Understanding LGBTQ+ Terminology
AGENDER
Describes a person who does not identify as male or female or some combination of male and female. Some agender individuals see themselves as genderless, while others see themselves as gender neutral.
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.
ASEXUAL
Describes a person who is not sexually attracted to others and has no desire to engage in sexual behavior. Asexuality differs from celibacy in that a person who is celibate is sexually attracted to others but chooses to abstain from sex. Sometimes, asexual is abbreviated as “ace.”
BIGENDER
Describes a person who has two genders. People who are bigender may experience two gender identities at the same time or at different times. These gender identities can be binary — male and female — or include nonbinary identities.
BISEXUAL
CISGENDER
COMING OUT
ENBY
Describes a person who does not identify as exclusively male or exclusively female and usually prefers “they” as a pronoun. Enby is the phonetic pronunciation of “NB,” which stands for nonbinary. Not all nonbinary individuals prefer or use this term.
GAY
GENDER
GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY
GENDER DYSPHORIA
GENDER EXPRESSION
GENDER FLUID
GENDER IDENTITY
GENDER NEUTRAL
GENDER NONCONFORMING
HETEROSEXUAL
HOMOSEXUAL
Describes a person who is attracted — physically and emotionally — to people of the same sex. This term is outdated and disfavored in the LGBTQ+ community, as it was commonly used to ostracize others.
INTERSEX
Describes a person born with sex characteristics that are not typical for male or female bodies. Sex characteristics are physical features relating to sex — including chromosomes, genitals, hormones and other reproductive anatomy — as well as secondary features that emerge from puberty. Intersex is an umbrella term, and intersex characteristics and traits are not always apparent or identified at birth. The “I” in the longer version of LGBTQ+ (LGBTQIA+) stands for intersex.
LESBIAN
LGBTQ+
NONBINARY
PANSEXUAL
QUEER
An adjective used by some people, particularly younger people, whose sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual. Queer was once used a pejorative term and has been reclaimed by some — but not all — members of the LGBTQ+ community.
QUESTIONING
Describes a person who is still discovering and exploring their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or some combination thereof. Using this term enables an individual to identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community while avoiding other labels and recognizing that their process of self-identification is still underway.