The519 Glossary of LGBTQ+ Terms

Glossary
of Terms
The519.org The519 Education and Training
“__________“ism Cultural Competence
“__________” phobia
A Differently-Abled
Accommodation Disability
Ally Discrimination
Anti-Racism Dominant Group
Asexual Drag King/Drag Queen
Duty to Accommodate
Barrier E
Bias Equality
Bisexual Equity
Biphobia Ethnicity
Bullying
C Gay
Coming Out Gender
Cis/Cisgender Genderqueer /Gender Non-Conforming
Cisnormativity /Gender Variant
Cissexism Gender Binary
Colonization Gender Expression
Cross-Dresser Gender Identity
Culture Gender Norms
Glossary of Terms
Gender Role MSM
Gender Spectrum
H Oppression
Harassment
Hate Crime P
Heteronormativity Pansexual
Heterosexism Passing
Homophobia Polyamory
Human Rights Power
Poz
I Prejudice
Inclusion Privilege
Indigenous Peoples
Internalized Oppression Q
Intersectionality Queer
Intersex Questioning
L R
Lesbian Race
M S
Marginalization Sex
Misogyny Sexual Orientation
Glossary of Terms
Sex-Positive This Glossary is by no means an exhaustive
Social Determinants of Health list of definitions related to our communities,
Social Justice and has been carefully crafted in the hopes
Stealth that it will aid in the facilitation of shared
Stereotype understandings around equity, inclusion and
Stigma awareness.
Straight
Tokenism
Trans/Transgender
Transition
Transmisogyny
Transphobia
Trans Man (FTM)/ Trans Woman (MTF)
Transsexual
Two-Spirit
WSW
Ze/Hir
Glossary of Terms
“________”ism ability. Accommodations are provided so that
Harmful beliefs, behaviours or institutional individuals are not disadvantaged on the basis
practices by a group or person with power of the prohibited grounds of discrimination
directed against specific groups, rationalized identified in the Ontario Human Rights Code
by an underlying belief that certain people are or other similar codes. Accommodation with
superior to others. Examples include: ageism, dignity is pursuing the principle that our
anti-semitism, audism, cis-sexism, classism, society should be structured and designed for
ethnocentrism, heterosexism, racism, sexism, inclusiveness.
shadism, sizeism.
Ally
“________”phobia A person who works to end a form of
A learned dislike, aversion, or an extreme, oppression that gives them privilege(s). Allies
irrational fear and/or hatred of a particular listen to, and are guided by, communities and
group of people. It is expressed through individuals affected by oppression. Forms of
beliefs and tactics that devalue, demean and oppression include: able-ism, ageism, audism,
terrorize people. Examples include: biphobia, classism, biphobia, homophobia, transphobia,
homophobia, Islamophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, and others.
xenophobia and others. Anti-Racism
Beliefs, actions, policies and movements
Accommodation developed to actively identify and eliminate
An adjustment made to policies, programs prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination.
and/or practices to enable individuals to
benefit from and participate in the provision of
services equally and perform to the best of their
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Glossary of Terms 5 of 21
Asexual
A sexual orientation where a person Biphobia
experiences little or no sexual attraction. Negative attitudes, feelings, or irrational
aversion to, fear or hatred of bisexual people
Barrier and their communities, or of behaviours
Any overt or covert obstacle that prevents a stereotyped as bisexual, leading to
person from fully taking part in all aspects of discrimination, harassment or violence against
society. For example, a belief, policy, practice, bisexual people.
object or environment that prevents or limits a
person’s access to opportunities, benefits, or Bullying
advantages that are available to other members The use of threat, coercion, or force to cause
of society. fear, distress or harm to a person.
Bias Coming Out
A subjective opinion, predisposition, A process of revealing more openly to self or
preference, prejudice, generalization or others one’s LGBTQ identity.
inclination, formed based on personal
characteristics or stereotypes.
Bisexual
A person who is emotionally, physically,
spiritually and/or sexually attracted to people of
more than one gender, though not necessarily
at the same time.
Cis/Cisgender Cissexism
Cisgender is used to explain the phenomena A system of oppression that considers cis
where a person’s gender identity is in line people to be superior to trans people. It
with or “matches” the sex they were assigned includes harmful beliefs that it is “normal” to
at birth. Cis can also be used as a prefix to an be cis and “abnormal” to be trans. Examples
assortment of words to refer to the alignment include scrutinizing the genders of trans people
of gender identity and the assigned at birth more than those of cis people or defining
sex status including; cisnormativity, cissexual, beauty based on how cis people look.
cisgender, cis male, and cis female.
Colonization
Cisnormativity The process of focusing on and devaluing
Cisnormativity (“cis” meaning “the same as”) people’s differences in order to dominate and
