Glossary of Sexual Identities and Gender Terms

Author: SexualDiversity.Org
Author Contact: Sexual Diversity (SexualDiversity.org)
Published: 16th May 2020 - Updated: 10th Apr 2024
Peer-Reviewed Publication: N/A
Additional References: Education and LGBT Publications

Summary: The terms listed in this glossary are designed to empower you with language that will help you better understand discussions of gender and sexuality.

Main Document

Language has power and is constantly changing. The terms listed in this glossary are designed to empower you with language that will help you better understand discussions of gender and sexuality. Many terms are self-identifications; they mean something different to each person who identifies with the term.

The table of definitions listed below is a work in progress and was created to aid both journalists, and others, in learning the correct terminology and meanings to use when writing articles regarding LGBTQ+ topics, as well as making related conversations easier. For the most part, terms are based in Western understandings of gender and sexuality so they may not speak to the experiences of those from many cultures. This is not an exhaustive list but instead provides some basic terminology to support an introduction to related topics.

Remember not to apply labels to individuals. Understand that identities are fluid and contextual - just because someone shares part of their identity with you doesn't mean they're comfortable with you sharing this with others.

Also see:

• How Many Genders Are There? Gender Identity List
• Definitions: Glossary of Sex and Sexuality Word Meanings

Select a letter to browse the glossary alphabetically.

• agender (adjective)

• genderless (adjective)
• gender-free (adjective)

• agender person (noun)

• agender (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• gender

• all-gender washroom (noun)

• gender-inclusive washroom (noun)
• gender-neutral washroom (noun)

• ally (noun)

• be an ally
• become an ally

• ambisexual (adjective)

• ambisexuality (noun)

• ambisexual person (noun)

• ambisexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• androgynous (adjective)

• androgyne (adjective)

• androgynous person (noun)

• androgyne person (noun)
• androgyne (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• androgyny (noun)

• asexual (adjective)

• asexuality (noun)

• asexual person (noun)

• asexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• be in the closet (verb phrase)

• be closeted (verb)

• bicuriosity (noun)

• bi-curiosity (noun)

• bicurious (adjective)

• bi-curious (adjective)

• bicurious person (noun)

• bi-curious person (noun)
• bicurious (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• bi-curious (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• bigender (adjective)

• bi-gender (adjective)

• bigender person (noun)

• bi-gender person (noun)
• bigender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• bi-gender (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• gender

• biological sex (noun)

• sex (noun)

• biphobia (noun)

• biphobic (adjective)

• biphobic person (noun)

• biphobe (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• bisexual (adjective)

• bi (adjective, familiar)

• pansexual
• polysexual

• bisexuality (noun)

• pansexuality
• polysexuality

• bisexual person (noun)

• bi person (noun, familiar)
• bisexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• bi (avoid, noun, familiar, pejorative)

• pansexual person
• polysexual person

• cisgender (adjective)

• cis (adjective, familiar)

• cisgender man
• cisgender woman

• cisgender person (noun)

• cis person (noun, familiar)
• cisgender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• cis (avoid, noun, familiar, pejorative)

• cisnormative (adjective)

• cisnormativity (noun)

• heteronormativity
• monosexism

• cissexism (noun)

• cisgenderism (noun)

• cissexuality (noun)

• come out (verb)

• disclose (verb)

• coming out (noun)

• disclosure (noun)

• conceal (verb)

• concealment (noun)

• cross-dresser (noun)

• transvestite (noun, obsolete, pejorative)

• cross-dressing (noun)

• deadname (noun)

• dead name (noun)

• deadname (verb)

• dead name (verb)

• demiboy (noun)

• demi-boy (noun)
• demiguy (noun)
• demi-guy (noun)

• demigender (adjective)

• demi-gender (adjective)

• demigirl (noun)

• demi-girl (noun)

• demisexual (adjective)

• demisexuality (noun)

• demisexual person (noun)

• demisexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• detransition (noun)

• diamoric (adjective)

• drag king (noun)

• drag queen (noun)

• experienced gender (noun)

• affirmed gender (noun)

• gender

• female same-sex parenting (noun)

• lesbian parenting (noun)

• gay (noun)

• homosexual (noun)

• gay (adjective)

• homosexual (adjective)

• gay family (noun)

• same-sex family (noun)
• homosexual family (noun)

• gay father family (noun)

• gay parenting (noun)

• same-sex parenting (noun)
• homosexual parenting (noun)

• gender (noun)

• gender (noun)

• men and women (plural noun phrase)
• women and men (plural noun phrase)
• sexes (plural noun)

• gender (verb)

• gender affirming surgery (noun)
• GAS (noun)

• gender affirmation surgery (noun)
• gender confirmation surgery (noun)
• GCS (noun)
• gender confirming surgery (noun)
• sex reassignment surgery (noun)
• SRS (noun)
• sex change surgery (noun)

