LGBT+ glossary of terms

Term

Description
Ally A (typically) straight and/or cis person who supports members of the LGBT community.
Asexual (or ACE) Someone who does not experience sexual attraction
Bi Bi is an umbrella term used to describe an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards more than one gender. Bi people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, bisexual, pansexual, bi-curious, queer, and other non-monosexual identities.
Biphobia The fear or dislike of someone who identifies as bi based on prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs or views about bi people. Biphobic bullying may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be, bi.
Cisgender or Cis Someone whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. Non-trans is also used by some people.
Coming out When a person first tells someone/others about their identity as lesbian, gay, bi or trans
Dead naming Calling someone by their birth name after they have changed their name. This term is often associated with trans people who have changed their name as part of their transition
Gay Refers to a man who has an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men. Also a generic term for lesbian and gay sexuality – some women define themselves as gay rather than lesbian.
Gender Often expressed in terms of masculinity and femininity, gender is largely culturally determined and is assumed from the sex assigned at birth.
Gender dysphoria Used to describe when a person experiences discomfort or distress because there is a mismatch between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity. This is also the clinical diagnosis for someone who doesnā€™t feel comfortable with the gender they were assigned at birth.
Gender expression How a person chooses to outwardly express their gender, within the context of societal expectations of gender. A person who does not confirm to societal expectations of gender may not, however, identify as trans.
Gender identity A personā€™s innate sense of their own gender, whether male, female or something else (see non-binary below), which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.
Gender reassignment Another way of describing a personā€™s transition. To undergo gender reassignment usually means to undergo some sort of medical intervention, but it can also mean changing names, pronouns, dressing differently and living in their self-identified gender.
Gender recognition certificate This enables trans people to be legally recognised in their affirmed gender and to be issued with a new birth certificate. Not all trans people will apply for a GRC and you currently have to be over 18 to apply. You do not need a GRC to change your gender markers at work or to legally change your gender on other documents such as your passport.
Heterosexual / straight Refers to a person who has an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards people of the opposite gender
Homosexual This might be considered a more medical term used to describe someone who has an emotional romantic and/or sexual orientation towards someone of the same gender. The term ā€˜gayā€™ is now more generally used.
Homophobia The fear or dislike of someone, based on prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs or views about lesbian, gay or bi people. Homophobic bullying may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be, lesbian, gay or bi.
Intersex A term used to describe a person who may have the biological attributes of both sexes or whose biological attributes do not fit with societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female. Intersex people may identify as male, female or non-binary.
LGBT The acronym for lesbain, gay, bi and trans.
Lesbian Refers to a woman who has an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards women.
Neurodiverse A concept where neurological differences are recognised and respected in the same way as any other human difference.
Non-binary An umbrella term for a person who does not identify as only male or only female, or who may identify as both.
Outed When a lesbian, gay, bi or trans personā€™s sexual orientation or gender identity is disclosed to someone else without their consent.
Pansexual Refers to a person whose emotional, romantic and/or sexual attraction towards others is not limited by biological sex, gender or gender identity.
Pronoun Words we use to refer to peopleā€™s gender in conversation ā€“ for example, ā€˜heā€™ or ā€˜sheā€™. Some people may prefer others to refer to them in gender neutral language and use pronouns such as they/their and ze/zir.
Queer In the past a derogatory term for LGBT individuals. The term has now been reclaimed by LGBT young people in particular who donā€™t identify with traditional categories around gender identity and sexual orientation but is still viewed to be derogatory by some.
Questioning The process of exploring your own sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Trans An umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth. Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, transsexual, gender-queer (GQ), gender-fluid, non-binary, gender-variant, crossdresser, denderless, agender, nongender, third gender, two-spirit, bi-gender, trans man, trans woman, trans masculine, trans feminine and neutrois.
Transgender man A term used to describe someone who is assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man. This may be shortened to trans man, or FTM, an abbreviation for female-to-male.
Transgender woman A term used to describe someone who is assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman. This may be shortened to trans woman, or MTF, an abbreviation for male-to-female.
Transitioning The steps a trans person may take to live in the gender with which they identify. Each personā€™s transition will involve different things. For some this involves medical intervention, such as hormone therapy and surgeries, but not all trans people want or are able to have this. Transitioning also might involve things such as telling friends and family, dressing differently and changing official documents.
Transphobia The fear or dislike of someone based on the fact they are trans, including the denial/refusal to accept their gender identity.