refers to the commonplace assumption that all control them, including various economic,
people are cisgender and that everyone accepts political and social policies by which a powerful
this as “the norm”. The term cisnormativity is group maintains or extends control over other
used to describe systemic prejudice against people or areas.
trans. This form of systemic prejudice may go
unrecognized by the people or organizations Cross-Dresser
responsible. A person who, for various reasons, wears
gender atypical clothing or occasionally dresses
in clothing of the “opposite” gender. They may
or may not self-identify as a cross-dresser.
Culture Differently-Abled
The sum of many things an individual learns (and An umbrella term used to describe people with
may modify or pass on) from being immersed in different physical, emotional, and cognitive
a particular context – the shared (or perceived abilities.
to be shared) ideas, beliefs, values, behavioural
norms, knowledge, customs and traditions of Disability
a group of people who share some historical, Under the medical model, this term refers to
geographic, religious, racial, linguistic, ethnic or a limitation or loss of physiological abilities,
social context. whether apparent or not. These can be physical,
cognitive, learning, and visual disabilities. Under
Cultural Competence the social model, disability is identified as a
A person’s ability to interact effectively disadvantage or a restriction of activity caused
with people of different cultures. Cultural by systemic barriers, negative attitudes and
competence has four components: (a) exclusion by society.
Awareness of one’s own cultural worldview;
(b) Attitude towards cultural differences; (c)
Knowledge of different cultural practices
and worldviews; and (d) Cross- cultural skills.
Developing cultural competence results in
an ability to better understand, communicate
with, and effectively interact with people across
cultures.
Discrimination “opposite” gender for performance. Drag
Any form of unequal treatment based performers can be of any gender identity or
on a ground protected by human rights sexual orientation.
legislation, that results in disadvantage,
whether imposing extra burdens or denying Duty to Accommodate
benefits. Discrimination can be intentional The legal obligation that employers,
or unintentional; and it may occur at an organizations, service providers and public
individual or systemic level. It may be include institutions have under human rights legislation
direct actions or more subtle aspects of rules, to ensure fair and equal access to services in a
practices and procedures that limit or prevent way that respects the dignity of every person,
access to opportunities, benefits, or advantages if to do so does not create undue hardship.
that are available to others. The principle of dignity strives to maximize
integration and promote full participation in
Dominant Group society, in consideration of the importance of
A group that is considered more powerful and privacy, confidentiality, comfort, autonomy,
privileged in a particular society or context and individuality and self-esteem.
that has power and influence over others.
Equality
Drag King/Drag Queen The practice of ensuring equal treatment to all
Someone who dresses in the clothing of the people, without consideration of individual and
“opposite” gender for performance. Drag group diversities.
performers can be of any gender identity or
sexual orientation.
Someone who dresses in the clothing of the
Equity Gender
The practice of ensuring fair, inclusive and Gender is based on the expectations and
respectful treatment of all people, with stereotypes about behaviours, actions, and
consideration of individual and group roles linked to being a “man” or “woman” within
diversities. Access to services, supports and a particular culture or society. The social norms
opportunities and attaining economic, political related to gender can vary depending on the
and social fairness cannot be achieved by culture, and can change over time.
treating individuals in exactly the same way.
Equity honours and accommodates the specific Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming/
needs of individuals/ groups. Gender Variant
Individuals who do not follow gender
Ethnicity stereotypes based on the sex they were
A socially defined category or membership of assigned at birth. They may identify and express
people who may share a nationality, heritage, themselves as “feminine men” or “masculine
language, culture and/or religion. women” or as androgynous, outside of the
categories “boy/man” and “girl/woman.” People
Gay who are gender non-conforming may or may
A person whose enduring physical, romantic, not identify as trans.
spiritual, emotional, and/or sexual attractions
are to people of the same gender. The word can
refer to men or women, although some women
prefer “lesbian.” Sometimes used as an umbrella
term for the LBGTQ community.
Gender Binary chosen name, preferred pronoun and apparel
A social system whereby people are thought are common ways they express their gender.
to have either one of two genders: “man” or People who are trans may also take medically