• gender and sexual diversity (noun phrase)
• GSD (noun)

• gender and sexual minorities (plural noun phrase)
• GSM (plural noun)

• gender assigned at birth (noun)
• GAAB (noun)

• birth-assigned gender (noun)
• assigned gender (noun)

• sex assigned at birth

• gender balance (noun)

• gender

• gender balance (noun)

• balance between men and women (noun phrase)
• balance between women and men (noun phrase)
• balance between the sexes (noun)

• gender

• gender-based analysis (noun, Canada)
• GBA (noun, Canada)

• gender-differentiated analysis (noun, Quebec)
• GDA (noun, Quebec)

• gender-based analysis plus (noun, Canada)
• GBA+ (noun, Canada)

• gender bending (noun)

• gender

• gender binarism (noun)

• genderism (noun)

• gender binarity (noun)

• gender-blind (adjective)

• genderblind (adjective)

• gender

• gender-blind (adjective)

• genderblind (adjective)

• gender

• gender conforming (adjective)

• gender normative (adjective)

• gender conforming behaviour
• gender conforming clothing

• gender differences (plural noun)

• gender

• gender differences (plural noun)

• differences between men and women (plural noun phrase)
• differences between women and men (plural noun phrase)
• differences between the sexes (plural noun)

• gender

• gender-diverse people (plural noun)

• gender

• gender diversity (noun)

• gender plurality (noun)

• gender

• gender dysphoria (noun)

• gendered (adjective)

• ungendered

• gender equality (noun)

• gender

• gender equality (noun)

• equality of men and women (noun phrase)
• equality of women and men (noun phrase)
• equality between men and women (noun phrase)
• equality between women and men (noun phrase)
• equality between the sexes (noun)
• sexual equality (noun)

• gender

• gender equity (noun)

• gender

• gender equity (noun)

• equity between men and women (noun phrase)
• equity between women and men (noun phrase)
• equity between the sexes (noun)

• gender

• gender expression (noun)

• gender presentation (noun)

• gender

• gender fluid (adjective)

• gender-fluid (adjective)
• genderfluid (adjective)

• gender identity (noun)

• gender

• gender-inclusive pronoun (noun)

• gender-neutral pronoun (noun)

• gender issues (plural noun)

• gender

• gender issues (plural noun)

• gender

• gender minority (noun)

• gender

• gender neutrality (noun)

• gender

• gender-nonconforming (adjective)

• gender-nonconforming behaviour
• gender-nonconforming clothing

• gender-nonconforming person (noun)

• GNC person (noun)

• gender norm (noun)

• gender

• gender parity (noun)

• parity of men and women (noun phrase)
• parity of women and men (noun phrase)
• parity between men and women (noun phrase)
• parity between women and men (noun phrase)
• parity between the sexes (noun)

• gender

• genderqueer (adjective)

• non-binary

• gender role (noun)

• gender

• gender spectrum (noun)

• gender

• greysexual (adjective)

• grey-sexual (adjective)
• graysexual (adjective)
• gray-sexual (adjective)

• greysexuality (noun)

• grey-sexuality (noun)
• graysexuality (noun)
• gray-sexuality (noun)

• greysexual person (noun)

• grey-sexual person (noun)
• graysexual person (noun)
• gray-sexual person (noun)
• greysexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• grey-sexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• graysexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• gray-sexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• heteroflexibility (noun)

• heteroflexible (adjective)

• heteroflexible person (noun)

• heteroflexible (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• heteronormative (adjective)

• heteronormativity (noun)

• cisnormativity
• monosexism

• heterosexism (noun)

• heterosexual (adjective)

• hetero (adjective, familiar)
• straight (adjective, familiar)

• heterosexual family (noun)

• heterosexuality (noun)

• heterosexual person (noun)

• heterosexual (noun)
• hetero person (noun, familiar)
• straight person (noun, familiar)
• hetero (noun, familiar)
• straight (noun, familiar)

• homoflexibility (noun)

• homoflexible (adjective)

• homoflexible person (noun)

• homoflexible (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• homonormativity (noun)

• homophobia (noun)

• homophobic (adjective)

• homophobic person (noun)

• homophobe (noun)

• homosexuality (noun)

• inclusion (noun)

• intersex (adjective)

• inter-sex (adjective)

• intersex

• intersex (adjective)

• inter-sex (adjective)

• intersex

• intersex person (noun)

• inter-sex person (noun)
• intersex (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• inter-sex (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• intersex person

• intersex person (noun)

• inter-sex person (noun)
• intersex (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• inter-sex (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• intersex person

• intersexuality (noun)

• lesbian (noun)

• gay (noun)

• lesbian (adjective)

• gay (adjective)
• homosexual (adjective)

• lesbian family (noun)

• lesbian mother family (noun)

• lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (adjective phrase)
• LGBT (adjective)

• lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (adjective phrase)

