COMPREHENSIVE* LIST OF LGBTQ + RELATED VOCABULARY

DEFINITIONS

* This list is neither comprehensive nor inviolable, but a continual work in progress. With identity terms, trust
the person who is using the term and their definition of it above any dictionary. 

advocate – 1 noun : a person who actively works to end intolerance, educate others, and support social equity
for a marginalized group. 2 verb : to actively support or plea in favor of a particular cause, the action of
working to end intolerance or educate others.
agender – adj. : a person with no (or very little) connection to the traditional system of gender, no personal
alignment with the concepts of either man or woman, and/or someone who sees themselves as existing
without gender. Sometimes called gender neutrois, gender neutral, or genderless.
ally /“al-lie”/ – noun : a (typically straight and/or cisgender) person who supports and respects members of the
LGBTQ community.  We consider people to be active allies who take action on in support and respect.
androgyny /“an-jrah-jun-ee”/ (androgynous) – 1 noun. : a gender expression that has elements of both
masculinity and femininity; 2 adj.  : occasionally used in place of “intersex” to describe a person with both
female and male anatomy, generally in the form “androgyne.”
androsexual / androphilic – adj. : being primarily sexually, romantically and/or emotionally attracted to men,
males, and/or masculinity.
aromantic /”ay-ro-man-tic”/ – adj. : experiencing little or no romantic attraction to others and/or has a lack of
interest in romantic relationships/behavior. Aromanticism exists on a continuum from people who
experience no romantic attraction or have any desire for romantic activities, to those who experience low
levels, or romantic attraction only under specific conditions. Many of these different places on the
continuum have their own identity labels (see demiromantic). Sometimes abbreviated to “aro” (pronounced
like “arrow”).
asexual – adj. : experiencing little or no sexual attraction to others and/or a lack of interest in sexual
relationships/behavior.  Asexuality exists on a continuum from people who experience no sexual attraction
or have any desire for sex, to those who experience low levels, or sexual attraction only under specific
conditions. Many of these different places on the continuum have their own identity labels (see
demisexual). Sometimes abbreviated to “ace.”
bicurious – adj. : a curiosity toward experiencing attraction to people of the same gender/sex (similar to
questioning).
bigender – adj. : a person who fluctuates between traditionally “woman” and “man” gender-based behavior and
identities, identifying with both genders (or sometimes identifying with either man or woman, as well as a
third, different gender).
binder – noun  : an undergarment used to alter or reduce the appearance of one’s breasts (worn similarly to how
one wears a sports bra). binding – adj. : the (sometimes daily) process of wearing a binder. Binding is
often used to change the way other’s read/perceive one’s anatomical sex characteristics, and/or as a form of
gender expression. 
biological sex – noun : a medical term used to refer to the chromosomal, hormonal and anatomical
characteristics that are used to classify an individual as female or male or intersex. Often referred to as
simply “sex,” “physical sex,” “anatomical sex,” or specifically as “sex assigned at birth.”
biphobia – noun : a range of negative attitudes (e.g., fear, anger, intolerance, invisibility, resentment, erasure,
or discomfort) that one may have or express toward bisexual individuals. Biphobia can come from and be
seen within the LGBTQ community as well as straight society. biphobic – adj. : a word used to describe
actions, behaviors, or individuals who demonstrate elements of this range of negative attitudes toward
bisexual people.
bisexual – 1 noun & adj. : a person who experiences attraction to some men and women. 2 adj. : a person who
experiences attraction to some people of their gender and another gender. Bisexual attraction does not have
to be equally split, or indicate a level of interest that is the same across the genders an individual may be
attracted to. Often used interchangeably with “pansexual”.
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butch – noun & adj. : a person who identifies themselves as masculine, whether it be physically, mentally, or
