Nonbinary and gay
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 donate 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 legal title used to describe someone who is actively supportive of Queer people. It encompasses straight and cisgender allies, as well as those within the LGBTQ+ collective 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 shrink from and hatred of, or discomfort with
Understanding Nonbinary People: How to Be Respectful and Supportive
Nonbinary Defined
Most people – including most transgender people – are either male or female. But some people don't neatly fit into the categories of "man" or "woman," or “male” or “female.” For example, some people own a gender that blends elements of being a dude or a miss, or a gender that is alternative than either male or female. Some people don't spot with any gender. Some people's gender changes over time.
People whose gender is not male or female use many different terms to describe themselves, with nonbinary being one of the most common (sometimes spelled with a hyphen, as “non-binary”). Other terms include queer, agender, bigender, genderfluid, and more. None of these terms mean exactly the same thing – but all talk to an trial of gender that is not simply male or female. If you’re not sure what a word means, you canusually just inquire politely.
Why “Nonbinary”?
Some societies – appreciate ours – manage to recognize just two genders, male and female. The idea that there are only two genders
LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Allies, Nonbinary/Genderqueer +) Resources and Research
"Some people have a gender which is neither male nor female and may identify as both male and female at one time, as different genders at different times, as no gender at all, or dispute the very idea of only two genders. The umbrella terms for such genders are 'genderqueer' or 'non-binary' genders. Such gender identities outside of the binary of female and male are increasingly being recognized in legal, medical and psychological systems and diagnostic classifications in line with the emerging presence and lobbying of these groups of people. Population-based studies demonstrate a small percentage – but a sizable proportion in terms of uncooked numbers – of people who identify as non-binary."
From International Review of Psychiatry. Feb, Vol. 28 Issue 1, p 8p.
What it means to be non-binary
Help spread queer wish and joy by supporting your non-binary community.
When we use the word transsexual , we are referring to an inclusive umbrella word that consists of binary trans people (trans men and trans women), as well as non-binary people and people who cross dress.
Non-binary people feel their gender identity cannot be defined within the margins of gender binary. Instead, they understand their gender in a way that goes beyond simply detecting as either a human or woman.
Language can be really powerful in helping to affirm your individuality, feel confident and sharing your authentic self with others. In many cases, the labels that we give ourselves can help us connect with others who share the similar identity and integrate into a larger community. Within LGBT communities, language is incredibly diverse. Some examples of common terms relating to gender are transgender, non-binary, intersex.
Gender is your internal sense of self, who you feel you are whether that’s male, female or perhaps you