This list has been created to support your understanding of some of the most frequently used LGBTQ+ terms
it’s important to remember that The terms and definitions below are always evolving and often mean different things to different people.
These are not universal definitions and This glossary is provided to help give others a more thorough but not entirely comprehensive understanding of the significance of these terms. This list should be used as a starting point for discussion and understanding.
Ally
A person (typically heterosexual and cisgender) who supports the LGBTQ+ community.
If you agree in equality and fair treatment of people who identify as LGBTQ+ then already you are an ally, but there is a difference between being an ally and being an active ally. Being an active ally means getting involved and supporting the community with the fight for equality, standing up against discrimination, and seeking opportunities to listen to, and amplify, the voices of LGBTQ+ people past and present.
asexual
A person who experiences little to no sexual attraction.
It’s important to remember that asexuality is an umbrella term, and exists on a spectrum. Asexual people (also known as ‘Ace’ or ‘Aces’) may have little interest in having sex, even though most desire emotionally intimate relationships. Within the ace community there are many ways for people to identify. Some of the most common asexual identities are:
Aromantic: People who experience little to no romantic attraction, and are content with close friendships and other non-romantic relationships.
Demisexual: People who only experience sexual attraction once they form a strong emotional connection with another person.
Grey-A: People who identify somewhere between sexual and asexual.
Queerplatonic: People who experience a type of non-romantic relationship where there is an intense emotional connection that goes beyond a traditional friendship.
BISEXUAL
A person who is attracted to both males and females, or to more than one sex or gender.
Bisexual people are some of the most stigmatised in the LGBTQ+ community and there are a lot of myths surrounding what it means to be bisexual. Some common myths surrounding bisexuality that need to be erased are; bisexual people are transphobic; bi men are closeted gays; bisexual people are straight when they are in a relationship with a heterosexual partner; and bisexual people are polyamorous. These myths are not only false, but they are also dangerous and contribute to bi erasure. People who identify as bisexual make up around 52% of the LGBTQ+ community but many report feeling like they don’t fit in, saying that the feel ‘too gay’ for some and ‘too straight’ for others.
Bisexual erasure / bi-erasure
The tendency for society to ignore, remove, falsify, or re-explain evidence of bisexuality. In its most extreme form, it denies that bisexuality exists.
Bi-erasure may include the assertion that all bisexual individuals are in a phase and will soon choose a side, either heterosexual or homosexual. Bisexual erasure is also often a manifestation of biphobia, although it does not necessarily involve overt antagonism. Bisexual erasure often results in bisexual-identifying individuals experiencing a variety of adverse social encounters, as they not only have to struggle with finding acceptance within society but also within the LGBTQ+ community. A common variant of bisexual erasure involves accepting bisexuality in women, while downplaying or rejecting the validity of bisexual identity in men.
Cisgender
A person whose gender identity aligns with their assigned sex at birth.
At birth we are assigned with a sex (male or female). Most people are cisgender, this means that their sex aligns with their gender identity. The word cisgender can also be shortened to ‘cis’.
Cisnormativity
A discourse based on assumption that cisgender is the norm and privileges this over any other form of gender identity.
Although cisnormativity is rarely deliberate, it is rightly perceived as hurtful and offensive to the trans and non-binary community because it contributes to the erasure of trans and nonbinary experience. In a small number of cases, cisnormativity is a deliberate and calculated system of oppression that includes institutionalized cissexism and transphobia.
Challenging cisnormativity is not about challenging cisgenderism. It is about questioning he idea that cisgender is the only normal, or natural gender identity. Teachers have a responsibility to not make assumptions about their students’ identities and actively reduce cisnormativity in the classroom. An environment where children do not feel represented can have detrimental effects on their learning, their self-esteem, and their sense of self-worth, all of which can lead to internalised transphobia. Read more about cisnormativity here.
Coming out
When a person tells someone/others about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Every person’s coming out story is different and there is no ‘right’ way to do it. For most people, coming out is a long process and it can take some time to get to a point where a person feels comfortable and confident enough within themselves to then start having those conversations with other people. A common myth surrounding coming out is that it is one single event. The reality for most LGBTQ+ people is that coming out is an ongoing exerience. Read some real experiences of teachers coming out in school here.