emotionally. ‘Butch’ is sometimes used as a derogatory term for lesbians, but is also be claimed as an
affirmative identity label.
cisgender /“siss-jendur”/ – adj. : a gender description for when someone’s sex assigned at birth and gender
identity correspond in the expected way (e.g., someone who was assigned male at birth, and identifies as a
man). A simple way to think about it is if a person is not transgender, they are cisgender. The word
cisgender can also be shortened to “cis.”
cisnormativity – noun : the assumption, in individuals and in institutions, that everyone is cisgender, and that
cisgender identities are superior to trans* identities and people. Leads to invisibility of non-cisgender
identities.
cissexism – noun : behavior that grants preferential treatment to cisgender people, reinforces the idea that being
cisgender is somehow better or more “right” than being transgender, and/or makes other genders invisible.
closeted – adj. : an individual who is not open to themselves or others about their (queer) sexuality or gender
identity. This may be by choice and/or for other reasons such as fear for one’s safety, peer or family
rejection, or disapproval and/or loss of housing, job, etc. Also known as being “in the closet.” When
someone chooses to break this silence, they “come out” of the closet. (See coming out)
coming out – 1 noun  : the process by which one accepts and/or comes to identify one’s own sexuality or gender
identity (to “come out” to oneself). 2 verb : the process by which one shares one’s sexuality or gender
identity with others.
constellation – noun : a way to describe the arrangement or structure of a polyamorous relationship.
cross-dresser – noun : someone who wears clothes of another gender/sex.
demiromantic – adj. : little or no capacity to experience romantic attraction until a strong sexual connection is
formed with someone, often within a sexual relationship.
demisexual – adj. : little or no capacity to experience sexual attraction until a strong romantic connection is
formed with someone, often within a romantic relationship.
down low – adj. : typically referring to men who identify as straight but who secretly have sex with men. Down
low (or DL) originated in, and is most commonly used by, communities of color.
drag king – noun : someone who performs (hyper-) masculinity theatrically.
drag queen – noun : someone who performs (hyper-) femininity theatrically.
dyke – noun : referring to a masculine presenting lesbian. While often used derogatorily, it is also reclaimed
affirmatively by some lesbians and gay women as a positive self-identity term.
emotional attraction – noun : a capacity that evokes the want to engage in emotionally intimate behavior (e.g.,
sharing, confiding, trusting, inter-depending), experienced in varying degrees (from little-to-none to
intense). Often conflated with sexual attraction, romantic attraction, and/or spiritual attraction.
fag(got) – noun : derogatory term referring to a gay person, or someone perceived as queer. While often used
derogatorily, it is also used reclaimed by some gay people (often gay men) as a positive in-group term.
feminine-of-center; masculine-of-center – adj. : a phrase that indicates a range in terms of gender identity and
expression for people who present, understand themselves, and/or relate to others in a generally more
feminine/masculine way, but don’t necessarily identify as women or men.  Feminine-of-center individuals
may also identify as “femme,” “submissive,” “transfeminine,” etc.; masculine-of-center individuals may
also often identify as “butch,” “stud,” “aggressive,” “boi,” “transmasculine,” etc.
feminine-presenting; masculine-presenting – adj. : a way to describe someone who expresses gender in a
more feminine/masculine way. Often confused with feminine-of-center/masculine-of-center, which
generally include a focus on identity as well as expression.
femme – noun & adj. : someone who identifies themselves as feminine, whether it be physically, mentally or
emotionally. Often used to refer to a feminine-presenting queer woman or people.
fluid(ity) – adj. : generally, with another term attached, like gender-fluid or fluid-sexuality, fluid(ity) describes
an identity that may change or shift over time between or within the mix of the options available (e.g., man
and woman, bi and straight).
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FtM / F2M; MtF / M2F – abbr. : female-to-male transgender or transsexual person; male-to-female