“woman.” These genders are expected to supportive steps to align their body with their
correspond to birth sex: male or female. In the gender identity.
gender binary system, there is no room for
living between genders or for transcending the Gender Identity
gender binary. The gender binary system is A person’s internal and individual experience of
rigid and restrictive for many people whose sex gender. It is a person’s sense of being a woman,
assigned at birth does not match up with their a man, both, neither, or anywhere along the
gender, or whose gender is fluid and not fixed. gender spectrum. A person’s gender identity
may be the same as or different from their
Gender Expression birth-assigned sex. A person’s gender identity is
How a person publicly expresses or presents fundamentally different from and not related to
their gender. This can include behaviour and their sexual orientation.
outward appearance such as dress, hair, make-
up, body language and voice. A person’s chosen
name and pronoun are also common ways of
expressing gender. Others perceive a person’s
gender through these attributes.
All people, regardless of their gender identity,
have a gender expression and they may express
it in any number of ways. For trans people, their
Gender Norms Gender Spectrum
The gender binary influences what society The representation of gender as a continuum, as
considers “normal” or acceptable behaviour, opposed to a binary concept.
dress, appearance and roles for women and
men. Gender norms are a prevailing force in our Harassment
everyday lives. Strength, action, and dominance A course of comments or actions, such as
are stereotypically seen as “masculine” traits, unwelcome attention, jokes, threats, remarks,
while vulnerability, passivity, and receptiveness name-calling, touching or other behaviours that
are stereotypically seen as “feminine” traits. are known, or ought reasonably to be known,
A woman expressing masculine traits may be to be unwelcome, offensive, embarrassing,
chastised as “overly aggressive,” while a man humiliating, or demeaning. Harassment under
expressing “feminine” traits may be labelled as human rights legislation is based on the
“weak.” Gender norms can contribute to power prohibited/protected grounds.
imbalances and gender in equality in the home,
at work, and in communities. Hate Crime
Criminal acts which promote hatred against
Gender Role identifiable groups of people, motivated by
The oppressive culturally and historically bias, prejudice or hate. Although individuals and
specific expectations and restrictions that are groups that promote this destructive form of
placed on a person based on whether they are human rights-based discrimination often defend
assigned at birth as male or female. their right to “free speech,” it is a criminal
offense to disseminate hate propaganda and/or
to commit hate crimes.
Heteronormativity people and communities, or of behaviours
Refers to the commonplace assumption stereotyped as “homosexual.” It is used to
that all people are heterosexual and that signify a hostile psychological state leading to
everyone accepts this as “the norm”. The term discrimination, harassment or violence against
heteronormativity is used to describe prejudice gay, lesbian or people.
against people that are not heterosexual, and
is less overt or direct and more widespread Human Rights
or systemic in society, organizations, and The universal entitlement that all people
institutions. This form of systemic prejudice may should have access to freedom, justice and
even be unintentional and unrecognized by the protection from discrimination and harassment,
people or organizations responsible. and that people should have equal access to a
climate that preserves the dignity and worth of
Heterosexism individuals and groups.
The assumption that everyone is heterosexual
and that heterosexuality is superior and Inclusion
preferable. The result is discrimination against An approach that aims to reach out to and
bisexual, lesbian and gay people that is less include all people, honouring the diversity
overt, and which may be unintentional and and uniqueness, talents, beliefs, backgrounds,
unrecognized by the person or organization capabilities and ways of living of individuals and
responsible for the discrimination. groups.
Homophobia
Negative attitudes, feelings, or irrational
aversion to, fear or hatred of gay, lesbian, or
Indigenous Peoples feelings of inferiority, resignation, isolation,
An umbrella term for self-identified descendants and powerlessness. It is a mechanism within
of pre-colonial/pre-settler societies. In Canada an oppressive system for perpetuating power
these include the First Nations, Inuit and Métis imbalance.
peoples as separate peoples with unique
heritages, economic and political systems, Intersectionality
languages, cultural practices and spiritual When two or more oppressions overlap in the
beliefs. While the collective term has offered experiences of an individual or group, creating
a sense of solidarity among some indigenous interconnected barriers and complex forms of
