Resource Lists: LGBTQ+ Resources

Agender
Someone who doesn't conform to society's gender binary ; to be genderless or lack a gender
Allosexual
The term used by the asexual community uses to refer to someone who experiences sexual attraction and doesn't fall on the asexual spectrum
Aroace
A shortening of aromantic asexual commonly used to describe someone who does not experience sexual or romantic attraction
Aromantic
Someone who does not experience romantic attraction. Aromanticism is a spectrum, if you fall somewhere in the middle of the aromantic spectrum you may be gray aromantic
Asexual
Someone who does not experience sexual attraction. However, asexuality is a spectrum and the middle area is known as the gray area. If you fall somewhere in the middle you may be gray ace.
Binder/Binding
An undergarment used to reduce the appearance of one’s breasts; wearing a binder to reduce the size of one’s breasts and/or as a form of gender expression
Biphobia
The dislike or prejudice against bi people
Biromantic
Someone who experiences romantic attraction towards two or more genders
Bisexual
Someone who experiences sexual attraction towards two or more genders
Cisgender
A term coined by the transgender community to describe a person whose gender identity aligns with their birth sex
Cisnormativity
The harmful assumption that a person’s gender always matches their sex
Closeted/In the closet
A person who has not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and are therefore “in the closet”
Coming out
A metaphor used by LGBTQ people to describe the act of disclosing information about their sexuality and gender identity to others
Demiromantic
A person who does not experience romantic attraction until they have formed a strong emotional connection with the other person
Demisexual
A person who does not experience sexual attraction until they have formed a strong emotional connection with the other person
Drag King
Someone who dresses up to imitate and exaggerate male gender roles and characteristics for entertainment purposes
Drag Queen
Someone who dresses up to imitate and exaggerate female gender roles and characteristics for entertainment purposes
Gay
Male individual who is attracted to other men; can also be used as an overarching term for homosexual individuals
Gender
Society's ideas of how people should look, behave, and act based on their sex
Gender Binary
A social construct that there are only two genders, male and female. A person who exists outside of this binary is considered nonbinary
Gender Expression
How one outwardly expresses their gender identity through their appearance and how they dress
Gender Identity
Someone's own personal sense and understanding of what their gender is
Genderfluid
Someone who does not have a fixed gender but whose gender varies over time because it is fluid
Heteronormativity
The harmful belief held by some that heterosexuality is the “normal” sexual orientation and the preferred sexual orientation
Heteroromantic
Romantic attraction to someone of the opposite gender
Homophobia
Dislike or prejudice against gay people
Homoromantic
A romantic attraction to someone with the same gender
Homosexual
Someone who experiences attraction to someone of the same gender
Intersex
When someone has a combination of hormones, chromosomes, genitals, internal sex organs, and gonads that don’t fit in the patterns of the male or the female sex
Lesbian
A term that some homosexual women prefer to describe a women who experiences an attraction to other women
Lesbophobia
The hatred, dislike or prejudice towards lesbians specifically
Neopronouns
Neopronouns are any sets of singular third-person pronouns that are not officially recognized in the language they are used in. These are typically created to be gender neutral pronoun sets and include ze/zer, xe/xem, hir/hirs, and others.
Nonbinary
Someone whose gender identity is not strictly male or female at all times, someone who does not fit in the gender binary
Panromantic
Someone who has a romantic attraction to someone regardless of gender or sex
Pansexual
Someone who has a sexual attraction to someone regardless of their gender or sex
Pride Month
The month of June is National Pride month in the United States, during which the LGBT community celebrates their pride in their identities and the community
Pronouns
Words that refer to a person you are talking about. Everyone's pronouns are different and could be he/him, she/her, they/them, ze/zer, or any combination of them based on the individuals gender identity. It is important to ask people’s pronouns and use the ones that they give you.
Queer
It’s used as an umbrella term by members of the LGBTQ+ community for members of the LGBTQ+ community; queer also serves as an identity by itself and some consider it a more freeing term that expresses their sexuality and/or gender. This is another somewhat touchy term that some members of the LGBTQ community like and some find offensive. It is important to only use queer if that is how the person identifies or if the other person is comfortable with the use of the word
Questioning
When someone is questioning, they are questioning what their gender identity or their sexual orientation is
Romantic Orientation
A person’s identity in regards to who they are romantically attracted to
Sex
A label you are assigned at birth based on the genitals and chromosomes that you have. This is different from gender
Sexual Orientation
A person's identity in regards to who they are sexually attracted to
Transexual
An old term for a trans person whose gender doesn't match their assigned sex at birth. The term transexual specifically means someone who desires to transition to bring their body more in line with their gender identities. However, it is important to be aware that this is an outdated term that many trans people find offensive. So, it is important to only call someone transexual if they tell you that is how they identify
Transgender
A person whose gender identity does not align with their birth sex. The term is often shortened to just trans
Transitioning
When a transgender person is changing parts of their self, such as their name, pronouns, appearance, or physical parts of their body to better match their gender identity
Transphobia
The hatred, dislike or prejudice towards transgender people specifically