Gay BC’s

People of different genders and sexual orientations have always existed, but the labels they use have changed. Many are familiar with LGBT – for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender – but that acronym has already expanded and evolved. We use the acronym LGBTQ+ to capture the more expansive “queer,” and the plus sign for identities beyond what’s conveyed in those letters. Like the acronym, this glossary is incomplete and still changing, but is meant to help you read and talk about gender and sexuality.

ASEXUAL: A person who does not experience sexual attraction, though they may experience romantic attraction and pursue romantic relationships. Someone who does not experience romantic attraction may identify as aromantic.

ASSIGNED GENDER AT BIRTH: The gender with which a parent or medical professional labels a baby. Transgender people do not identify with their gender assigned at birth (see below).

BISEXUAL: A person attracted to people of their own gender and of other genders. People who wish to emphasize their attraction to all genders – not just men and women – may identify aspansexual.

CISGENDER: A person who identifies with their gender assigned at birth, for example a woman who was identified as female at birth.

GAY: A person who is attracted to people of their own gender. Primarily, but not exclusively, used by men. Gay people may be cisgender or transgender.

INTERSEX: A person born with hormonal, physical or genetic characteristics that fall outside of usual defintions of male and female. Some intersex babies undergo surgery to make their genitals conform to their gender assigned at birth (many intersex advocates have spoken out against such surgeries).

LATINX: A gender-neutral alternative to Latino or Latina; pronounced Latin-ex.

LESBIAN: A woman who is attracted to other women. Lesbians may be cisgender or transgender.

NONBINARY: People who do not identify as men or women. Many use the pronouns “they” and “them” instead of “he/his” or “she/hers.” People who do not identify as men or women may also use the labels genderqueer, genderfluid or agender.

QUEER: A label that emphasizes non-normative gender identity and/or sexuality. It’s sometimes used as an umbrella term for the LGBTQ+ community. Because of this term’s history as a slur, some people prefer not to use it, while others embrace it as an inclusive and expansive word.

TRANSGENDER: An identity for people who do not identify with their gender assigned at birth. They may identify as men, women or neither (see nonbinary). Transgender/trans is an adjective, not a noun – a transgender person is correct. “Transgendered” is not a correct usage.

TRANSITION: The process by which a trans person aligns themselves with their gender identity. It can involve social transition (such as changing names and pronouns), medical transition (via hormones or surgery) or legal transition (legally changing names and identification cards). Transgender people may take some, all or none of these steps.

TRANS MAN: A person assigned female at birth who identifies as a man. Trans men may be straight (attracted to women), bisexual (attracted to multiple genders), or gay (attracted to men).

TRANS WOMAN: A person assigned male at birth who identifies as a woman. Trans women may be straight (attracted to men), bisexual (attracted to multiple genders), or lesbian (attracted to women).

THEY: A gender-neutral singular pronoun, as in: Cam is walking their dog. This usage was recently accepted by Merriam-Webster Dictionary.