transgender or transsexual person.
gay – 1 adj. : experiencing attraction solely (or primarily) to some members of the same gender. Can be used to
refer to men who are attracted to other men and women who are attracted to women. 2 adj. : an umbrella
term used to refer to the queer community as a whole, or as an individual identity label for anyone who is
not straight.
gender binary – noun : the idea that there are only two genders and that every person is one of those two.
gender expression – noun : the external display of one’s gender, through a combination of clothing, grooming,
demeanor, social behavior, and other factors, generally made sense of on scales of masculinity and
femininity. Also referred to as “gender presentation.”
gender fluid – adj. : a gender identity best described as a dynamic mix of boy and girl. A person who is gender
fluid may always feel like a mix of the two traditional genders, but may feel more man some days, and
more woman other days.
gender identity – noun : the internal perception of an one’s gender, and how they label themselves, based on
how much they align or don’t align with what they understand their options for gender to be. Often
conflated with biological sex, or sex assigned at birth.
gender neutrois – adj. : see agender.
gender non-conforming – 1 adj. : a gender expression descriptor that indicates a non-traditional gender
presentation (masculine woman or feminine man). 2 adj. : a gender identity label that indicates a person
who identifies outside of the gender binary. Often abbreviated as “GNC.”
gender normative / gender straight – adj. : someone whose gender presentation, whether by nature or by
choice, aligns with society’s gender-based expectations.
genderqueer – 1 adj. : a gender identity label often used by people who do not identify with the binary of
man/woman. 2 adj. : an umbrella term for many gender non-conforming or non-binary identities (e.g.,
agender, bigender, genderfluid).
gender variant – adj. : someone who either by nature or by choice does not conform to gender-based
expectations of society (e.g., transgender, transsexual, intersex, genderqueer, cross-dresser, etc.).
gynesexual / gynephilic /“guy-nuh-seks-shu-uhl”/ – adj. : being primarily sexually, romantically and/or
emotionally attracted to woman, females, and/or femininity.
hermaphrodite – noun : an outdated medical term previously used to refer to someone who was born with
some combination of typically-male and typically-female sex characteristics. It’s considered stigmatizing
and inaccurate. See intersex. 
heteronormativity – noun : the assumption, in individuals and/or in institutions, that everyone is heterosexual,
and that heterosexuality is superior to all other sexualities. Leads to invisibility and stigmatizing of other
sexualities: when learning a woman is married, asking her what her husband’s name is. Heteronormativity
also leads us to assume that only masculine men and feminine women are straight.
heterosexism – noun : behavior that grants preferential treatment to heterosexual people, reinforces the idea
that heterosexuality is somehow better or more “right” than queerness, and/or makes other sexualities
invisible.
heterosexual/straight – adj. : experiencing attraction solely (or primarily) to some members of a different
gender. 
homophobia – noun : an umbrella term for a range of negative attitudes (e.g., fear, anger, intolerance,
resentment, erasure, or discomfort) that one may have toward LGBTQ people. The term can also connote a
fear, disgust, or dislike of being perceived as LGBTQ. homophobic – adj. : a word used to describe
actions, behaviors, or individuals who demonstrate elements of this range of negative attitudes toward
LGBTQ people.
homosexual – adj. & noun : a person primarily emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to members of
the same sex/gender. This [medical] term is considered stigmatizing (particularly as a noun) due to its
history as a category of mental illness, and is discouraged for common use (use gay or lesbian instead).
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intersex – adj. : term for a combination of chromosomes, gonads, hormones, internal sex organs, and genitals
that differs from the two expected patterns of male or female. Formerly known as hermaphrodite (or
hermaphroditic), but these terms are now outdated and derogatory.
lesbian – noun & adj. : women who are primarily attracted romantically, erotically, and/or emotionally to other
women.
LGBTQ; GSM; DSG – abbr. : shorthand or umbrella terms for all folks who have a non-normative (or queer)
gender or sexuality, there are many different initialisms people prefer. LGBTQ is Lesbian Gay Bisexual
Transgender and Queer and/or Questioning (sometimes people at a + at the end in an effort to be more
inclusive); GSM is Gender and Sexual Minorities; DSG is Diverse Sexualities and Genders. Other options
include the initialism GLBT or LGBT and the acronym QUILTBAG (Queer [or Questioning] Undecided
Intersex Lesbian Trans* Bisexual Asexual [or Allied] and Gay [or Genderqueer]).
lipstick lesbian – noun : Usually refers to a lesbian with a feminine gender expression. Can be used in a
positive or a derogatory way. Is sometimes also used to refer to a lesbian who is assumed to be (or passes
for) straight.
metrosexual – adj. : a man with a strong aesthetic sense who spends more time, energy, or money on his
appearance and grooming than is considered gender normative.
MSM / WSW – abbr. : men who have sex with men or women who have sex with women, to distinguish
sexual behaviors from sexual identities: because a man is straight, it doesn’t mean he’s not having sex with
men. Often used in the field of HIV/Aids education, prevention, and treatment.
Mx. / “mix” or “schwa” / – noun : an honorific (e.g., Mr., Ms., Mrs., etc.) that is gender neutral.  It is often the
option of choice for folks who do not identify within the gender binary: Mx. Smith is a great teacher.
outing – verb : involuntary or unwanted disclosure of another person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or
intersex status.
pansexual – adj. : a person who experiences sexual, romantic, physical, and/or spiritual attraction for members
of all gender identities/expressions. Often shortened to “pan.”
passing – 1 adj. & verb : trans* people being accepted as, or able to “pass for,” a member of their self-identified
gender identity (regardless of sex assigned at birth) without being identified as trans*. 2 adj. : an
