| LGBTIQ |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer. |
| Gender |
A psychosocial construct used to classify a person as male, female or neither. |
| Gender identity |
Usually conforms to societal general norms and usually congruent with
a person’s expression and sex. |
| Sex |
The anatomy and biology that determines whether one is female/male. |
| Sexual identity |
How a person sees himself or herself physically, eg as male or female. |
| Sexual orientation |
Which sex is erotically attractive: opposite (hetero), same (homo) or both (bi) |
| Heterosexual |
A person who is emotionally and/or sexually attracted to persons of the
opposite sex. |
| Homosexual |
A clinical term first used over a century ago, often used inaccurately,
to label people who are emotional, physically, and/or sexually attracted
or committed to members of the same sex. Used appropriately, it refers to
affectional and or sexual behaviour between people of the same sex. |
| Lesbian |
A term originating from the Greek Isle of Lesbos, is one of the oldest, most common and most preferred terms for female homosexuals. |
| Gay |
A common and acceptable term for male homosexuals, but often used for both genders as well as for the gay community in general. |
| Bisexual |
A person who is emotionally and/or sexually oriented towards both sexes. Once viewed primarily as a phase of gay or lesbian development, bisexuality is now regarded as a valid, independent sexual identity. |
| Transgender/ism |
Umbrella term used to describe those who have a gender identity, expressions or behaviours not traditionally associated with their birth sex. Often mistakenly used as a synonym for transsexualism. |
| Transsexual/ity |
A minority within the transgender community who undergo their gender transition
to live full-time in the gender that corresponds with their identity. |
| Transvestite |
An individual who dresses in the clothing of the opposite gender for a variety of reasons. |
| Intersex people |
Are born with chromosomal and/or physiological anomalies and/or ambiguous genitalia. |
| Queer |
Originally a synonym for "odd" or "unusual," the word evolved into
an anti-gay insult and is sometimes still used in a derogatory manner.
For many LGBTIQ persons, the word 'queer' still has a negative connotation
however, it has now been reclaimed by the gay and lesbian community as
a unifying umbrella term for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender,
transsexual, and/or intersex.It is generally only used by members of the
the LGBTIQ community. |
| Homophobia |
Just as individual people can be racial, ethnic or religious bigots, individuals
can be homophobes or can suffer from homophobia. Homophobia is the irrational
fear of gay people or any behaviour, belief or attitude in self or others
which doesn't conform to rigid sex-role stereotypes. It is a fear of homosexuality
and homosexual people of all things associated with homosexuality. Some
people who experience homophobia simply avoid gay and lesbian people, places,
events and topics of conversation. The extreme behaviour of homophobia is
violence against homosexuals. |
| Biphobia |
The fear and hatred or, or discomfort with, people who are bisexual. |
| Heterosexism |
The assumption that being heterosexual is the only 'normal' and 'correct'
type of lifestyle, and in fact superior to alternative relationships.
Heterosexism is the systematic and institutional oppression of the LGBTIQ
population.
Sometimes, even if individual people are not bigots or homophobes, institutions and cultural norms may be discriminatory or even oppressive by favouring heterosexual people at the expense of non-heterosexual people.
Such institutions and norms are heterosexist, and people who do not protect against them or resist them also may be said to be heterosexist. Not all heterosexuals are homophobic, but all homophobes are heterosexist. |