• LGBT community

• lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (adjective phrase)
• LGBTQ (adjective)

• lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (adjective phrase)

• LGBTQ community

• lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and others (adjective phrase)
• LGBTQ+ (adjective)

• lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and others (adjective phrase)

• LGBTQ+ community

• lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirit (adjective phrase)
• LGBTQ2 (adjective)

• lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and two-spirit (adjective phrase)

• LGBTQ2 community

• lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and others (adjective phrase)
• LGBTQIA+ (adjective)

• lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual and others (adjective phrase)

• LGBTQIA+ community

• lesbianism (noun)

• male same-sex parenting (noun)

• male homosexual parenting (noun)

• misgender (verb)

• misgendering (noun)

• monosexism (noun)

• cisnormativity
• heteronormativity

• monosexual (adjective)

• monosexuality (noun)

• monosexual person (noun)

• monosexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• multigender (adjective)

• multi-gender (adjective)
• polygender (adjective)
• poly-gender (adjective)

• pangender

• multigender person (noun)

• multi-gender person (noun)
• polygender person (noun)
• poly-gender person (noun)
• multigender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• multi-gender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• polygender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• poly-gender (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• pangender person

• non-binary (adjective)

• nonbinary (adjective)

• genderqueer

• out (verb)

• outing (noun)

• pangender (adjective)

• omnigender (adjective)
• omni-gender (adjective)
• maxigender (adjective)

• multigender

• pangender person (noun)

• omnigender person (noun)
• omni-gender person (noun)
• maxigender person (noun)
• pangender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• omnigender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• omni-gender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• maxigender (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• multigender person

• pansexual (adjective)

• omnisexual (adjective)
• omni-sexual (adjective)
• bisexual (adjective)

• bisexual
• polysexual

• pansexuality (noun)

• omnisexuality (noun)
• omni-sexuality (noun)
• bisexuality (noun)

• bisexuality
• polysexuality

• pansexual person (noun)

• omnisexual person (noun)
• omni-sexual person (noun)
• bisexual person (noun)
• pansexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• omnisexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• omni-sexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• bisexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• bisexual person
• polysexual person

• perceived gender identity (noun)

• perceived sexual orientation (noun)

• polysexual (adjective)

• bisexual
• pansexual

• polysexuality (noun)

• bisexuality
• pansexuality

• polysexual person (noun)

• polysexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• bisexual person
• pansexual person

• preferred gender pronoun (noun)
• PGP (noun)

• preferred pronoun (noun)

• queer (adjective)

• queer person (noun)

• queer (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• queerphobia (noun)

• queerphobic (adjective)

• questioning (adjective)

• self-identification (noun)

• self-identified (adjective)

• sex assigned at birth (noun)
• SAAB (noun)

• birth-assigned sex (noun)
• assigned sex (noun)

• gender assigned at birth

• sexual diversity (noun)

• sexual minority (noun)

• sexual orientation (noun)

• sexual orientation and gender identity (noun phrase)
• SOGI (noun)

• trans (adjective)

• transidentified (adjective)
• trans-identified (adjective)

• transgender (adjective)

• trans (adjective)

• transgender man
• transgender woman

• transgender person (noun)

• trans person (noun)
• transperson (noun)
• transgender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• trans (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• transition (noun)

• legal transition
• medical transition
• social transition

• transness (noun)

• transgenderism (noun)
• transidentity (noun)
• trans identity (noun)

• transparental family (noun)

• trans-family (noun)

• trans parenting (noun)

• trans person (noun)

• transperson (noun)
• trans-identified person (noun)
• transidentified person (noun)
• trans (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• transphobia (noun)

• transphobic (adjective)

• transphobic person (noun)

• transphobe (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• transsexual (adjective)

• trans-sexual (adjective)
• transexual (adjective)
• trans (adjective)

• transsexualism (noun)

• trans-sexualism (noun)
• transexualism (noun)

• transsexuality (noun)

• trans-sexuality (noun)
• transexuality (noun)

• transsexual person (noun)

• trans-sexual person (noun)
• transexual person (noun)
• trans person (noun)
• transperson (noun)
• transsexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• trans-sexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• transexual (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• trans (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• trigender (adjective)

• tri-gender (adjective)

• trigender person (noun)

• tri-gender person (noun)
• trigender (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• tri-gender (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• two-spirit (adjective)

• 2-spirit (adjective)

• two-spiritedness (noun)

• two-spirit person (noun)

• 2-spirit person (noun)
• two-spirit (avoid, noun, pejorative)
• 2-spirit (avoid, noun, pejorative)

• ungender (verb)

• ungendered (adjective)

• gender-free (adjective)
• nongendered (adjective)
• non-gendered (adjective)
• gender-neutral (adjective)

• gendered

• ungendering (noun)

Preferred gender and Sexual Diversity glossary of terms, designations and definitions adapted from: https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/publications/diversite-diversity-eng.html

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