LGB/queer individual who is believed to be or perceived as straight.
PGPs – abbr. : preferred gender pronouns. Often used during introductions, becoming more common as a
standard practice. Many suggest removing the “preferred,” because it indicates flexibility and/or the power
for the speaker to decide which pronouns to use for someone else.
polyamory  (polyamorous) – noun  : refers to the practice of, desire for, or orientation toward having ethical,
honest, and consensual non-monogamous relationships (i.e., relationships that may include multiple
partners). Often shortened to “poly.”
queer – 1 adj. : an umbrella term to describe individuals who don’t identify as straight and/or
cisgender. 2 noun  : a slur used to refer to someone who isn’t straight and/or cisgender. Due to its historical
use as a derogatory term, and how it is still used as a slur many communities, it is not embraced or used by
all LGBTQ people. The term “queer” can often be used interchangeably with LGBTQ (e.g., “queer people”
instead of “LGBTQ people”).
questioning – verb, adj. : an individual who or time when someone is unsure about or exploring their own
sexual orientation or gender identity.
QPOC / QTPOC – abbr. : initialisms that stand for queer people of color and queer and/or trans people of
color.
romantic attraction – noun : a capacity that evokes the want to engage in romantic intimate behavior (e.g.,
dating, relationships, marriage), experienced in varying degrees (from little-to-none, to intense). Often
conflated with sexual attraction, emotional attraction, and/or spiritual attraction.
same gender loving (SGL) – adj. : sometimes used by some members of the African American or Black
community to express a non-straight sexual orientation without relying on terms and symbols of European
descent.
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sex assigned at birth (SAAB) – abbr. : a phrase used to intentionally recognize a person’s assigned sex (not
gender identity). Sometimes called “designated sex at birth” (DSAB) or “sex coercively assigned at birth”
(SCAB), or specifically used as “assigned male at birth” (AMAB) or “assigned female at birth”
(AFAB): Jenny was assigned male at birth, but identifies as a woman.
sexual attraction – noun : a capacity that evokes the want to engage in physically intimate behavior (e.g.,
kissing, touching, intercourse), experienced in varying degrees (from little-to-none, to intense). Often
conflated with romantic attraction, emotional attraction, and/or spiritual attraction.
sexual orientation – noun : the type of sexual, romantic, emotional/spiritual attraction one has the capacity to
feel for some others, generally labeled based on the gender relationship between the person and the people
they are attracted to. Often confused with sexual preference.
sexual preference – noun : the types of sexual intercourse, stimulation, and gratification one likes to receive
and participate in. Generally, when this term is used, it is being mistakenly interchanged with “sexual
orientation,” creating an illusion that one has a choice (or “preference”) in who they are attracted to.
sex reassignment surgery (SRS) – noun : used by some medical professionals to refer to a group of surgical
options that alter a person’s biological sex. “Gender confirmation surgery” is considered by many to be a
more affirming term. In most cases, one or multiple surgeries are required to achieve legal recognition of
gender variance. Some refer to different surgical procedures as “top” surgery and “bottom” surgery to
discuss what type of surgery they are having without having to be more explicit.
skoliosexual – adj. : being primarily sexually, romantically and/or emotionally attracted to some genderqueer,
transgender, transsexual, and/or non-binary people.
spiritual attraction – noun : a capacity that evokes the want to engage in intimate behavior based on one’s
experience with, interpretation of, or belief in the supernatural (e.g., religious teachings, messages from a
deity), experienced in varying degrees (from little-to-none, to intense). Often conflated with sexual
attraction, romantic attraction, and/or emotional attraction.
stealth – adj. : a trans person who is not “out” as trans, and is perceived/known by others as cisgender.
straight – adj. : a person primarily emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to some people who are
not their same sex/gender. A more colloquial term for the word heterosexual.
stud – noun : most commonly used to indicate a Black/African American and/or Latina masculine lesbian/queer
woman. Also known as ‘butch’ or ‘aggressive’.
third gender – noun : for a person who does not identify with either man or woman, but identifies with another
gender. This gender category is used by societies that recognize three or more genders, both contemporary
and historic, and is also a conceptual term meaning different things to different people who use it, as a way
to move beyond the gender binary.
top surgery – noun : this term refers to surgery for the construction of a male-type chest or breast augmentation
for a female-type chest.
trans* – adj. : an umbrella term covering a range of identities that transgress socially-defined gender norms. 
Trans with an asterisk is often used in written forms (not spoken) to indicate that you are referring to the
larger group nature of the term, and specifically including non-binary identities, as well as transgender men
(transmen) and transgender women (transwomen).
transgender – 1 adj. : a gender description for someone who has transitioned (or is transitioning) from living as
one gender to another. 2 adj. : an umbrella term for anyone whose sex assigned at birth and gender identity
do not correspond in the expected way (e.g., someone who was assigned male at birth, but does not identify
as a man).
transition / transitioning – noun, verb : referring to the process of a transgender person changing aspects of
themself (e.g., their appearance, name, pronouns, or making physical changes to their body) to be more
congruent with the gender they know themself to be (as opposed to the gender they lived as pre-
transitioning).
transman; transwoman – noun : An identity label sometimes adopted by female-to-male transgender people or
transsexuals to signify that they are men while still affirming their history as assigned female sex at birth.
 LGBTQ related vocabulary 6