Deadnaming
Referring to someone using their birth name rather than the name they identify with currently.
Deadnaming can leave a transgender person feeling invalidated and like their identity and transition is not respected. Deadnaming in front of someone who doesn’t already know that the person is transgender can effectively ‘out’ them. This may or may not be something that they want other people to know. Not only can being outed cause stress, it can also subject that person to harassment and discrimination.
Discrimination
The unjust treatment of someone based on a certain characteristic, often being one or more of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
Discrimination comes in four forms; direct, indirect, harrassment, and victimisation. Direct discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic that they, or someone they are associated with, possesses or is percieved to possess. Indirect discrimination is usually less obvious than direct discrimination and is normally unintended. Generally speaking, it occurs when a rule or plan of some sort is put into place which applies to everyone; and is not in itself discriminatory but it could put those with a certain protected characteristic at a disadvantage. Harassment is ‘unwanted conduct’ related to a protected characteristic. Victimisation occurs when someone suffers a ‘detriment’ because they have complained about discrimination or helped someone who has been the victim of discrimination. Discrimination can have a varirty of negative consequences including a reduced sense of self-worth, hightened vulnerability, depression, anxiety, and to name a few.
GAY
A person attracted to others of the same gender (usually referring to men but others may use this term to mean non-heterosexual).
Whilst gay typically refers to men who are attracted to people of the same gender, it is also an umbrella term used to refer to the queer community as a whole, or as an individual identity label for anyone who is not heterosexual.
The word gay is sometimes used in homophobic phrases like “that’s so gay” and “you’re so gay”. These comments are sometimes directed towards people who are actually, or perceived to be, gay. However, they are most often used to mean that something is bad or rubbish, with no conscious link to sexual orientation at all. Homophobic language is often dismissed as ‘harmless banter’ that isn’t intentionally hurtful. However when homophobic language goes unchallenged, this has a clear negative impact on young people’s sense of belonging, self-esteem and attainment at school.
Gender binary
A view of gender whereby people are categorized exclusively as either male or female, often basing gender on biological sex.
The gender binary is the societal classification of sex and gender into two distinct, opposite and disconnected forms of masculine and feminine. It is one general type of a gender system. As one of the core principles of genderism, it can describe a social boundary that discourages people from crossing or mixing gender roles, or from identifying with third forms of gender expression altogether. It can also represent some of the prejudices which stigmatize intersex and transgender people, especially those that are non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid, or gender non-conforming -identified. The term describes the system in which a society splits people into male and female gender roles, gender identities and attributes.
Gender Dysphoria
The experience of discomfort/distress due to the disconnection between a person’s assigned sex at birth and their gender identity.
This sense of unease or dissatisfaction may be so intense it can lead to depression and anxiety and have a harmful impact on daily life. Many people with gender dysphoria have a strong, lasting desire to live a life that "matches" or expresses their gender identity. They do this by changing the way they look and behave.Some people with gender dysphoria, but not all, may want to use hormones and sometimes surgery to express their gender identity. Gender dysphoria is not a mental illness, but some people may develop mental health problems because of gender dysphoria.
Gender Identity
A person’s innate sense of who they are and how they define themselves, whether male, female, neither, or both male and female.
Most people identify as male or female, these are sometimes called ‘binary’ identities. Other gender identities include but are not limited to; transgender, non-binary, intersex, genderqueer genderfluid, and gender non-conforming. It is important to remember that a person’s gender identity is whatever they say it is, and every identity is valid.
Gender non-conforming
A person who identifies outside the gender binary of male/female. Often abbreviated as GNC.
Gender non-conforming people do not follow other people’s ideas or stereotypes about how they should look or act based on the female or male sex they were assigned at birth. Often, gender non-conforming people will use gender neutral pronouns like they/them.
Genderfluid
A person whose sense of self in relation to gender changes from time-to-time. The time frame might be over the course of many months, days, shorter, or longer, but the consistent experience is one of change.
