This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids: A Question & Answer Guide to Everyday Life (27 page)
Read This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids: A Question & Answer Guide to Everyday Life Online
Authors: Dannielle Owens-Reid,Kristin Russo
ally:
An individual who does not identify as LGBTQ but supports the LGBTQ community, or works with and for the LGBTQ community to advocate social and political issues.
androgynous:
A term for an individual who doesn’t appear to be distinctly “masculine” or “feminine.” Androgyny can be physical, expressional, or both.
asexual:
Those identifying as asexual are not sexually attracted to anyone. Asexual people often experience romantic attraction and may choose to engage in romantic relationships.
binding:
Binding involves using an elastic binder, bandages, or tape to bind one’s breasts tighter to the chest. This is often done by trans* individuals to help them pass as male.
biphobia:
Fear, ignorance, intolerance, and other negative attitudes and actions directed toward bisexual and pansexual individuals. Biphobia can also be experienced, intentionally or not, within the LGBTQ community.
bisexual:
Someone who is capable of being attracted to women and men. (
See also
pansexual.)
cisgender:
A gender identity in which one’s assigned sex at birth correlates with how one identifies socially, emotionally, and physically (e.g., someone who was assigned male at birth who identifies as a man is a cisgender man).
closeted:
The status of an LGBTQ-identified person who has not told others that they are LGBTQ. One can be closeted to everyone, to most people, or to only a specific group of people (e.g., closeted to one’s family but out to friends).
coming out:
The process of an LGBTQ person voluntarily telling other people that they identify as LGBTQ. This is different from “being outed,” in which someone else reveals your identity without your consent.
cross-dressing:
Expressing one’s gender differently from that of one’s assigned sex with clothing, makeup, hair styling, binding, etc. The term
cross-dressing
is usually used by cisgender people, as transgender people do not feel they are “cross” dressing but rather dressing to reflect the gender with which they identify. Because of this, cross-dressing is a term that can be interpreted as derogatory or ignorant when used to describe transgender people.
drag king:
A woman who dresses to appear as a man, often for an act or performance. A drag king might express their gender as masculine in their everyday life but does not necessarily identify as trans*.
drag queen:
A man who dresses to appear as a woman, often for an act or performance. A drag queen might express their gender as feminine in everyday life but does not necessarily identify as trans*.
FTM (F2M):
A female-to-male transgender or transsexual person. One does not need to have
undergone surgery to identify as FTM. FTM is synonymous with the term
transman
.
gay:
A word used to describe a person whose sexual and/or romantic orientation is toward those of the same gender.
gender:
While gender is generally assigned at birth, along with sex, it also houses a much broader range of issues related to physical appearance, expression through clothing, activities, and behaviors.
gender expression:
The way in which one dresses and/or acts in society that is often categorized on the masculine/feminine spectrum. Gender expression is connected to gender identity, but one’s gender identity cannot be assumed from one’s gender expression (i.e., a person may dress in a more “masculine” or androgynous manner, but identify as female).
genderfluid:
A gender identity in which one views one’s gender as fluid and constantly changing.
gender identity:
An individual’s self-identification along the gender spectrums. Gender identity can include one’s sex (man, woman, intersex), one’s identification of their sex (
transman, transwoman
), one’s location on the masculine/feminine spectrum, and one’s attitude toward gender (genderqueer, gender fluid, etc.).
gender-neutral pronouns:
Various pronouns that are used by gender-nonconforming people to avoid the gender binary of only “he/his” and “she/her.”
genderqueer:
An umbrella identity describing someone whose gender expression and/or identity does not exactly align with the gender assigned to them at birth.
GSA (or QSA):
A middle school, high school, or college club that stands for Gay-Straight Alliance
or Queer-Straight Alliance. GSAs range in activities and purposes, but generally provide a space for support, advocacy, and social interaction.
heterosexism:
Attitudes, bias, and discrimination that favors heterosexuals. This can include making the assumption that others are heterosexual, or that being heterosexual is the “norm,” or is superior to other sexual identities.
heterosexual:
A person whose sexual and/or romantic orientation is toward those of the “opposite” gender.
homophobia:
Fear, ignorance, intolerance, and other negative attitudes and actions directed toward LGBTQ individuals (
also see
biphobia
and
transphobia). Homophobia ranges in intensity, from subtle exclusion to bullying to hate crimes.
homosexual:
A person whose sexual and/or romantic orientation is toward those of the “same” gender.
intersex:
A word used to describe people who are born with both male and female sex markers (genitalia, hormones, chromosomes). There are at least sixteen ways to be intersex. Many intersex infants are surgically or hormonally treated by doctors to align all sex markers with either the male or female sex, sometimes causing later developmental problems. The term has replaced
hermaphrodite
, which is considered offensive.
lesbian:
A gay woman. Some identify with the word, while others identify more strongly with other labels, such as gay or queer.
