Common Terms
Ally – Describes a person who supports, both publicly and privately, the LGBTQ community and equality in its many forms. Heterosexual and cisgender people can be allies, as well as individuals from within the LGBTQ community.
Cis-gender – Someone whose gender identity aligns with their gender assigned at birth
Closeted – Describes an LGBTQ* person who has not disclosed their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Also known as “in the closet.”
Coming out (of the closet) – A metaphor for LGBTQ* people’s self-disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity
Gender Expression – How one demonstrates one’s gender (based on traditional gender roles) through the ways one acts, dresses, behaves, and interacts.
Gender Nonconforming – Describes a person who does not adhere to the traditional expectations — in terms of their appearance or behavior — of their assigned gender. Some of these individuals identify as transgender but others, for example, masculine lesbians, do not.
GSM – An acronym defining gender and sexual minorities – a more general term for people in the LGBTQ* community. This acronym is often used interchangeably with LGBTQ* or LGBT.
Heteronormative Ideology – A belief that promotes heterosexuality as the normal or preferred sexual orientation.
Heterosexual – Someone who is attracted to people of the opposite sex (more commonly known as “straight”)
Homophobia – A dislike or prejudice against LGBTQ* people
LGBT – An older term representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. This acronym is often used interchangeably with LGBTQ* or GSM.
LGBTQ* - An all inclusive acronym used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, queer/questioning people. The asterisk includes all other non-heterosexual, cis-gender identities such as pansexuality, asexuality, two spirit, agender, intersexuality, etc. This acronym is often used interchangeably with LGBT or GSM.
LGBTQ* - An all inclusive acronym used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, queer/questioning people. The asterisk includes all other non-heterosexual, cis-gender identities such as pansexuality, asexuality, two spirit, agender, intersexuality, etc. This acronym is often used interchangeably with LGBT or GSM.
Non-binary - Describes a person who does not identify as exclusively male or exclusively female and usually prefers “they” as a pronoun. “NB” or enby may also be used to refer to the term non-binary. Not all non-binary individuals prefer or use this term, so remember: it’s always better to ask.
Outing – Exposing someone as a member of the LGBTQ* community without their permission
Pronoun - A word that refers to either the people talking or someone or something that is being talked about. Some examples include he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/them/theirs, xe/xem/xyr. These should be asked, not assumed!
Sex – At birth, babies are assigned a sex that typically corresponds with their external anatomy. Yet an individual’s sex is influenced by a larger combination of factors, including their chromosomes, genes, hormones, reproductive organs and secondary sex characteristics. Male and female are the most commonly recognized sexes, yet a person born with sex characteristics that are not typical for male or female bodies can be described as an intersex individual.
Transgender – Describes a person whose gender identity and/or gender expression do not match their assigned sex at birth. Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer.
Transitioning – A complex process by which transgender people align their anatomy (medical transition) and gender expression (social transition) with their gender identity. Transitioning is a multiple-step process that occurs over a long period of time. It can include such steps as using a different name, using new pronouns, dressing differently, updating legal documents, hormone therapy and surgery. The exact steps involved in a person’s transition varies.
Credit: Annie E. Casey Foundation