(Sometimes referred to as transguy) 2 Identity label sometimes adopted by male-to-female transsexuals or

transgender people to signify that they are women while still affirming their history as assigned male sex at
birth.
transphobia – noun : the fear of, discrimination against, or hatred of trans* people, the trans* community, or
gender ambiguity. Transphobia can be seen within the queer community, as well as in general society.
Transphobic – adj. : a word used to describe an individual who harbors some elements of this range of
negative attitudes, thoughts, intents, towards trans* people.
transsexual – noun and adj. a person who identifies psychologically as a gender/sex other than the one to
which they were assigned at birth. Transsexuals often wish to transform their bodies hormonally and
surgically to match their inner sense of gender/sex.
transvestite – noun : a person who dresses as the binary opposite gender expression (“cross-dresses”) for any
one of many reasons, including relaxation, fun, and sexual gratification (often called a “cross-dresser,” and
should not be confused with transsexual).Generally understood to be a slur contemporarily, except for
those that self-identify with the term.
two-spirit – noun : is an umbrella term traditionally within Native American communities to recognize
individuals who possess qualities or fulfill roles of both genders.
ze / zir / “zee”, “zerr” or “zeer”/ – alternate pronouns that are gender neutral and preferred by some trans*
people. They replace “he” and “she” and “his” and “hers” respectively. Alternatively, some people who are
not comfortable/do not embrace he/she use the plural pronoun “they/their” as a gender-neutral singular
pronoun.

Parts of speech matter. Using the correct part of speech for certain words is crucial. Some words are not
affirming when they are used as nouns (queer, gay, transgender). As a rule, when in doubt, adjectives are
always safer. They add on an aspect of someone’s identity rather than reducing them to a single identity. For
example, it feels different when you say, “Meg is a blonde,” vs. “Meg is blonde.” 

With identity terminology, no definition is absolute or applicable to 100% of people who use that term to
describe themselves. Know that some people might disagree — slightly, or severely —  with any definition
provided. That’s okay! Someone can use a word to mean something different from the definition here, the goal
is to learn.

These definitions and terms change (sometimes quite rapidly) so don’t be alarmed if you haven’t seen a term
before or have heard a different definition.