Sexual Identity and Gender Identity Dictionary / Glossary
Page Contents:
Preface
This page is designed to give people some basic common terms with the gender and sexual identity
communities, so that they can speak somewhat intelligently with members of these communities without seriously
offending people or appearing totally clueless. Keep in mind that:
The definitions of these words are not standardized throughout society, and are used differently by
different individuals and in different regions. In particular, these definitions assume the existence of two and only
two each of sexes, genders, and sex/gender roles, which are separate and distinct from one another;
but many people see them as overlapping, closely related, or as a limited view or model of a much richer reality.
The meanings of words change over time. Changes in thinking and attitudes toward sexual and gender
identity are taking place in society as a whole and within the sexual and gender identity communities. The meanings of
these words will continue to change. For instance, some words are listed For example, there is a slow but clear
movement in society away from thinking of most human behaviors as appropriate to one sex and not appropriate to
another, toward thinking of most human behaviors as appropriate to both sexes and both genders.
Definitions on (this early version of) this page were gathered by a bisexual-identified white male from
the Midwest and Northeast of the U.S. In other parts of the world and other communities than those he is familiar with,
the same terms may mean different things, and other terms may be used for the same and other important meanings.
Despite these caveats, many people find the terms listed here useful in varying degrees for describing
their experience, if only as a starting point for describing how their view of the world differs from that represented
here.
Introduction
The terms Sexual Identity and Gender Identity are similar in some ways and very
different in others. Both refer to how one thinks of a person. The existence and perpetuation of gender and sexual
identities is based in the historic and continuing oppression (systematic mistreatment condoned by society as a whole)
of people do not conform to certain aspects of society’s gender roles. Gender roles refer to the clothing, behaviors,
thoughts, feelings, relationships, etc., that are considered appropriate or inappropriate for members of each sex.
However, sex, gender identity, and sexual identity refer to different aspects of
oneself. Therefore, one may be any combination of sex (male/female), gender (masculine/feminine), and sexual identity
(straight, bisexual, lesbian/gay.) In recent history, people oppressed on the basis of different sexual identities
(bisexuals, lesbians, gay men) and people oppressed on the basis of gender identity have formed communities
which are partly separate and partly overlapping with one another. Because of this historic separation, someone who is
a member of one of these communities does not necessarily understand and prioritize the issues of others of these
communities. One who belongs to more than one of these communities may feel welcome in both, but usually neither
addresses all one’s needs or the way that one’s needs from different communities overlap or interact.
The term Gender identity refers to how one thinks of one’s own gender: whether one thinks of
oneself as a man (masculine) or as a woman (feminine). Society prescribes arbitrary rules or gender roles (how
one is supposed to and not supposed to dress, act, think, feel, relate to others, think of oneself, etc.) based on
one’s sex (whether one has a vagina or a penis). These gender roles are called feminine and
masculine. Anyone who does not abide by these arbitrary rules may be targeted for mistreatment ranging from not
being included in people’s circle of friends, through the cold shoulder, snide comments, verbal harassment, assault,
rape, and murder based on one’s (perceived) gender identity.
The term Sexual identity refers to how one thinks of oneself in terms of whom one is sexually
and romantically attracted to, specifically whether one is attracted to members of the same gender as one’s own or the
other gender than one’s own. Society prescribes arbitrary rules that one should be sexually and romantically attracted
to members of the other gender than one’s own, and should not be attracted to members of the same gender as one’s own.
Anyone who does not abide by these arbitrary rules may be targeted for mistreatment ranging from not being included in
people’s circle of friends, through the cold shoulder, snide comments, verbal harassment, assault, rape, and murder
based on one’s (perceived) sexual identity (see also homophobia and biphobia). When one’s sex and one’s gender identity are different, one may
base one’s sexual identity on either one. Alternatively, one may have two sexual identities, one as a man and one as a
woman.
These are terms often used within the sexual identity and gender identity communities.
Self-identification terms are often spelled with initial caps (e.g., Queer, Bisexual) to emphasize that they refer to
how one think of oneself, rather than how someone else labels one (for instance, researchers often classify
bisexual-identified women and men as lesbians and gay men and transvestites as transsexuals, obscuring important
distinctions).
Acronyms
Terms and Phrases
- Androgynous
- One who is/has the quality of simultaneously exhibiting masculine and feminine characteristics.
- Androgyny
- See Androgynous.
- Bigendered
- One who switches between masculine and feminine gender roles from time to time.
- Biphobia
- The oppression or mistreatment of Bisexuals, especially by lesbians and gay men.
See also Homophobia.
