Being an ally doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to know, understand, or even agree with absolutely everything that a community represents and advocates for. One of the most important things that you can do in order to show respect to LGBTQ+ individuals is to make an effort to understand their experiences.
One of the best ways to do this is to start learning important terms that are associated with the LGBTQ+ community. This is a great first step to empathizing with people and showing them that you care enough to take the time to learn.
We’ve put together a list of 12 really important terms within the LGBTQ+ community that we think everybody should make the effort to learn and understand.
1. LGBTQ+
First of all, let’s start with probably the most basic term of all – this one is pretty much the bottom line of the whole community. But there’s no shame in not knowing exactly what it stands for, what it means, or what the “+” represents. That’s what we’re here for – to help inform you.
“LGBTQ+” stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer, and the “+” is often used as a symbol to represent the acknowledgment of a variety of gender-specific identities. In the early days of the community, the term started out as a bit more limited – namely, “LGBT” – and then it became “LGBTQ”, and eventually “LGBTQ+”. A few other identities that the “+” represents include non-binary, pansexual, asexual, and more – all of which we’ll cover in the rest of the list!
2. Queer
The term “queer” is an interesting term, because it’s one that actually used to be perceived as derogatory – but more than that, it was actually commonly used in a derogatory sense. However, recently, it’s been reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community, and many now use it as an umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities. Thus, being queer can and does mean very different things for different people. Essentially, the idea is to be queer is pretty much just not to be heterosexual. But often, it is used by those who are Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual sexuality, and also have a unique gender identity without having undergone transgender treatments. Whereas Lesbian and Gay terms tend to imply that the individual’s gender identity still aligns with their birth gender.
3. Cisgender
“Cisgender” is a term that is thrown around a lot these days, and many people don’t really know exactly what that means. Essentially, “cisgender” refers to a person whose gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to them at birth. That is, a person born with a penis who still identifies as a male. It’s important to note, however, that being cisgender doesn’t necessarily influence your sexuality – you could be a cisgender person who is also queer.
4. Transgender
“Transgender”, on the other hand, refers to a person whose gender identity differs from the sex that was assigned to them at birth. For instance, in line with the previous example, a person born with a penis who no longer identifies as a male and has undergone or intended to undergo a change in their body.
5. Non-Binary
Somebody who is classified as non-binary is somebody whose gender identity doesn’t necessarily exclusively align with either male or female. It has become an umbrella term that encompasses identities that aren’t straightforwardly male or female. Often used by those who prefer to be treated as free on any one gender.
6. Asexual
Asexuality refers to a person’s lack of sexual attraction to others – or, perhaps, not a complete lack of sexual attraction, but just very little sexual attraction. This lack of sexual attraction isn’t exclusive to a particular gender identity or sexuality – it’s completely about your sexual attraction.
7. Pansexual
The term “pansexual” has become far more common these days and it’s also quite a broad term. It means that a person who identifies as pansexual is attracted to people regardless of their gender identity. Now, that means they can be attracted to other people who identify as male, female, or people who identify as non-binary, transgender, or anything else. Their sexual attraction is not confined by gender.
8. Coming Out
The term “coming out” is a common one and it refers to the process of revealing your sexual orientation or gender identity to the people around you. It often starts with those closest to you – friends and family – and some people may choose to “come out” more publicly too.
9. Ally
The term “ally” has been popularized in recent years, and it refers to people who support and advocate for the rights of LGBTQ+ people individuals in this context. However, “ally” is a term that’s also used in other social justice contexts, such as racial inequality.
10. Gender Dysphoria
Gender dysphoria refers to the distress that may be experienced by people who feel as though the gender they were assigned at birth does not match up with their experienced or expressed gender.
11. Intersectionality
“Intersectionality” is a term used throughout the social sciences and it refers to the interconnectedness of social categorizations – including things like race, class, gender, and sexuality – and the ways in which this can result in interdependent systems of discrimination.
12. Heternormativity
“Hetereonormativity” refers to the assumption that heterosexuality is the norm and is superior to other sexual orientations.
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