A term that describes a person who does not experience sexual attraction. Some asexual people experience romantic or emotional attraction while others do not. Those who experience romantic attraction may also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the orientation of their romantic attraction. An asexual person can have any gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics. Used next to a noun i.e. asexual person.
A term to describe people who are emotionally, romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of more than one gender. Being bisexual does not necessarily mean a person is equally attracted to all genders. Often people who have a distinct but not exclusive preference for one gender may also identify as bisexual. A bi person can have any gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics. Used next to a noun i.e. bisexual woman, bi man.
Any form of prejudice or hostile attitude towards bisexual people based on negative stereotypes, including denying bisexuality as a real sexual orientation. Biphobia may be targeted at people who are or who are perceived to be bisexual and may manifest as exclusion, stigma, harassment, criminalization, discrimination and/or violence.
A term that describes people whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth (i.e., not transgender). A cis person may have any sexual orientation, gender expression or sex characteristics. Used next to a noun i.e. cisgender man, cis woman.
Describes people born with physical sex characteristics (such as sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal patterns and/or chromosomal patterns) that fit typical definitions for male or female bodies (i.e., not intersex). An endosex person may have any gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation. Used next to a noun i.e. endosex woman.
A generic term to describe people who are emotionally, romantically, and/or sexually attracted to people of the same gender. While it is more commonly used to describe men, some women and non-binary people may also identify as gay. A gay person can have any gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics. Used next to a noun i.e. gay man.
Socially constructed identities, roles, and attributes that a society considers expected, appropriate and acceptable for someone according to their sex and the social and cultural meanings attached to biological differences based on sex. In short, gender is a set of behaviours, activities and forms of expression that society expects from people based on their sex. These expectations vary across societies, communities, and groups, as well as over time, and often result in inequality, favouring men and disadvantaging women and other genders, negatively affecting all members of society.
Generally defined as a deeply felt internal and experienced sense of one’s own gender. It may or may not be aligned with the sex assigned at birth. Most people have a gender identity, which is part of their overall identity. Concepts of gender identity vary across the world.
The way in which people externally portray gender through actions and appearance, including dress, speech and mannerisms. Some terms to describe gender expression include masculine, feminine and androgynous. For a lot of people, their gender expression goes along with the ideas that our societies deem to be appropriate for their gender. For other people it does not. A person’s gender expression may vary, and is distinct from their gender identity, sexual orientation and sex characteristics.
People whose gender identity and/or expression is perceived not to align with gender norms and stereotypes in a given context.
A term that describes people who are perceived not to conform to socially accepted and expected gender norms and stereotypes. The term usually refers to gender expression, including dress, speech and mannerisms. The term can apply to any individual regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics. Used next to a noun i.e. gender non-conforming people.
A term that refers to a man whose romantic, emotional and/or physical attraction is to women or vice-versa. A straight person can be cisgender or transgender and can have any gender expression or sex characteristics. Used next to a noun i.e. straight man, heterosexual woman.
Any form of prejudice or hostile attitude towards those who are attracted to people of the same gender. Homophobia may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be lesbian, gay or bisexual, and may manifest as exclusion, stigma, harassment, criminalization, discrimination and/or violence.
The act of making unjustified distinctions between human beings based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, sex, gender, age, religion, disability, migrant status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, as well as many other categories.
A term that refers to people born with physical sex characteristics (such as sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal patterns and/or chromosomal patterns) that do not fit typical definitions for male or female bodies. These characteristics may be internal or external, may be apparent at birth or emerge from puberty, or not be physically apparent at all. There exists a broad and diverse spectrum of sex characteristics among intersex people. Intersex people may use the term in different ways such as “being intersex” or “having an intersex variation”, or they may prefer not to use the term at all. An intersex person may have any gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation. Used next to a noun i.e. intersex person.
Any form of prejudice or hostile attitude towards intersex people or the existence of intersex traits. This may manifest as exclusion, stigma, harassment, discrimination, pathologization, surgeries performed on intersex infants and youth without informed consent (sometimes referred to as intersex genital mutilation) and/or violence.
Historically an offensive term in English, “queer” has been reclaimed by some people as an inclusive umbrella term for persons with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions. Queer is increasingly used by many people who feel they do not conform to a given society’s norms based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression. However, it should be noted that this term has not been universally embraced. Some, especially those who experienced this term being used in a cruel and derogatory manner to harass them, might not embrace it to define their identities. Used next to a noun i.e. queer person.