- Bisexual
- One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions to members of both the same and the other sex, or who
identify as members of the bisexual community. Derogatory terms include the same terms as are applied to lesbians and
gay men. Derogatory terms from lesbians, gay men, and some heterosexuals: fence sitter, AC/DC, double-gaited,
confused.
- Boy
- 1. A young male.
2. Colloquial term for masculine. Often used to specify
gender of clothes. “My boy clothes.” Boy has often been used as a condescending term for a man (especially a
man of color), and is therefore distasteful to many people.
See also Girl.
- Butch
- 1. Masculine or macho dress and behavior, regardless of sex or gender identity.
2. A sub-identity of lesbian or gay, based on masculine or macho dress and behavior.
See also femme.
- Camp
- To joke or playact exaggerated masculine or feminine behaviors for others’ entertainment. Especially men exhibiting
exaggerated feminine behaviors (also to camp it up).
- Come Out
- 1. To disclose one’s own sexual/gender identity to another. I came out to my mother over
Thanksgiving vacation.
2. To discover that one’s own sexual/gender identity is different than previously assumed. I came
out to myself three months ago.
3. To deal with one’s own and others’ reactions to the discovery or revelation of one’s sexual/gender
identity.
4. (-for) To disclose another’s sexual/gender identity with their permission or at their
request. I asked my mother to come out to my grandparents for me.
5. Sometimes applied to disclosure of other information than one’s sexual/gender identity.
See also Out.
- Crossdresser (CD)
- One (regardless of the motivation) who wears clothes, makeup, etc. which are considered (by the culture)
appropriate for the other sex but not one’s own. Often it implies a M-F heterosexual.
See also Drag Queen and Transvestite.
- Drab (In Drab)
- A term used by crossdressers when describing wearing clothes of their born sex. Often times used as an acronym by
Male-to-Female crossdressers (DRessed As a Boy).
- Drag (In Drag)
- 1. Clothes, often unusual or dramatic, especially those considered appropriate to the other
sex.
2. Can be applied to any recognizable “look.” (to a man in a suit): I see you are in
corporate drag today.
3. In drag: Wearing clothes of the opposite sex. I went to the Halloween party in
drag.
- Drag Queen (DQ)
- A M->F crossdresser, usually referred to one who is gay, who employs dramatic clothes, makeup, and mannerisms,
often for other people’s appreciation.
- Dyke
- Reclaimed derogatory slang. Refers to Lesbians, or to Lesbians and Bisexual women.
- Electrolysis
- Process of killing hair follicles, especially of facial and neck hair, usually with an electric needle.
- Female
- One who has a vagina.
- Female Impersonator (FI)
- A male who, on specific occasions, crossdresses and employs stereotypical feminine dialog, voice, and mannerisms
for the entertainment of other people.
- Female to Male (F->M, FTM, F2M, FM)
- Used to specify the direction of a sex or gender role change.
- Feminine
- The gender role assigned to females.
- Femme
- 1. Feminine or effeminate dress and behavior, regardless of sex or gender identity.
2. A sub-identity of lesbian or gay, based on masculine or macho dress and behavior.
See also Butch, Homme.
- Fetishistic Transvestite
- A Transvestite who consistently eroticizes crossdressing. May also eroticize fantasies of gender / sex change.
- Full Time (Living) (FT, FTL)
- A member of the gender community that is living as the opposite sex, all of the time. One of the stages usually
required for transsexuals before performing surgery to help verify that the person is indeed transsexual.
- Gay (Man / Male) (Community)
- One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions primarily to members of the same sex (as oneself), or who
identifies as a member of the gay community. Sometimes refers only to gay males, sometimes only to gay males and
lesbians. Although some people use the term gay (community) to refer to all sexual minorities (or the sexual minority community), Lesbians and Bisexuals
often do not feel included by it. Derogatory slang includes: queer, faggot, swish.
- Gender (Identity)
- A psychological gender role (Masculine or
feminine).
- Gender (Identity) Community
- People who identify as transvestite, transsexual, or transgendered, or as members of the gender community. Members
of the gender community do not necessarily identify as members of the sexual minority community.
See also Transgender Community.
- Gender Dysphoria (GD)
- Unhappiness or discomfort experienced by one whose sexual organs do not match one’s gender identity.
- Gender Neutral (GN)
- Clothing, behaviors, thoughts, feelings, relationships, etc. which are considered appropriate for members of both
sexes.
- Gender Role
- Arbitrary rules, assigned by society, that define what clothing, behaviors, thoughts, feelings, relationships, etc.
are considered appropriate and inappropriate for members of each sex. Some clothing, behaviors, etc. are considered
appropriate for members of both sexes. Which things are considered masculine, feminine, or neutral varies according to
location, class, occasion, and numerous other factors.
