Learn ABC'S Of The LGBTQIA's Community

 LGBTQ means Lesbian, Gay, Transgender”,Queer. most people know of these four terms, but sometimes you can get extensions of LGBT, like LGBTQIA. There are so many different terms people use for sexuality and gender out there, it can get a little confusing. The LGBTQIA+ community is one that has seen many of such changes. From being largely unrecognised and ignored to coming to be known as LGBTQ community

     Hopefully this article will be able to show there is a lot more than just LGBT and that you don’t have to fit into a box, no one really fits entirely into a definition, but we hope you are able to find these definitions helpful.

Ace: Informal Term and interchangeable with a sexual.

Androgyne: Someone who does not identify with being male or female, or identifies as a mixture of the two.

Androromantic: Someone who experiences romantic attraction to male or masculine individuals.

Androsexual: Someone who is sexually attracted to men and masculinity.

Agender: Someone who doesn’t have a gender.

Allies: A straight person who supports the LGBT community or a cis person who supports the transgender community.

Aromatic: Someone who does not experience romatic attraction.

Assigned gender: The gender someone is assigned at birth.

Assigned sex: The sex someone is assigned with at birth

Binary: Split into two separate parts, often a prejudiced view e.g. gender binaries are male/female, binaries for sexuality are 

homosexual/straight.

Binding: A method of flattening a part of your body to align with your gender identity or gender expression i.e. binding the breasts to create the appearance of a flat chest.

Bigender: Someone who identifies with both female and male gender.

Bisexual: Someone who is sexually attracted to the sexes male and female.

Biromantic: Someone who experiences romatic attraction to the male and female sex.

Butch: A female identified person with a more masculine appearance and presentation. Also a term used for masculine gender expression.

Cisgendered: Someone whose gender matches that of the sex they were assigned at birth. Often shortened to Cis.

Closet: A term used when someone has not revealed their gender identity or sexual orientation status i.e. being in the closet.

Coming out: The act of an individual revealing to family, friends or colleagues their gender identity or sexual orientation.

Crossdressing: When someone dresses in clothes that are opposite to the norm of their gender or sex identity, but it may be part of their gender expression.

Demisexual: Someone who doesn’t feel attracted to someone until they have established an emotional connection.

Drag: A form of crossdressing, it is often used in performance art.

Disclosure: This could be revealing if you have a sexually transmitted infection to previous or present partners; your sexual orientation; sexual preference or transgender status.

Dyke: A derogatory term directed at lesbians, although some may choose to identify this way or reclaim it.

Dysphoria: A common term used for transgender individuals that includes feelings of restlessness, anxiety, despair and depression, i.e. society or body dysphoria.

Faggot: A derogatory term directed at gay people, although some may choose to identify this way or reclaim it.

Femme: A gender expression that leans on the feminine spectrum.

FTM: Female to male transgender or transsexual individual.

Gay: A widely accepted term for all samesex 

attractions/sexuality. Interchangeable with homosexual.

Gender binary: The concept that gender is a binary, comprised of male and female.

Genderless: Someone who doesn’t identify with any gender.

Gender neutral: Someone who does not feel they identify with any gender identity.

Genderqueer: Someone who identifies outside the gender binary.

Heteroromatic: Someone who is interested in having a relationship with the opposite gender as themselves, but not interested in sex.

Heterosexual: Someone who is sexually attracted to someone of the opposite gender to themselves.

Homosexual: Someone who is sexually attracted to the same gender as themselves.

Homophobia: The discrimination and hatred of gay and lesbian individuals.

Homoromantic: Someone who experiences romantic attraction to the same gender identity as themselves.

HRT: Abbreviation of Hormone Replacement Therapy, a common choice for transgender individuals in transition.

Intersex: People born with some combination of both male and female genitalia. Corrective surgery/hormonal treatment can be used 

during the person’s life so they align with one sex

Lesbian: A female identified person who is sexually attracted to other female identified people.

Metrosexual: A straight man with taste and style who knows about fashion, art and culture.

Metamour: Word used by polyamorists (see P) to refer to partners.

MSM: Men who have sex with men.

MTF: Male to female transgender or transsexual individual.

Neutrois: The exact definition is being disputed, but there is a general consensus it is an individual with a null, neutral or lack of gender.

Non-binary: Someone who does not fit into the binary or either sexuality norms or gender norms.

No labels: Some people choose not to label themselves.

Omnisexual: Interchangeable with pansexual (see P).

Padding: The act of adding mass to a part of your body to conform with your gender identity or gender expression i.e. stuffing a bra to 

create or enhance the appearance of breasts.

Packing: A method of creating the appearance and sensation of a penis, often using a device meant for this purpose called a packer.

Panromantic: An individual who experiences romantic attraction to all genders.

Pansexual: A sexual attraction, sexual desire, romantic love, or emotional attraction towards persons of all gender identities and 

biological sexes.

Polyamorous: Someone who has more than one sexual attraction to multiple, but not all genders.

Post-op: A term used by transgender individuals who have undergone surgery.

Pronoun: A pronoun is how someone is referred to, for example, he or she or ze, a good way to find out how someone identifies is to not only ask for someone’s name but their pronoun too. Some 

people avoid pronouns entirely.

Queer: An umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities.

Questioning: Someone who may be questioning their gender or sexuality.

Sapiosexual: Sexually attracted to intelligence.

Skoliosexual: Attraction to non-binary genders.

Sex: The sexual identity of an individual is defined by reproductive organs and chromosomes.

Sexuality: A person’s sexual orientation or preference.

Straight: Interchangeable with heterosexual.

Trans: An umbrella term to define the trans community. Can also be short for transgender.

Tranny: A derogatory term directed at trans people, although some may choose to identify this way or reclaim it.

Transition: The process of medically, socially or legally changing one’s gender or sex. This process is often to provide comfort and affirmation in one’s body or identity.

Transgender: Also known as trans, it is an all-inclusive umbrella term for people whose gender identity does not line up with the gender they were assigned at birth. This can include medically, 

socially and legally transitioning, if it desired by the individual.

Unsure: Someone who feels unsure of their sexuality and or gender identity.

Pronouns

Male pronouns: he/him/his

Female pronouns: she/her/hers

Neutral pronouns: they/them/theirs