LGBTQ:
An acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning. This acronym has many variations and additional letters that are often added to represent intersex, allies, and other identities.
MTF (M2F):
A male-to-female transgender or transsexual person. One does not need to have undergone surgery to identify as MTF. MTF is synonymous with the term
transwoman
.
pansexual:
Someone who is attracted to people regardless of gender. Pansexual people distinguish themselves from bisexuals to demonstrate a nonbinary view of gender, meaning that they are attracted to people who do not identify as strictly male or female.
pass:
A term most often used among the trans* community to describe when an individual is viewed (“passes”) as the gender with which they identify, rather than as the gender they were assigned at birth.
PFLAG:
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Founded in 1972, PFLAG is a nonprofit based in the United States that serves as an ally advocacy organization, as well as a support network for families and friends of LGBTQ people.
physical transition:
The process by which a trans* person transforms their body to reflect their gender identity. This can include hormone injections and/or surgery.
Pride:
A term used often in the LGBTQ community to refer to people’s celebration around being LGBTQ. Many communities hold Pride events to highlight LGBTQ accomplishments, and to show unity and happiness surrounding all sexual and gender identities.
queer:
An umbrella term often used to refer to anyone who is not heterosexual and/or cisgender. Some people, especially those in older generations, still find the term offensive, while others find it empowering. “Queer” is also used in academia in a broader sense as a means of discussing behaviors, trends, and identities that fall outside of societal expectations or norms.
sex:
One’s categorization as male, female, or intersex at birth based on sex markers such as genitalia, hormones, and chromosomes.
sex-reassignment surgery:
Also known as a sex-change operation in popular culture, it is an operation that physically changes one’s genitals through plastic surgery. Sex-reassignment surgery is the preferred term for this operation by many in the trans* community.
sexuality:
A term sometimes used interchangeably with sexual orientation. In reality,
sexuality
is a word that also includes other attributes, including one’s sexual orientation, biological sex, gender identity, and sexual practices.
sexually transmitted infections (STIs):
Infections that have a significant probability of being transmitted between individuals by means of sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. The term has come to replace STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) because
infection
is considered a less stigmatizing term since many STIs can be treated.
sexual orientation:
A term used to describe one’s sexual, affectional, emotional and/or romantic attraction. Words used to describe one’s sexual orientation include
homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, gay, straight
, and
queer
, among others.
social transition:
The process for a trans* person of shifting from one gender to another without surgery or hormones. This can include coming out and/or changing one’s hairstyle, clothing, pronouns, name, activities, etc.
straight:
A word used to describe a person whose sexual and/or romantic orientation is toward those of the “opposite” gender. A more commonly used word than “heterosexual.”
trans*:
An umbrella term used to describe all people who are gender nonconforming. This can include, but is not limited to, transgender people, transsexual people, and other gender-nonconforming identities. The asterisk is used to refer to the many different identities that are all a part of the gender-nonconforming community.
transgender:
A person whose gender identity does not match the gender they were assigned at birth.
transition:
The process a trans* person undergoes to shift from their assigned sex at birth to the gender that is aligned with their gender identity. One’s transition can include both a social and physical transition.
transphobia:
Fear, ignorance, intolerance, and other negative attitudes and actions directed toward those who do not identify and/or express their gender in a way that, according to social conventions, “matches” their assigned sex. Transphobia is targeted at those who do and do not identify as trans*.
transsexual:
A word used to describe a person who identifies with a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth. Transsexual people usually, but not always, pursue a physical transition that includes hormones and/or surgery. Sometimes, prefixes are added to the word
transsexual
to indicate if and/or when the person will have surgery—
pre-op transsexual
means they are planning to have surgery,
post-op transsexual
means they have had surgery, and
non-op transsexual
means they have no intention of having surgery.
FAMILY AND PARENTING
Family Acceptance Project
familyproject.sfsu.edu
This project focuses its efforts on how a supportive family can greatly decrease the risks for LGBTQ youth. It conducts research, education, and policy initiatives, and offers intervention and counseling
.
PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) National Office
202-467-8180
The nation’s largest family and ally organization. Made up of parents, families, friends, and straight allies united with people who are LGBTQ, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality and societal acceptance of LGBTQ people through its threefold mission of support, education, and advocacy
.
The Parents Project
A website that is dedicated to providing advice, video content, and resources to parents of LGBTQ youth
.
Bullying
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
National education organization that works to ensure safe schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression
.
Safe Schools Coalition
Crisis hotline: 877-723-3723
An international presence that offers information, resources, and skill-based training for students, educators, and community members seeking to create safer schools for LGBTQ youth
.
Stop Bullying
U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Lifeline: 800-273-8255
A U.S. government website that hosts information from various government agencies about bullying and cyberbullying
.