See also Masculine, Feminine, and Gender Neutral.
- Genetic Boy (GB)
- See Genetic Male.
- Genetic Male (GM)
- One who was considered male from birth, regardless of one’s present sex or gender identity.
- Genetic Man (GM)
- See Genetic Male.
- Genetic Female (GF)
- One who was born female, regardless of one’s present sex or gender identity.
- Genetic Girl (GG)
- See Genetic Female.
- Genetic Woman (GW)
- See Genetic Female.
- Girl
- 1. A young female.
2. Colloquial term for feminine. Often used to specify
gender of clothes. “My girl clothes.” Girl has often been used as a condescending term for a woman, and is
therefore distasteful to many people.
See also Boy.
- Hermaphrodite
- Now mostly considered a derogatory/pornographic term for Intersex.
- Heterosexual (Het)
- One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions primarily to members of the other sex (than oneself).
Derogatory terms include: breeder.
See also Straight.
- Heterosexism
- The assumption that identifying as heterosexual and having sexual and romantic attractions only to members of the
other sex (than oneself) is good and acceptable, and that other sexual identities and attractions are bad and
unacceptable. The assumption that anyone is straight whose sexual orientation is not known, usually coupled with a
“blindness” to the existence and concerns of LesBiGays.
- Homme
- Masculine dress and behavior, regardless of sex or gender identity.
See also Femme.
- Homophile (Community)
- Obsolete term for gay male (community).
- Homophobia
- Originally, an irrational fear of sexual attraction to the same sex. Developed into a term for the oppression of
Lesbians and Gay men, and later into a term for all aspects of the oppression of Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexuals
(sometimes does not include bisexuals). This oppression ranges from not including LesBiGays in one’s circle of friends
and media reports on and representations of society, through the cold shoulder, snide comments, verbal harassment,
assault, rape, and murder based on the target person’s (perceived) sexual identity.
See also Biphobia.
- Homophobe
- One who is afraid of or oppresses people because one (perceives them to) have sexual and romantic attractions to
members of the same sex.
- Homosexual
- Formal or clinical term for gay, usually meaning gay male, sometimes meaning LesGay, and occasionally meaning LesBiGay.
Homosexual and homosexuality are often associated with the proposition that same gender attractions
are a mental disorder (homophilia), and are therefore distasteful to some people.
- Hormone Therapy
- Used to change secondary sex characteristics, including breast size, weight distribution, and facial hair
growth.
See also Electrolysis.
- Identify/ied (As)
- To think of oneself as having a particular sexual identity or
gender identity. I identify as a bisexual. I am
bi-identified. To emphasize that an identity term refers to one’s internal reality, as opposed to what others
think or observe of one, self-identify is sometimes used.
- Identity
- How one thinks of oneself. One’s internal self, as opposed to what others observe or think about one.
See also Label.
- Intersex, (-ed), (-ual)
- One who has both a penis and a vagina. Most oftenly raised as a preferred gender at birth by the physician based on
their diagnosis, and historically without notifying and/or consulting the parents. Derogatory/pornographic terms
include: hermaphrodite.
- Label
- How someone else sees or thinks of one.
See also Identity.
- Lesbian
- A woman who has significant sexual and romantic attractions to members of the same sex, or who identifies as a
member of the lesbian community. Bisexual women often do not feel included by this term. Derogatory slang: dyke,
lesbo.
- LesBiGay (community)
- Contraction of “lesbian, bisexual, and gay.” Colloquial term for the sexual minority community or its members. Often spelled with capital “B” and “G” to
prevent misinterpretation as “lesbian and gay.”
See also Sexual Minority Community,
Identity.
- LesGay
- Contraction of “lesbian and gay.” Sometimes used to mean LesBiGay, but
bisexual women and men often do not feel included by this term.
- Male
- One who has a penis.
- Male Impersonator (MI)
- A female who, on specific occasions, crossdresses and employs stereotypical masculine dialog, voice, and mannerisms
for the entertainment of other people.
- Male to Female (M->F, MTF, M2F, MF)
- Used to specify the direction of a sex or gender role change.
- Masculine
- The gender role assigned to males.
- Monogendered
- One who is comfortable in only one gender role.
- Monosexual
- One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions primarily to members of one sex. Straight, Gay, Lesbian. Someone
who is not Bisexual.
- Neuter
- 1. One who has neither a penis nor a vagina.
