Cisgender a
Gender Expression the external display or performance of
person who
identifies with
the gender
identity and sex
they were assigned
at birth; called
“cis” for short
gender identity through clothing, grooming, behavior, attitude—
the things you do to indicate your gender identity to others
Gender Identity one's internal
sense of their gender, and how
they label themselves
Genderfluid a person who
fluctuates along the spectrum of
gender expressions and identities,
identifying with one or multiple
genders (or none at all!)
FTM/MTF
Binary Gender an old school view
to describe a
person who has
undergone medical
treatments to change
their biological sex
(Female to Male,
or Male to Female),
typically to align it
with their
gender identity.
These terms should
only be used
after someone has
self-identified their transition
(Assigned Female/Male at Birth is
a less binary alternative!)
of gender that limits gender
identities to “woman” and “man”
Transgender a blanket term used to describe all
people who are not cisgender, meaning that their
sex assigned at birth and gender identity and/or
expression do not naturally align.
People are transgender,
not transgendered
Pansexual a person who experiences
sexual, romantic, physical, and/or platonic
attraction for members of all gender and
sexual identities
Sex the physical anatomy and
hormones one is born with,
generally described as female,
male, or intersex;
“sex assigned at birth”
Transitioning the
process of moving to the
gender that a person
identifies as from
the gender they were
assigned at birth,
which may include
a name change,
a shift in gender
expression, hormone
treatment,
and sometimes
surgery
Heterosexism a form of widespread
discrimination and oppression that gives
preferential treatment to heterosexual
people, continues the notion that
heterosexuality is “normal” or “right,”
and/or ignores queerness. For example,
a sex ed class that only discusses safer
sex methods for heterosexual sex, or
thinking someone’s gender
pronouns or identity are
“too complicated”
LGBPTQQIA+ a series of letters
that represent various identities within the
queer community; this long but not exhaustive version
represents Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual,
Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual.
The + means, “and beyond!”
Sexual Orientation the type of sexual, romantic, physical, and/or
platonic attraction one feels for others, often labeled based on the
genders of the person and the people they are attracted to
Ally a straight and/or cisgender person who supports
Queer an umbrella term
that has been embraced and reclaimed by the
LGBTQ+ community as a symbol of pride,
representing all individuals who fall out of the
gender and sexuality “norms.” Historically, this was
a derogatory slang term used against
LGBTQ+ people
Adapted from It’s Pronounced Metrosexual and the GLAAD Media Reference Guide
LGBTQ+ issues & challenges oppression
Always center the impacted
Listen to and learn from those who live the
Genderqueer
to describe a person
whose gender is beyond
the gender binary
(not either “woman”
or “man”)
identity/oppression
Leverage your privilege
Yield the floor
(adapted from @RE_invent_ED)
Developed for OUT in the High Country by The Birds ‘n The Butts © 2016