Gender Identity: a person's internal understanding of their gender. Who they are.

Gender Expression: how a person presents (clothing, mannerisms, interests, etc) This may or may not align with their gender identity.

Transition: the process many but not all queer/ trans people go through to change one's identity from how they were assigned at birth. This process is different for everyone and may or may not include changing one's name, wardrobe, pronouns, physical appearance, or medical transition (hormones, hair removal, surgery) etc.

Gender Dysphoria: the feeling of unease or dissatisfaction with the sex/gender one was assigned at birth

​Gender Euphoria: the feeling of bliss or satisfaction with one's gender/sex

Deadname: (noun and verb) the name a trans person was given at birth. The name a trans person no long identifies with. It is an act of violence to deadname someone.

GAHT: Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy. Updated acronym for HRT to distinguish trans people’s medical needs as different from cis people.
HRT: Hormone Replacement Therapy


​Transgender: (adjective, not a noun, not a verb) from the Latin root meaning across. To identify as transgender means one no longer identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth. The 'T' in LGBTQPIA+

Trans: (adjective) an abbreviation for transgender. An umbrella term for all transgender identities including, but not limited to: trans woman, trans man, nonbinary, a-gender, bigender, etc.

Transgender (trans) woman: a person who was assigned male at birth, but now identifies as a woman
MTF: male to female
AMAB: assigned male at birth

Transgender (trans) man: a person who was assigned female at birth, but now identifies as a man
FTM: female to male
AFAB": assigned female at birth

Demi-Girl/Boy: a person who partially identifies as a girl/boy. They may be gender fluid, genderqueer, nonbinary, or bigender.

Nonbinary (NBi/ Enby): a person who does not identify with the binary of just man and woman. A person who does not identify as a man or a woman, or a person who identifies somewhere between man and woman, or someone who identifies as both man and woman

Bigender: a person who identifies as two genders, often man and woman

A-gender: a person who does not identify with any gender

Two-Spirited: A contemporary term that refers to the historical and current indigenous people whose individuals spirits were a blend of male and female spirits

Genderqueer/gender fluid: a person who doesn't fully identify as male for female. Their gender may exist on a spectrum or may change from day to day

Gender nonconforming: a person who doesn't identify with societal expectations of gender



Cisgender (cis): from the Latin root meaning on the same side of. a person who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth. (opposite of transgender)

Androgynous: a person whose characteristics reflect a combination of masculinity and femininity. Often referring to one's gender expression, sometimes used as an identifier

Crossdresser: a person who likes to dress up as the opposite gender. This may be for a costume, a performance, role-playing, or even a sexual fantasy

Drag Queen/King : people that dress as the opposite gender they identify as for entertainment and/or art. They often don't usually identify as transgender, although they may prefer different pronouns while in attire



Sex: one's reproductive or sexual anatomy and/or chromosome pattern. Does not refer to nor defines one's gender identity or expression

Intersex: someone who was born with reproductive or sexual anatomy and/or chromosome pattern that does not seem to fit that of typical males and/or females. They are as common as redheads



Sexuality: relating to someone’s sexual attraction or preference, separate from gender identity or expressionist

Queer: an umbrella term referring to people who don't fit into social norms surrounding sexuality and gender

Gay: a man who is attracted to men. a non-woman attracted to non-women. Sometimes used as an umbrella term to describe people who are attracted to the same gender
MLM: men who love Men
NWLNW: non-women who love non-women

Lesbian: a woman who is attracted to women. a non-man attracted to non-men.
WLW: women who love women
NMLNM: non-men who love non-men

​Bisexual: a person who is attracted to you the same and different gender/ attracted to 2 or more genders. Historically bi was always inclusive of trans people and nonbinary people

Pansexual: a person who is attracted to people regardless of their gender

Omnisexual: a person who is attracted to all genders but typically has a preference

Asexual (Ace): a person who is typically not sexually attracted to anyone

Demi-sexual: a person who is typically only sexually attracted to someone if they have a genuine connection first. (This is often considered on the ace spectrum)


Romantic/ Affectional Orientation : indicates the gender a person is most like to have a romantic relationship with or fall in love. For asexual people romantic orientation is often considered a more useful measure of attraction over sexual orientation

Aromantic (aro): a person who typically isn’t interested in having romantic relationships, and typically favors sexual relationships


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Polyamorous (polyam/ Ethically Non-Monogamous/ ENM): the opposite of monogamy. A person who engages in multiple romantic/sexual partners with the consent of all parties involved