LGBTQ terms to know

  • Bisexual (B) - Attracted to men and women, or more than one gender identity

  • Cisgender - Identifies with sex assigned at birth

  • Gay (G) - Attracted to same sex/gender

  • Gender - Society’s idea of what genders are “supposed” to be, or how they act

  • Gender Expression - How one expresses gender identity

  • Gender Identity - Internal and personal sense of what our gender is

  • Gender Non-Conforming - One whose gender expression is, or appears different from what we would expect from their assigned gender

  • Lesbian (L) - A woman who is predominantly attracted to other women

  • Sexual Orientation - Physical, romantic, emotional, and/or spiritual attraction to another

  • Transgender (T) - Gender identity does not “match” sex/gender assigned at birth

  • Transitioning - The social/legal/ medical process to make gender identity fit gender expression, presentation, or sex

  • Queer (Q) - A once negative term inclusive of people who are not straight and/or cisgender

  • Questioning (Q) - One who may be processing or questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity


This list is adapted from The Trevor Project