Another word for gay people
Glossary of Terms
Many Americans refrain from talking about sexual orientation and gender identity or expression because it feels taboo, or because they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing.
This glossary was written to help grant people the words and meanings to help make conversations easier and more comfortable. LGBTQ+ people use a variety of terms to identify themselves, not all of which are included in this glossary. Always listen for and respect a person’s self identified terminology.
Ally | A word used to describe someone who is actively supportive of Gay people. It encompasses straight and cisgender allies, as well as those within the LGBTQ+ group who support each other (e.g., a lesbian who is an ally to the bisexual community).
Asexual | Often called “ace” for short, asexual refers to a complete or partial lack of sexual attraction or lack of interest in sexual activity with others. Asexuality exists on a spectrum, and asexual people may experience no, little or conditional sexual attraction.
Biphobia | The anxiety and hatred of, or discomfort with
The following list is neither comprehensive nor incontrovertible, but it&#;s an ever-improving list of definitions for terminology relating to LGBTQ+ identities & people, sexualities, and genders.
advocate – 1noun : a person who actively works to end intolerance, educate others, and help social equity for a marginalized group. 2verb : to actively support or plea in favor of a particular cause, the action of working to end intolerance or coach others.
agender – adj. : a person with no (or very little) connection to the traditional system of gender, no personal alignment with the concepts of either man or woman, and/or someone who sees themselves as existing without gender. Sometimes called gender neutrois, gender neutral, or genderless.
ally /“al-lie”/ – noun : a (typically straight and/or cisgender) person who supports and respects members of the LGBTQ community. We consider people to be active allies who take action on in support and respect.
androgyny /“an-jrah-jun-ee”/ (androgynous) – 1 noun. : a gender expression that has elements of both
Glossary of Terms: LGBTQ
Definitions were drafted in collaboration with other U.S.-based LGBTQ collective organizations and leaders. See acknowledgements section.
Additional terms and definitions about gender identity and gender expression, transgender people, and nonbinary people are available in the Transgender Glossary.
Are we missing a term or is a definition outdated? Email press@
*NOTE: Seek people what terms they use to describe their sexual orientation, gender persona and gender phrase before assigning them a label. Outside of acronyms, these terms should only be capitalized when used at the beginning of a sentence.
LGBTQ
Acronym for lesbian, queer, bisexual, transgender, and queer. The Q generally stands for queer when LGBTQ organizations, leaders, and media use the acronym. In settings offering support for youth, it can also stand for questioning. LGBT and LGBTQ+ are also used, with the + added in recognition of all non-straight, non-cisgender identities. (See Transgender Glossary ) Both are acceptable, as are other versions of thi
Heather Barbour Fenty
Heather Barbour Fenty is a writer with a passion for solving sticky HR problems for recruiters and talent acquisition pros. Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, she holds degrees in Communications, Business, and Project Management. Combining her love for explore and storytelling with her technical expertise, Heather helps businesses streamline job ad writing and improve recruitment outcomes. When not operational, she enjoys boating, diving, and planning new adventures with her family.
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Do you operate LGBT inclusive language? I started keeping a list of LGBT words for Ongig&#;s clients and decided to put them all in one place in the glossary below. In this list you will find:
- words that start with transsexual (e.g., trans prefix words and words with trans)
- gender words
- & other terms comparable to LGBT inclusive language
I welcome your additions! And for a longer list of diversity terms, review out our blog The Diversity & Inclusion Glossary [a List of + Terms].
List of LGBTQ Words
A to C | D to F