Terminology
- A common language?
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Ally - a person who supports and honors sexual diversity,
acts accordingly to challenge homophobic and heterosexist remarks
and behaviors, and is willing to explore and understand these forms
of bias within him or herself
Biphobia - the fear and hatred of or discomfort with people who are bisexual.
Bisexual - a person who is romantically, sexually, and relationally attracted to both men and women though not necessarily simultaneously.
Boston Marriage - women who lived together as a couple in the early twentieth century.Closet - being “in the closet” means keeping your sexual orientation a secret. Many LBGT people remain in the closet because of fear of rejection, harassment, and anti-gay violence, but like an actual physical closet, this mental closet can be an isolating and confining place.
Coming Out - the developmental process in which a person acknowledges, accepts, and appreciates his/her sexual orientation. Coming out is a lifelong process, starting with coming out to oneself and then to others. Also see the Coming Out FAQ's.
Dental Dam - latex mouthpiece used to practice safe oral sex with a woman.
Freedom Rings - a chain of six aluminum rings, each of a different color forming a rainbow to represent diversity; worn as a symbol of gay/ lesbian pride. Popular in the 90's.
Gay Male - a man who is romantically, sexually, and relationally attracted to other men.
Gender - a sociological construct defining the collection of characteristics that are culturally associated with maleness or femaleness; gender is to “masculine” and “feminine” as sex is to “male” and “female.”Gender Identity - has to do with whether a person perceives him/herself to be a man or a woman; research indicates that gender identity is typically established by 3 years of age. See the Transgender FAQ.
Gender Role - the norms of expected behavior for men and women assigned primarily on the basis of biological sex; a sociological construct that varies from culture to culture.
Heterocentrism - the assumption that everyone is heterosexual unless otherwise indicated.
Heterosexism - the individual, group, or institutional norms and behaviors that result from the assumption that all people are heterosexual. This system of oppression, which assumes that heterosexuality is inherently normal and superior, negates LBGT peoples’ lives and relationships.
Heterosexual - a person who is primarily or exclusively emotionally, romantically, sexually, affectionately, and relationally attracted to people of the “opposite” sex.
Homophobia - the fear and hatred of or discomfort with people who love and sexually desire members of the same sex. Homophobic reactions often lead to intolerance, bigotry, and violence against anyone not acting within heterosexual norms. Because most LBGT people are raised in the same society as heterosexuals, they learn the same beliefs and stereotypes prevalent in the dominant society, leading to a phenomenon known as “internalized homophobia.” See the Homophobia/Biphobia FAQ.
Homosexual - a person who is primarily or exclusively attracted to people of the same sex. This term is not used much any more as its history is associated with pathologizing gayness.
Lavender - color identified with LBGT culture, a mix of pink and blue.
Lesbian - a woman who is emotionally, romantically, sexually, affectionately, and relationally attracted to other women.
Outing - exposing someone’s sexual orientation to others, usually without their permission.
Queer - term that is inclusive of people who are not heterosexual - includes lesbians, gay men, bisexual people, and transgender people. For many LBGT people, the word “queer” has a negative connotation and provokes discomfort; however, many younger gay people are comfortable using the term and have “reclaimed” it.Rainbow - “official” pride symbol for LBGT people; six colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple) represent diversity.
Sex - 1. A biological term dividing a species into male or female, usually on sex chromosomes (XX = female, XY = male); hormone levels, secondary sex characteristics, and internal and external genitalia may also be considered criteria. 2. Another term for sexual behavior or gratification. Sex is a biological fact or a sexual act.
Sexual behavior - what a person does in terms of sexual acts.
Sexuality - the complex range of components that make us sexual beings; includes emotional, physical, and sexual aspects, as well as self-identification (including sexual orientation and gender), behavioral preferences and practices, fantasies, and feelings of affection and emotional affinity.
Sexual Orientation - an enduring emotional, romantic, sexual, affectional, and relational attraction to another person. Can involve fantasy, behavior, and self-identification; a person’s general makeup or alignment in terms of partner attraction. May be same a same-sex orientation, male-female orientation, or a bisexual orientation.
Sexual Preference - what a person likes or prefers to do sexually; a conscious recognition or choice not to be confused with sexual orientation.
Stonewall - viewed as the birth of the modern gay/lesbian liberation; police raided Stonewall Inn in New York City in 1969, prompting five days of rioting and rebellion.
Transgender - the old understanding of the word meant a person whose gender identity differs from what is culturally associated with their biological sex at birth. However, as information has evolved, it is now an umbrella term that includes a wide range of identities and includes pre-operative, post-operative, and non-operative transsexual people. In its general sense, it refers to anyone whose behavior or identity falls outside of stereotypical expectations for their gender (click here for more information about transgender issues). See the Transgender FAQ.Transphobia - the fear and hatred of or discomfort with people who are transgender.
Transsexual - a medical term referring to a person whose gender identity differs from what is culturally associated with their biological sex at birth and who chose to undergo sex reassignment surgery. This term is considered outdated. Most transsexual people refer to themselves as transgender.
Transvestite - an individual who dresses in the “opposite” gender clothing for a variety of reasons.
Two-Spirited - Native American term to refer to persons with characteristics of both genders or attraction to both genders; cultural revered for their special qualities.