LGBTQ+ Glossary

A comprehensive and inclusive LGBTQ+ glossary, including widely used terms across diverse gender, sexual, romantic, and cultural identities.

A

AFAB / AMAB: Acronyms for “Assigned Female at Birth” and “Assigned Male at Birth,” respectively. Used to discuss gender identity without assuming current gender.
Agender: A person who identifies as having no gender or being gender-neutral.
Allosexual: Someone who experiences sexual attraction (opposite of asexual).
Alloromantic: Someone who experiences romantic attraction (opposite of aromantic).
Ally: A person who actively supports LGBTQ+ individuals and communities.
Androgynous: Having a gender expression or identity that blends masculine and feminine traits.
Aromantic: A person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others. Exists on a spectrum.
Asexual (Ace): A person who experiences little or no sexual attraction. Asexuality is a spectrum and includes identities like demisexual and graysexual.

B

BDSM: A consensual lifestyle or sexual practice involving bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, and masochism. Not inherently LGBTQ+, but often overlaps with queer communities.
Bigender: A person who identifies as two genders, either simultaneously or varying between them.
Binder / Binding: A device or process used (commonly by transmasculine or nonbinary people) to reduce the appearance of breasts.
Biromantic: A person who experiences romantic (but not necessarily sexual) attraction to more than one gender.
Bisexual (Bi): A person attracted emotionally, romantically, or sexually to more than one gender.

C

Cisgender (Cis): A person whose gender identity aligns with their sex assigned at birth.
Closeted: A person who has not disclosed their LGBTQ+ identity publicly.
Coming Out: The process of acknowledging and sharing one’s LGBTQ+ identity with others.
Cross-dresser: Someone who wears clothing typically associated with a different gender. May not identify as transgender.
Cultural Queerness: Unique experiences and expressions of queerness informed by cultural or ethnic background.

D

Deadnaming: Referring to a transgender person by their former name. Considered disrespectful unless explicitly permitted.
Demiboy / Demigirl: Someone who identifies partially, but not wholly, as a man or woman, respectively.
Demisexual: A person who experiences sexual attraction only after forming a strong emotional bond.
Drag King / Drag Queen: Performers who dress and act in gendered ways for entertainment. Drag is performance, not identity.
Dyke: A reclaimed slur used by some lesbians. Context is key; use only if invited or self-identified.

F

Femme: A person, often queer, who expresses themselves in a feminine way. May apply across genders.
FTM / F2M: Female-to-Male. An older term for a transgender man, now less common; “transmasc” is often preferred.
Fluid (Gender/Sexual): Describes identity or orientation that changes over time or depending on context.

G

Gay: Often refers to men attracted to men but can be used broadly for same-gender attraction.
Gender-Affirming Care: Medical, psychological, and/or social support to affirm a person’s gender identity.
Gender Dysphoria: Psychological distress due to a mismatch between gender identity and assigned sex.
Gender Euphoria: Joy or comfort felt when one’s gender identity is affirmed.
Gender Expression: Outward presentation of gender through behavior, clothing, voice, etc.
Gender Identity: One’s internal sense of being male, female, both, neither, or something else.
Genderqueer: A non-cisgender identity that may blur or reject traditional gender distinctions.
Graysexual / Gray-A: A person who experiences sexual attraction rarely or under specific circumstances.

H

Heteroflexible: Mostly heterosexual but open to same-gender relationships or experiences.
Heteronormativity: The assumption that heterosexuality and binary gender identities are the norm.
Homoflexible: Mostly gay or lesbian but open to opposite-gender experiences.
Homosexual: A clinical term for same-gender attraction. Often replaced by “gay” or “lesbian” due to connotations.

I

Intersex: A person born with reproductive anatomy, hormones, or chromosomes that don’t fit typical definitions of male or female. Intersex people may or may not identify as LGBTQ+.
Internalized Homophobia/Transphobia: Negative feelings toward one’s own LGBTQ+ identity due to societal bias.

L

Lesbian: A woman who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to other women.
Lipstick Lesbian: A term for a lesbian with a traditionally feminine appearance or style.
LGBTQIA+: An inclusive acronym: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and others.

M

MTF / M2F: Male-to-Female. An older term for a transgender woman, now less commonly used.
Masc / Masculine-presenting: A person whose gender expression is more traditionally masculine.
Misgendering: Referring to someone using incorrect pronouns or gendered language. Can cause distress.

N

Neopronouns: Newly created or alternative pronouns beyond “he,” “she,” and “they” (e.g., xe/xem, ze/zir).
Nonbinary (NB / Enby): A gender identity that does not fall strictly within male or female.
Nongendered: A person who rejects gender as a concept or does not identify with any gender.

O

Omnisexual: Similar to pansexual, but with specific awareness of gender as a factor in attraction.
Out: Open about one’s LGBTQ+ identity.
Outing: Revealing someone’s identity without their consent. Ethically and emotionally harmful.

P

Pansexual: Attracted to people regardless of gender.
Passing: Being perceived by others as a particular identity (e.g., a trans person being seen as cis). Can be affirming or problematic depending on context.
Polyamory: Engaging in multiple consensual and ethical romantic/sexual relationships at once.
Polygender: Identifying with multiple genders at once or at different times.
Pride: Celebration and affirmation of LGBTQ+ identities, often represented by rainbow flags and events.

Q

Queer: A broad, reclaimed term for people who reject traditional gender and sexuality norms. Context matters—it can still be offensive in some settings.
Questioning: A person in the process of exploring their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color): A term centering the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ people of color.

R

Romantic Orientation: Whom a person feels romantic attraction toward. Separate from sexual orientation (e.g., aromantic, biromantic).

S

Sex Assigned at Birth: The label (typically "male" or "female") given at birth, often based on physical anatomy.
Sexual Orientation: Whom one is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to.
Stealth: A trans person who does not disclose their transgender status in daily life.
Stud: A term within Black lesbian communities referring to a woman who is more masculine-presenting.

T

Top/Bottom/Switch: Terms often used in queer sexual communities to describe sexual roles or dynamics.
Transgender (Trans): A person whose gender identity does not match their sex assigned at birth.
Transition: The process of aligning one's gender identity with their physical appearance and/or legal documents.
Transfeminine / Transmasculine: Describes trans people whose gender identity leans toward feminine or masculine.
Transmisogyny: A specific form of discrimination targeting transgender women and transfeminine people.
Two-Spirit: A pan-Indigenous term used by some Native American and First Nations people to describe a person who embodies both masculine and feminine spirits. Not interchangeable with LGBTQ+ Western identities.

U–Z

U-Haul Lesbian: A humorous stereotype referencing lesbians moving in together quickly after starting a relationship.
Ze / Zir / Xe / Xem: Examples of neopronouns, gender-neutral alternatives to “he/she” and “him/her.”
Zipper Club: A tongue-in-cheek term for trans individuals who have had gender-affirming surgeries.