Genderfluid people are sometimes mislabelled as being confused about their gender, but this is not the case. A person isn’t considered gender-fluid just because they like to wear typically masculine clothing one day and typically feminine clothing the next day—that is considered a form of gender expression. To be gender-fluid is chiefly a question of internal personal identity.
Genderqueer
A person who does not identify with the binary of male/female. It is also used as an umbrella term for many gender non-conforming or non-binary identities.
A ‘queer’ gender may fall outside of, fall in between, or fluctuate among the binary gender categories of man and woman. People who are genderqueer often experience their gender as fluid, meaning it can shift and change at any given time. Genderqueer can also describe a position of questioning one’s gender identity during a particular period of time or in an ongoing way. Not only is it one of the most common identities under the transgender umbrella, younger generations are increasingly identifying as genderqueer.
Gender Reassignment
Undergoing gender reassignment typically means medical intervention such as hormone therapy and surgery but it can also refer to the likes of changing names and pronouns and taking measures to live differently (such as using different bathrooms, dressing differently, etc.).
It’s important to remember that a person does not need to have undergone hormone therapy or surgery to identify as transgender. It is vital that where possible, children and young people should be given the opportunitys to self-identify or describe themselves, rather than labels being ascribed to them. Some people choose to have medical intervention but others are either unable to, or they might choose not to. If a person wants to change their gender status legally in the UK, they can apply to a Gender Recognition Panel (GRP) for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). To grant a GRC, the panel must be satisfied that a person meets three criteria; they have or have had gender dysphoria; they have lived in their true gender for two years before the application; and they intend to continue living in their true gender until death. Once a GRC is made, a birth certificate is re-issued confirming a person’s true gender and new chosen name if relevant.
Heteronormativity
A discourse based on assumption that heterosexuality is the norm and privileges this over any other form of sexual orientation.
Heteronormativity describes how social institutions and policies reinforce the presumption that people are heterosexual and that gender and sex are natural binaries. Heteronormative culture privileges heterosexuality as normal and natural and fosters a climate where LGBTQ+ people are discriminated against. Heteronormativity is often linked to heterosexism and homophobia.
Challenging heteronormativity is not about challenging heterosexuality. It is about questioning he idea that heterosexuality is the only normal, natural, or good form of sexuality. Teachers have a responsibility to not make assumptions about their students’ identities and actively reduce heteronormativity in the classroom. An environment where children do not feel represented can have detrimental effects on their learning, their self-esteem, and their sense of self-worth, all of which can lead to internalised homophobia. Read more about heteronormativity here.
Heterosexual
A person who is attracted to people of the opposite gender.
The majority of the UK adult population (93.4%) identifiy as heterosexual (straight). Younger people (aged 16-24) are less likely to identify as heterosexual than any other age group. A survey taken by the Office for National Statistics in 2017 found that only 0.7% of the population aged 65 years and over identified as something other than heterosexual. One reason for this pattern may be that younger people could be more likely to explore their sexuality combined with more social acceptability of sexual identities today and the ability to express these.
Homophobia
The fear/hatred of a person based on negative attitudes/prejudice/beliefs about people in the LGB community.
Homophobia can take many forms including insults, ‘harmless banter’, discrimination and violence. This abuse is motivated purely on the fact someone is of a different sexual orientation. Homophobia is born out of ignorance, fear, prejudice, and a lack of education. Many phrases and words may appear as harmless but they can also be homophobic.
The majority of LGBTQ+ pupils (86%) report that they regularly hear phrases such as ‘that’s so gay’ or ‘you’re so gay’ in school. One in five LGBTQ+ people have experienced a hate crime or incident because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity in the last 12 months.
Homosexual
A person who is attracted to people of the same gender.
Homosexual is sometimes viewed as an outdated and somewhat ‘medical’ term. Scientists do not know the exact cause of sexual orientation, but they theorise that it is caused by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences, and agree that it is not a choice. Homosexuality has been admired, as well as condemned, throughout recorded history, depending on the form they took and the culture in which they occurred. Since the end of the 19th century, there has been a global movement towards freedom and equality for homosexual people, but the fight for equality continues today.