2. Occasionally used to mean androgynous.
- No-operative Transsexual (No-op TS, No-op)
- Essentially the same as a Pre-operative TS except that no plans are
made for Sexual Reassignment Surgery.
See also Transsexual, Pre-operative TS.
- Other Gender
- See Other Sex.
- Other Sex
- The other sex or gender than the reference person’s own. She has an other sex partner (than her own sex).
Are you currently in a relationship with a member of the other sex (than yourself)?
- (to be) Out
- To be open about one’s sexual/gender identity with someone or in a situation. I am out to my mother. I am
out at work.
See also Come Out.
- Out Someone
- 1. To disclose a second person’s sexual identity to a third person, especially without the second
person’s permission.
2. To disclose one’s own sexual identity, sometimes without choosing to do so. I outed
myself by leaving a political letter on my desk, which my boss saw when he was looking for me.
See also Come Out.
- Pre-operative Transsexual (Pre-op TS, Pre-op)
- One who is actively planning to switch physical sexes. Probably, but not necessarily, crossdresses, takes hormone
therapy, and gets electrolysis. Derogatory/pornographic terms include: she-male, tri-sexual.
See also Transsexual, No-Op
Transsexual.
- Primary Sex Organs
- Penis (male) or vagina (female).
See also Female, Male, Hermaphrodite, Neuter.
- Queen
- See Drag Queen.
- Queer
- 1. Reclaimed derogatory slang for the sexual minority community (e.g., Queer Nation). Not accepted
by all the sexual minority community, especially older members.
2. Sometimes used for an even wider spectrum of marginalized or radicalized groups and
individuals.
- Same Gender
- See Same Sex.
- Same Sex
- The same sex or gender as the reference person’s own. He has a same sex partner (as his own sex). Are you
currently in a relationship with a member of the same sex (as yourself)?
- Self-identify / Self-identify As
- See Identify and Identify As.
- Sex
- Male or Female, depending on one’s Primary Sex Organs.
- Sex Role
- See Gender Role.
- Sexual Identity
- How one thinks of oneself, in terms of being significantly attracted to members of the same or the other sex. Based
on one’s internal experience, as opposed to which gender one’s actual sexual partners belong.
See also Sexual Orientation, Sexual Preference.
- Sexual Identity Community
- See Sexual Minority
Community.
- Sexual Minority Community
- The community of people who have significant sexual and romantic attractions to members of the same sex, or who
identify as a member of the sexual minority community. A formal term which includes LesBiGays and sometimes members of
the gender community. Members of the sexual minority community usually do not identify as members of the gender
community.
- Sexual Orientation
- How one thinks of herself / himself, in terms of being significantly attracted to members the same or the other
sex. Sexual orientation emphasizes that some people feel that one has no control or influence over the development of
one’s sexual and romantic attractions or one’s sexual orientation.
See also Sexual Preference.
- Sexual Preference
- How one thinks of herself / himself, in terms of being significantly attracted to members the same or the other
sex. Sexual preference emphasizes that some people feel that one does or should have some control or influence over the
development of one’s sexual and romantic attractions or sexual one’s orientation.
See also Sexual Orientation.
- Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS)
- A surgical procedure which changes one’s primary sexual
organs from one sex to another (penis to vagina or vagina to penis).
- Straight
- Colloquial for heterosexual. Because straight has connotations of
“unadulterated,” “pure,” and “honest,” some members of the sexual identity community object to the implication
that one who is not straight is “bent,” “adulterated,” “impure,” or “dishonest.” Straight has connotations of
“narrow,” “straight-laced” or “conservative,” and some heterosexual-identified people object find it
distasteful.
- Transgender
Community
- Formal term for gender community.
- Transgender (TG)
- Gender identity that differs from physical gender.
- Transgendered (TG’d)
- One who switches gender roles, whether just once, or many times at will. Inclusive term for transsexuals and
crossdressers.
- Transgenderism (TG’ism)
- A doctrine, theory, practice, state, condition, or behavior relating to transgender.
- Transsexual (TS)
- One who switches physical sexes (usually just once, but there are exceptions). Primary sex change is accomplished
by surgery (see SRS). Hormone therapy, electrolysis, additional surgery, and
other treatments can change secondary sex characteristics.
See also Pre-operative TS.
- Transvestite (TV)
- One who mainly crossdresses for pleasure in the appearance and sensation. The pleasure may not be directly erotic.
It may be empowering, rebellious, or something else. May feel comfortable in a focused transgender role while
crossdressed. May occasionally experience gender dysphoria. Now considered an antiquated term coined by Magnus
Hirschfeld in 1910.
See also Crossdresser.