communities, the term should not serve to discrimination that can be insidious, covert and
erase the distinct histories, languages, cultural compounded.
practices, and sovereignty of the more than fifty
nations that lived in Canada prior to European
colonization.
Internalized Oppression
When members of a marginalized group
accept negative aspects of stereotypes
assigned to them by the dominant group,
and begin to believe that they are inferior.
The incorporation by individuals within an
oppressed group of the prejudices against
them within the dominant society can result in
self-hatred, self-concealment, fear of violence,
Intersex Marginalization
A term used to describe a person born with To relegate individuals or groups to an
reproductive systems, chromosomes and/or unimportant or powerless position within
hormones that are not easily characterized as a society or group by excluding them from
male or female. This might include a woman meaningful participation and/or confining them
with XY chromosomes or a man with ovaries to the outer edges of society.
instead of testes. Intersex characteristics occur
in one out of every 1,500 births. Typically Misogyny
intersex people are assigned one sex, male or The hatred and denigration of women and
female, at birth. Some intersex people identify characteristics deemed feminine.
with their assigned sex, while others do not, and Transmisogyny
some choose to identify as intersex. Intersex
people may or may not identify as trans or Negative attitudes, expressed through cultural
transgender. hate, individual and state violence, and
discrimination directed toward trans women
Lesbian and trans and gender non-conforming people
A woman who is emotionally, physically, on the feminine end of the gender spectrum.
spiritually and/or sexually attracted to women.
MSM
A man who has sex with men.
Oppression Polyamory
The obvious and subtle ways dominant groups The practice, state or ability of having more
unjustly maintain status, privilege and power than one intimate, sexual and/or romantic
over others, using physical, psychological, social relationship at the same time.
or economic threats or force. Frequently an
explicit ideology is used to sanction the unfair Power
subjugation of an individual or group by a more Access to privileges such as information/
powerful individual or group, which causes knowledge, connections, experience and
injustices in everyday interactions between expertise, resources and decision making that
marginalized groups and the dominant group. enhance a person’s chances of getting what
they need to live a comfortable, safe, productive
Pansexual and profitable life. Each person has different
A person who has the potential for romantic and levels of power in different contexts depending
sexual attraction to people of any gender or sex. on a personal combination of privileges and
oppression.
Passing
This is the privilege given to a person who is Poz
believed to be a member of a dominant group An abbreviation referring to an HIV positive
(i.e., non-trans, cisgender, white, non-disabled). person.
When a trans woman is passing, (i.e., believed to
be a cisgender woman) she has an easier time
accessing privilege(s).
Prejudice Questioning
A negative prejudgment or preconceived A period where a person explores their own
feelings or notions about another person sexual and/or gender identity, reflecting on such
or group of persons based on perceived things as upbringing, expectations from others,
characteristics, rather than empirical evidence. and inner landscape. The person may not be
certain if they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans
Privilege and may be trying to figure out how to identify
Unearned power, benefits, advantages, access themselves.
and/or opportunities that provide unfair
advantage for members of the dominant Race
group(s) in society. People are not always aware Culturally or socially constructed divisions of
of the privileges they have. Examples include: humankind, based on distinct characteristics
cissexual privilege, straight privilege, male that can be based on: physicality, culture,
privilege, white privilege. history, beliefs and practices, language,
origin, etc. Racial discrimination is prohibited
Queer within Canada as part of the Canadian Human
Formerly derogatory slang term used to identify Rights Act, and the United Nations has a
LGBT people. Some members of the LGBT committee devoted to the elimination of racial
community have embraced and reinvented this discrimination.
term as a positive and proud political identifier
when speaking among and about themselves.
Sex Social Determinants of Health
The classification of people as male, female Things that are needed for people to avoid
or intersex. Sex is usually assigned at birth illness and to be physically, mentally and socially
and is based on an assessment of a person’s healthy (e.g. income, employment, housing,
reproductive systems, hormones, chromosomes access to services).
and other physical characteristics.
Social Justice
Sexual Orientation A concept based on a vision of society in
The direction of one’s sexual interest or which the distribution of resources is equitable