Intersectionality
The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, gender, and sexuality as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.
Having an intersectional identity often generates a feeling that someone does not completely belong in one group or another, and can lead to isolation, depression and other mental health issues. The exclusion and erasure of intersectional people from our communities is reflected in service provision. Often LGBTQ+ focused organisations have little understanding of, for example, race issues. This can lead to underrepresentation and misrepresentation as well as discrimination against sub-groups within a community.
Intersex
A person who has the biological features of both male and female or whose biological attributes do not align with societal ideals of what constitutes male or female.
There are many different ways someone can be intersex. Some intersex people have genitals or internal sex organs that fall outside of the male/female binary (such as a person with both ovarian and testicular tissues). Other intersex people have combinations of chromosomes that are different than XY and XX, like XXY. And some people are born with external genitals that fall into the typical male/female categories, but their internal organs or hormones don’t.
Most of the time when a baby is born intersex, doctors and the family decide on a sex, either male or female, and raise the baby as the gender expected of that sex. Surgery is often carried out on the baby’s genitals and the child might be given hormones to make them fit into male/female categories as they go through puberty. But activism by and for intersex people is growing, leading to some changes in our culture, which right now treats intersex as a medical problem instead of a natural, healthy way bodies can be. Today, more and more people believe unnecessary surgery and other medical interventions shouldn’t be done on intersex babies and children at all. Instead, intersex people should be able to decide for themselves when they’re older if they want treatment or surgery.
Lesbian
A female who is attracted to people of the same gender.
Lesbian is the most common term used to describe a female who is only attracted to other people of their same gender. However, some people might prefer to identify as gay or queer rather than as a lesbian. As with all identities, whichever label a person chooses should be respected.
LGBTQ+
The acronym used to represent Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and other (+) non-heterosexual/non-cisgender identities.
LGBTQ+ is commonly used to refer to anyone who is included in the LGBTTQQIAP+ community. Other acronyms, such as LGBT, LGBT+, LGBTQI and LGBTQIA+ are also widely used, but the most important thing is to make sure that all sub-communities are valued and respected.
Non-binary
A person who does not label themselves within the societal gender binary of male and female.
Most societies only recognise two genders (male and female). Non-binary people are not confused about their gender identity or following a new fad – non-binary identities have been recognised for millennia by cultures and societies around the world. You can’t tell if someone is non-binary simply by looking at them, just like how you can’t tell if someone is transgender just by how they look. Non-binary people might use they/them pronouns or they might use he/him or she/her. Asking what pronouns a person uses is one of the simplest but most important ways to show respect for a person’s identity.
Outed
The term used for when someone’s gender identity/sexual orientation is exposed without their consent.
The act of outing someone is a violation of their privacy. Often people who are outed feel forced to reveal a deeply personal part of their identity without their consent and under someone else’s terms. Coming out can be a difficult process because of the fear of discrimination, homophobia, or potential marginalization from family, friends, and the community. When, how, and if someone decides to come should always be a personal decision under their own terms. For support with coming out, click here.
PANSEXUAL
A person who is attracted to people regardless of their biological sex, gender, or gender identity.
Whilst there are similarities between pansexuality and bisexuality, there are some distinct differences. Bisexuality is when someone is attracted to people of more than one gender (whether that's male, female, non-binary or trans people for example). Whereas pansexuality is when someone is attracted to people regardless of gender.
Pronoun
Words used to refer to people in conversion, e.g. he/him, she/her, and they/their. Some people prefer to use gender neutral pronouns or a mix of more than one.
A gender neutral or gender inclusive pronoun is a pronoun which does not associate a gender with the individual who is being discussed. Some languages, such as English, do not have a gender neutral or third gender pronoun available. Mistaking or assuming a person’s gender can be harmful to a person, especially if they already experience gender dysphoria. If you do mistake someone’s pronouns, the best thing to do is apologise for your mistake and make a conscious effort to get it right next time.