An umbrella term to describe a wide range of interventions that aim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity to conform to societal norms or preferences around gender and sexuality. These can be deeply emotionally and physically harmful practices that rely on the medically incorrect idea or social/religious belief that people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or gender non-conforming are abnormal or unwell. Types of interventions vary and can be extremely harmful, inflicting severe pain and suffering and resulting in long-lasting psychological and physiological damage1. The term “conversion therapy” is a misnomer as these harmful practices are not therapy and cannot convert anyone.
An initialism for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other people with sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions and sex characteristics that are perceived not to conform to social norms. These are terms that are frequently used internationally and in some (though not all) contexts. The terms people use to refer to their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics and the ways in which they are discussed may depend on location, language, generation and other cultural contexts. It is always important to respect the terms that people use to refer to themselves.
A term to describe women who are emotionally, romantically and/or sexually attracted to other women. Some non-binary people may also identify with this term. A lesbian can have any gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics. Used next to a noun i.e. lesbian women, and also as a noun i.e. a group of lesbians.
occur when a person is discriminated against on the basis of two or more grounds which interact in a complex and/or inseparable manner, producing compounded negative impacts and distinct and specific forms of discrimination. For example, a young, black and bisexual woman may be disproportionately negatively impacted by a compounded mix of racist, ageist, biphobic and sexist discrimination and marginalization.
A term used to describe a person whose gender identity falls outside the male-female gender binary. This term can encompass a wide variety of gender experiences, including people with a specific gender identity that is neither exclusively man nor woman, people who identify as two or more genders (bigender, pangender or polygender) and people who do not identify with any gender (agender). Non-binary people may or may not also describe themselves as trans, gender queer or gender fluid (someone whose gender is not fixed over time). Used next to a noun i.e. non-binary youth.
A term that refers to people who have the capacity to be emotionally, romantically and/or sexually attracted to people regardless of gender. To pansexual people, the gender of the person they are attracted to is irrelevant. Used next to a noun i.e. pansexual woman.
The plus symbol represents people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions or sex characteristics that are perceived not to conform to social norms and who identify with terms other than lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer. There are many such terms which can vary across cultures, languages and demographic groups.
The classification of a person as having female, male and/or intersex sex characteristics. While infants are usually assigned the sex of male or female at birth based on the appearance of their external anatomy alone, a person’s sex is a combination of a range of bodily sex characteristics. A person’s sex may or may not be aligned with their gender identity. In an increasing number of countries, a person can change the sex marker on their identity documents.
Physical features relating to sex, including sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal patterns and/or chromosomal patterns, and secondary physical features emerging from puberty (such as a deepening of voice, growth of body/facial hair, breast development etc.).
Rights we have simply because we exist as human beings – they are not granted by any state. These universal rights are inherent to us all, regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics. They range from the most fundamental – the right to life – to those that make life worth living, such as the rights to food, education, work, health, and liberty.
A prejudice-motivated crime which occurs when a perpetrator targets a victim because of their membership (or perceived membership) of a certain social group or racial demographic.
Public speech that expresses hate or encourages violence towards a person or group based on a group characteristic such as race, colour, national origin, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics.
A person’s romantic, emotional and/or physical feelings or attraction to people of the same, different or more than one gender. This encompasses heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, pansexuality, asexuality and a wide range of other expressions of sexual orientation. Everyone has a sexual orientation. Terms such as “sexual preference” and “lifestyle” are generally considered offensive when describing a person’s feelings for or attraction to other people.
An acronym for sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics. All people have a sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics but not everyone’s SOGIESC makes them the target of stigma, discrimination or abuse.
Describes people with a gender identity that does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. Trans people may identify with gender identities such as man, woman, trans man, trans woman, transgender person, non-binary person or with a wide range of other terms across different languages and locations. While some transgender people seek to modify their bodies with surgery or hormones and/or take other personal, social or legal steps (the process of transition) to bring their body and gender presentation into alignment with their identity, others do not. A transgender person may have any gender expression, sexual orientation or sex characteristics. Used next to a noun i.e. transgender man, trans person.
Any form of prejudice or hostile attitude towards transgender people, including denying their gender identity or refusing to acknowledge it. Transphobia may be targeted at people who are or who are perceived to be trans, and may manifest as exclusion, stigma, harassment, criminalization, pathologization, discrimination and/or violence.