attraction. It is a personal characteristic that and individuals and groups are given equal
forms part of who you are. It covers the range opportunity, fairness, civil liberties, and
of human sexuality from lesbian and gay, to participation in the rights, freedoms and
bisexual and straight. responsibilities valued by society.
Sex-Positive
An attitude that promotes and embraces the
diversity of human sexuality, focusing on;
advocating for a consent oriented culture,
safe sex awareness, and comprehensive sex
education that incorporates unbiased methods
in its approach.
Stealth Stigma
When a trans person is not “out” about being Severe social disapproval or discontentment
trans in their social circles (with friends, with a person or group on the grounds of
employers, colleagues). There are many their particular circumstance, usually based on
different levels of being stealth, but in some differences from social or cultural norms.
cases a trans person may need to end contact
with those who once knew them as their Straight
assigned at birth sex, move to new locations, or A person who has romantic or sexual attractions
get a new job. These changes are significant, to people of another gender.
and may be due to personal reasons or based
on physical, cognitive and/or emotional safety. Tokenism
The practice of making a symbolic effort
Stereotype towards involving an underrepresented group
Overly simplistic, or unfounded assumptions of individuals under the guise of inclusivity
or judgments about a group of people that or equality, and is often seen within a group,
disregard individual differences among committee, organization, or workplace. The
group members and emphasize negative action itself or the type of involvement of the
preconceptions that characterize all members of underrepresented is limited, and the false
a group as being the same. appearance of inclusivity or equality can then be
used to promote a false appearance that hides
deeper systemic issues within the organization.
Trans/Transgender identity. This may include changes to their
Umbrella terms that describe people with name, sex designation, dress, the use of specific
diverse gender identities and gender pronouns, and possibly medically supportive
expressions that do not conform to stereotypical treatments such as hormone therapy, sex-
ideas about what it means to be a girl/woman reassignment surgery or other procedures.
or boy/man in society. “Trans” can mean There is no checklist or average time for a
transcending beyond, existing between, or transition process, and no universal goal or
crossing over the gender spectrum. It includes endpoint. Each person will decide what meets
but is not limited to people who identify as their needs.
transgender, transsexual, cross-dressers or
gender non-conforming (gender variant or Trans Man (FTM)/ Trans Woman (MTF)
gender-queer). A person whose sex assigned at birth is “female”
and identifies as a man may also identify as a
Trans identities include people whose gender trans man (female-to-male, or FTM). A person
identity is different from the gender associated whose sex assigned at birth is “male” and
with their birth-assigned sex. Trans people identifies as a woman may also identify as a
may or may not undergo medically supportive trans woman (male-to-female, or MTF).
treatments, such as hormone therapy and a
range of surgical procedures, to align their Transmisogyny
bodies with their internally felt gender identity. Negative attitudes, expressed through cultural
hate, individual and state violence, and
Transition discrimination directed toward trans women
Refers to a host of activities that some trans and trans and gender non-conforming people
people may pursue to affirm their gender on the feminine end of the gender spectrum.
Transphobia and spiritual role that certain people played
Negative attitudes and feelings and the aversion within traditional societies; they were often
to, fear or hatred or intolerance of trans people mediators, keepers of certain ceremonies; they
and communities. Like other prejudices, it is transcended accepted roles of men and women,
based on stereotypes and misconceptions that and filled a role as an established middle
are used to justify discrimination, harassment gender.
and violence toward trans people, or those
perceived to be trans. WSW
A woman who has sex with women.
Transsexual
A person whose gender identity differs from Ze/Hir
their sex assigned at birth. They may or may Alternate pronouns that are gender neutral
not undergo medically supportive treatments and preferred by some gender variant persons.
to align their bodies with their gender identity, Pronounced /zee/ and /here,/ they replace
such as hormone therapy, sex reassignment “he”/”she”and “his”/”hers” respectively.
surgery or other procedures or changes.
Two–Spirit
A term used by Indigenous People to describe
from a cultural perspective people who are gay,
lesbian, bisexual, trans, or intersex. It is used to
capture a concept that exists in many different
Indigenous cultures and languages. For
some, the term two-spirit describes a societal