Protected Characteristic
Under the Equality Act 2010, there are 9 characteristics that are considered protected; age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
It is against the law to discriminate against someone because of the protected characteristics. A person is also protected from discrimination if they are associated with someone who has a protected characteristic, for example a family member or friend, or if they have complained about discrimination or supported another person’s claim.
QTIPOC
QTIPOC is an acronym that stands for Queer, Transgender, and Intersex People of Colour.
The term QTIPOC can be political and is commonly used by activists to highlight the varied experiences of queer and non-binary people of colour. GIRES (Gender Identity Research and Education Society) explains that queer, transgender, intersex and People of Colour “often experience intersecting oppressions on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation and other factors.”
queer
A term used by those wanting to reject specific labels of romantic orientation, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can also be a way of rejecting the perceived norms of the LGBTQ+ community (racism, sizeism, ableism etc).
Although some LGBTQ+ people still view the word as a slur, it was reclaimed in the late 80s by the queer community who have now embraced it. Because it is not embraced or used by all LGBTQ+ people, the term queer should only be used by LGBTQ+ people themselves or when a person is comfortable with it being used to describe them.
questioning
The process of exploring your sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Sometimes people are unsure about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and it takes time for them to comprehend their thoughts and feelings. Questionning your sexual orientation and/or gender identity is not limited to youth, some people begin questioning a lot later on in life.
Sex
Identity assigned at birth, dependent on sex characteristics (genitalia) and reproductive functions.
Sex vs gender is a topic of debate in many groups and can be politicised. The LGBTQ+ community, the UK government, and a growing number of scientists agree that sex can be defined as the biological aspects of an individual as determined by their anatomy, which is produced by their chromosomes, hormones and their interactions, whereas gender is a social construction relating to behaviours and attributes based on labels of masculinity and femininity; gender identity is a personal, internal perception of oneself and so the gender category someone identifies with may not match the sex they were assigned at birth.
SexUality / sexual orientation
A person’s feelings, thoughts, attractions and behaviours towards other people.
A person’s sexual orientation is not something that they can choose or choose to change. In fact, people don't choose their sexual orientation any more than they choose their height or eye colour. No one fully understands exactly what determines a person's sexual orientation, but it is likely explained by a variety of biological and genetic factors. Heterosexual people are favoured in society and efforts to change non-heterosexual attractions (sometimes called ‘conversion therapy’) have been proven to be ineffective and extremely harmful for a person’s mental health. No one should be told their identity is something that can be cured. In the UK, all major counselling and psychotherapy bodies, as well as the NHS, have concluded that conversion therapy is dangerous and have condemned it by signing a Memorandum of Understanding.
Transgender/Trans
A person whose gender identity does not align with their assigned sex at birth.
At birth, infants are assigned a sex, usually based on the appearance of their external anatomy (this is what is written on the birth certificate). A person's sex, however, is actually a combination of bodily characteristics including: chromosomes, hormones, internal and external reproductive organs, and secondary sex characteristics. Gender identity is a person's internal, deeply held sense of their gender. For transgender people, their own internal gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. Many transgender people are prescribed hormones by their doctors to bring their bodies into alignment with their gender identity. Some undergo surgery as well. But not all transgender people can or will take those steps, and a transgender identity is not dependent upon physical appearance or medical procedures. Transgender people are some of the most discriminated against members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Transphobia
The fear/hatred towards someone based on their gender identity. This can include denying their identity or refusing to accept it.
Transphobia can be seen within the LGBTQ+ community, as well as in general society. Transphobia can prevent transgender and gender non-conforming people from living full lives free from harm. Transphobia can create both subtle and overt forms of discrimination. It can manifest in two main ways: it can be active (intentionally going against gender variant people) or passive (not recognising or allowing for the fact that gender variance exists).
Any form of verbal and written abuse or threat is unacceptable. Some obvious examples are subjecting someone to name calling, putting them down or threatening them. However, there are sometimes less obvious instances – for example, asking unnecessary and intrusive questions about a person’s gender identity, using ‘humour’ to belittle someone, or addressing someone deliberately using an inappropriate pronoun. Similarly, outing someone or disclosing information about a person’s gender identity without their knowledge or permission is transphobic.