DEFINING A COMMON LANGUAGE

> Ally – An individual who supports and honors diversity, acts accordingly to challenge homophobic and heterosexist remarks and behaviors and is willing to explore and understand these forms of bias within themselves and others on both a personal and institutional level.

> Biphobia – The fear and hatred of, or discomfort with, people who are bisexual.

> BISEXUAL – An individual who is emotionally, romantically, sexually, affectionately and relationally attracted to both men and women though not necessarily simultaneously.

> CLOSETED – Being “in the closet” means keeping your sexual orientation a secret and intending to be perceived as heterosexual.

> COMING OUT – The developmental process in which an individual acknowledges, accepts and appreciates their sexual orientation and discloses it to others. Coming out is not a single event but a life-long process which is constantly reoccurring in each new situation.

> Cross-dresser/Transvestite – An individual who dresses in clothes associated with the opposite gender.

> GAY – A man who is emotionally, romantically, sexually, affectionately and relationally attracted to other men.  Is often used to describe both men and women with same sex attractions.

> GENDER – The collection of characteristics that are culturally associated with maleness and femaleness.

> GENDER IDENTITY – One’s internal sense of being male or female.

> GENDER ROLE – The norms of expected behavior and appearance for men and women that are socially constructed and culturally specific.

> GLBTQA – An acronym that stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and ally.

> Heterosexism – The individual or group norms that result from the assumption that all people are heterosexual. This oppression, which assumes that heterosexuality is inherently normal and superior, neglects GLBT peoples’ lives and relationships

> Heterosexual – An individual who is emotionally, romantically, sexually, affectionately and relationally attracted to people of the opposite sex.

> Heterosexual Privilege – The benefits and advantages heterosexuals receive in a heterosexist culture.

> Homophobia – The fear and hatred of or discomfort with homosexuality. Homophobic reactions often lead to intolerance, bigotry and violence against anyone not acting within heterosexual norms.

> Homosexual – A person who is emotionally, romantically, sexually, affectionately and relationally attracted to people of the same sex.

> Intersexed/Hermaphrodite – An individual born with full or partial genitalia of both sexes, or with underdeveloped or ambiguous genitalia. Surgery is common in infancy, when a singular sex is assigned. Intersexed is the preferred term.

> Lesbian – A woman who is emotionally, romantically, sexually, affectionately and relationally attracted to other women.

> Outing – Exposing someone’s sexual orientation to others, usually without their permission.

> QUEER – Term that is inclusive of people who are not heterosexual. Once a negative word, it has since been reclaimed as a positive term mostly by younger gay people.

> SEX – The physical maleness or femaleness with which a person is born.

> SEXUALITY – The complex range of components which make us sexual beings including emotional, physical and sexual aspects as well as self-identification (including sexual orientation and gender).

> Sexual Orientation – An enduring emotional, romantic, sexual, affectional and relational attraction to another person.

> Sexual Preference – What a person likes or prefers sexually. A conscious recognition or choice not to be confused with sexual orientation.

> Transgender – Umbrella term to cover any person who feels their assigned gender does not completely or adequately reflect their internal gender. Transgendered peoples sexual orientation can be heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual.

> Transphobia – The fear and hatred of, or discomfort with, people who are transgendered.

> Transsexual – A person whos gender identity differs from what is culturally associated with their biological sex at birth and who is undergoing, has undergone or plans to undergo sex reassignment surgery.