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Glossary

Anti-Racism Dominant Group

Asexual Drag King/Drag Queen

Coming Out Gender

Cis/Cisgender Genderqueer /Gender Non-Conforming

Cisnormativity /Gender Variant

Cissexism Gender Binary

Colonization Gender Expression

Cross-Dresser Gender Identity

Culture Gender Norms

Human Rights Power

Misogyny Sexual Orientation

Social Determinants of Health list of definitions related to our communities,

Social Justice and has been carefully crafted in the hopes

Stealth that it will aid in the facilitation of shared

Stereotype understandings around equity, inclusion and

Trans Man (FTM)/ Trans Woman (MTF)

practices by a group or person with power of the prohibited grounds of discrimination

ethnocentrism, heterosexism, racism, sexism, inclusiveness.

“________”phobia A person who works to end a form of

group of people. It is expressed through individuals affected by oppression. Forms of

terrorize people. Examples include: biphobia, classism, biphobia, homophobia, transphobia,

homophobia, Islamophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, and others.

xenophobia and others. Anti-Racism

Beliefs, actions, policies and movements

Accommodation developed to actively identify and eliminate

An adjustment made to policies, programs prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination.

and/or practices to enable individuals to

benefit from and participate in the provision of

services equally and perform to the best of their

A sexual orientation where a person Biphobia

experiences little or no sexual attraction. Negative attitudes, feelings, or irrational

aversion to, fear or hatred of bisexual people

Barrier and their communities, or of behaviours

Any overt or covert obstacle that prevents a stereotyped as bisexual, leading to

society. For example, a belief, policy, practice, bisexual people.

object or environment that prevents or limits a

person’s access to opportunities, benefits, or Bullying

of society. fear, distress or harm to a person.

Bias Coming Out

A subjective opinion, predisposition, A process of revealing more openly to self or

preference, prejudice, generalization or others one’s LGBTQ identity.

inclination, formed based on personal

A person who is emotionally, physically,

spiritually and/or sexually attracted to people of

more than one gender, though not necessarily

at the same time.

where a person’s gender identity is in line people to be superior to trans people. It

cisgender, cis male, and cis female.

Cisnormativity The process of focusing on and devaluing

used to describe systemic prejudice against people or areas.

trans. This form of systemic prejudice may go

unrecognized by the people or orga­nizations Cross-Dresser

responsible. A person who, for various reasons, wears

gender atypical clothing or occasionally dresses

in clothing of the “opposite” gender. They may

or may not self-identify as a cross-dresser.

a particular context – the shared (or perceived abilities.

to be shared) ideas, beliefs, values, behavioural

norms, knowledge, customs and traditions of Disability

geographic, religious, racial, linguistic, ethnic or a limitation or loss of physiological abilities,

social context. whether apparent or not. These can be physical,

cognitive, learning, and visual disabilities. Under

unrecognized by the people or organizations Cross-Dresser