction to a person regardless of their gender.
Education Services Australia. (2020). Definition of Terminology. https://studentwellbeinghub.edu.au/educators/resources/safe-schools-do-better/
LGBTQIA+ Glossary
- LGBTQIA Resource Centre. (2022). Gossary. https://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/educated/glossaryThe terms and definitions below are always evolving and changing and often mean different things to different people. They are provided below as a starting point for discussion and understanding.
- National LGBTQIA Health Education Center. (2022). LGBTQIA+ Glossary of Terms for Health Care Teams. https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/publication/lgbtqia-glossary-of-terms-for-health-care-teams/Becoming familiar with terms used by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQIA+) can help you provide patients with the highest quality care. In this glossary, you will find terms relevant to the health care and identities of LGBTQIA+ people.
Pronouns
Minus 18. (2014, September 8). What are Pronouns? [Youtube]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xpvricekxU&ab_channel=Minus18
Gender Identity
Genderbread.Org. (2017). Genderbread Person v4.0. https://www.genderbread.org/
Gender diversity and identity in Queertopia
VPRO Documentary. ( 2019, February 18). Gender diversity & identity in Queertopia - VPRO documentary [Youtube]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1LB8kDW67M&t=160s&ab_channel=vprodocumentary
Gender Diversity
- Nonbinary.Wiki. (2022). Gender Variant Identities Worldwide. https://nonbinary.wiki/wiki/Gender-variant_identities_worldwideThis article about gender-variant identities worldwide is about many cultures' and ethnic groups' traditional identities and roles that do not fit into the Western gender binary.
Buy a Dictionary
RGD. (2021). 'Buy a Dictionary' Awareness Campaign by Alison Rowan. https://www.rgd.ca/2013/06/01/buy-a-dictionary-awareness-campaign-by-alison-rowan.php