The ABC’s of LGBTQ+ Terminology
Have you looked at the term LGBTQ+ and wondered what the letters and plus sign meant? If you’re a parent, friend, or loved one of someone in the LGBTQ+ community, it may be helpful for you to familiarize yourself with some of the common vocabulary used to describe the community. Maybe you’re an LGBTQ+ person yourself and want to freshen up on some of these terms. Whoever you are, I hope the list below can offer some clarification on terms you may or may not have heard before.
Ally – A person, who is typically straight and/or cisgender, who supports the uplifts the LGBTQ+ community. To be a stronger ally, people can consider taking more tangible action with their support.
Asexual – A person who experiences little or no sexual attraction with others. This, and other terms on this list, exists on a spectrum. An abbreviation of this term is Ace.
Biological Sex – This term refers to our sex assigned at birth, referring to our anatomy, chromosomes, and hormones. People can be born with the assigned biological sex of male, female, or intersex.
Bisexual – A person who can be attracted to both their same gender and opposite gender. Some people will experience more or less attraction to one or the other, AKA it’s not always 50/50.
Cisgender – This describes a person whose gender identity (see below) aligns with their biological sex.
Cross-dressing – The act of wearing the clothing of another gender. That’s it!
Demisexual – A person who experiences sexual attraction only when a strong romantic connection is formed.
Drag King/Queen – A person who performs masculinity or femininity in a performative context (See: RuPaul’s Drag Race or your local drag brunch).
Gay – A person who is attracted to their same gender. Also used as an umbrella term for the LGBTQ community or to identify someone as not straight.
Gender Expression – How a person expresses their gender, using clothing, behavior, grooming, and other factors. Some common expressions include masculine, feminine, neutral, & androgynous.
Gender Identity – A person’s inner sense of their gender, regardless of their biological sex. Common identities include male, female, nonbinary, non-conforming, fluid, two-spirit, bigender, genderqueer, & agender.
Intersex – Medical term that describes a person with a combination of biological sex characteristics from both male and female sexes. Formerly referred to as hermaphrodite, which is now considered derogatory.
Lesbian – Women who are attracted to other women, whether romantically, sexually, and/or emotionally.
Pansexual – A person who is attracted sexually, romantically, and/or emotionally to member of all gender identities and expressions. An abbreviation of this term is Pan.
Queer – This is another umbrella term that describes people who don’t identity as straight and/or cisgender. Historically, this term has been used as a slur but has since been reclaimed by some members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Questioning – A term used for a person who is exploring or unsure about their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Sexual Orientation – A term used to refer to a person’s sexual, romantic, and/or emotional attraction preferences, often referring to the gender of the person and those they are attracted to. Common examples of orientation include homosexuality, heterosexuality, asexuality, bisexuality, pansexuality, and demisexuality.
Transgender – A person whose gender identity does not align with their biological sex. This person could be transitioned or is transitioning from living as one gender to another one. This transition can include changes in appearance, name, pronouns, or other physical changes, but these changes are not necessary for a person to identify as transgender.
While our society is slowly moving towards being more accepting and understanding of the LGBTQIA+ community, there is still a lot of misinformation and incorrect language used. Language is very powerful, and while this list is certainly not exhaustive, I believe educating ourselves is the best way we can be supportive to each other. As an LGBTQ+ affirming counselor, I make it a point to always be learning and using appropriate language. For a much more comprehensive list of LGBTQ+ terms and definitions, check out this post at ItsPronouncedMetrosexual.com.
