What does that word mean? Here are some common terminology to familiarize yourself with.

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DISCLAIMER
Language constantly evolves! This list includes many different terms and definitions, but many of these words do not have universal definitions can mean different things to different people (ex. "gay," "queer"). This list isn't conclusive, it's a starting point! Use the words you read about here to search the internet and learn more. 

Updated November 2024.

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A
Ableism - An oppression that devalues or marginalizes people based on disability.
ACAB - Also known as "All Cops Are Bastards." The belief that police are part of a bastardized system that actively and systemically marginalizes people, especially people of color. Pronounced "A-Cab." See BLM or Black Lives Matter.
Ace - Short for "asexual," but may also refer to anyone who identifies along the asexual or graysexual spectrum. See also: Asexual.
Advocate - A person who actively works to end intolerance and oppression. Contrasted with "ally," a supportive but passive person in the face of oppression.
AFAB/AMAB - Also known as "Assigned Female at Birth" (pronounced "A-Fab") or "Assigned Male at Birth" (pronounced "A-Mab"). See also: Assigned Sex (At Birth).
Affirmed Gender - An individual's true gender, as opposed to their gender or sex assigned at birth. Created to replace terms like "new gender" or "chosen gender," which unintentionally imply that transgender people choose their gender.
Affirming - Clear support for an individual regardless of their identities; actively supporting oppressed identities by ensuring they are fully represented, included, valued, and honored.
Agender - One who does not identify with or experience gender. Depending on the individual, agender can be different than nonbinary because nonbinary people experience gender - just outside of the rigid male/female binary. Pronounced "a-gen-der."
Allosexual - One who experiences any sort of sexual attraction (ex. bisexual, pansexual, gay, straight). Can be shortened to "allo," and is used to describe the spectrum of sexualities opposed to asexuality.
Ally - One who supports oppressed identities, such as LGBTQIA+ people.
Androgyny - A gender expression that has both masculine and feminine elements, neither, or a mixture thereof. Sometimes used in place of intersex (albeit incorrectly) to describe a person with both female and male anatomy, generally in the form of "androgyne."
Androsexual - An orientation where one is primarily sexually, romantically, and/or emotionally attracted to masculinity, or people who present as men.
ARC/@RC - A Rainbow Cafe LGBTQ Center program for LGBTQIA+ youth ages 9 to 13.
Aro - Short for "aromantic," but may also refer to anyone who identifies along the aromantic spectrum.
Aroflux - (1.) An orientation where one fluctuates between being alloromantic and aromantic; (2.) an orientation where one fluctuates but always stays one the aromantic spectrum.
Aromantic - An orientation where one experiences no romantic attraction to others and/or has a lack of interest in romantic relationships/behavior. Aromantic exists on a spectrum like asexuality and allosexuality, where some aromantic people may experience romantic attraction under certain circumstances and conditions. Exact orientations/placements long the aromantic spectrum have their own identity labels (ex. demiromantic) similar to the allosexual spectrum.(demisexual). Shortened to "aro," pronounced as in "arrow."
Asexual - An orientation where one experiences no sexual attraction to others and/or has a lack of interest in sexual relationships/behavior. Like allosexuality, asexuality exists on a spectrum also known as graysexuality or greysexuality where people feel varying degrees of sexual attraction based on circumstance or conditions. Exact orientations/placements along the asexual spectrum have their own identity labels (ex. demisexual) similar to the allosexual spectrum (ex. bisexual). Shortened to "ace."
Assigned Sex (at Birth), ASAB, or SAAB - The perceived biological sex assigned to an infant based on their visible sex organs, including genitalia and other physical characteristics. This is typically the state of being given "male," "female," or "neither" by a medical professional at birth that establishes later gender roles and norms in life. Those assigned male at birth are AMAB, whereas those assigned female at birth are AFAB. Individuals who do not neatly fit into either category are typically assigned intersex.
Assumed Gender - The gender identity assumed about an individual based on assigned sex, societal gender, and/or gender expression. Assumed gender is the gender identity assumed to one by strangers when first interacting, based on appearance, mannerisms, and roles.
Attraction - The desire to be sexual, romantic, and/or emotional with another person. There are many types of attraction, including sexual attraction, romantic attraction, esthetic attraction, emotional attraction, and intellectual attraction. See asexuality, aromantic, and allosexual.
AWQ - Also known as Adulting While Queer; a Rainbow Cafe LGBTQ Center program for LGBTQIA+ adults ages 25 to 50.

B
Bear - One of the longest-standing gay subcultures for large, hairy queer men generally over the age of 30 and masculine-presenting.
Bi+ - An umbrella term for all sexualities that are attracted to more than one gender, such as bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, fluid, queer, etc. See also: Bisexual, Pansexual.
Bigender - One with a gender identity that is the combination of more than one gender, such as both male and female.
Bioessentialism - Also called gender essentialism, bioessentialism is the notion that gender and sex are interchangeable and/or the same. Further, gender essentialism argues that all people are essentially male or female in mind or body.
BIPOC - Acronym for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Binding - The process of flattening one's breast tissue to create a traditionally masculine chest. Since there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to binding, materials and methods vary for each individual based on their financial means and body type - although using commercial-grade binders such as through GC2B are the best option to creating a masculine chest safety. A number of free binder programs exist to help transgender people access safe binders, such as Point of Pride.
Biphobia - The prejudice, hatred, and erasure of bisexual+ people. See also: Bisexual.
Bisexual - One who is attracted to two genders, such as both men and women.
Bottom Surgery - Surgery performed on a person's genitals as part of gender affirmation, such as orchiectomy, vaginoplasty, vulvoplasty, phalloplasty, metoidioplasty, vaginectomy, hysterectomy, and salpingo-oophorectomy. While some US states and countries throughout the world require bottom surgery, undergoing it or wanting to do so is not a requirement for being transgender.
​Butch - One who is masculine in dress, attitude, and/or presentation. Considered both a type of masculine gender expression and gender identity used among cisgender and transgender individuals, commonly in lesbian circles and gay men. Butch is considered its own spectrum ranging with additional subculture identifiers like soft butch, stone butch, hard butch, etc. 

C
​Chosen Family - Also known as found family, a collection of people who are not biologically related yet support an LGBTQIA+ person - filling the role of biological family in the event that an LGBTQIA+ person's family is not supportive of them.
Chosen Name - A name that may differ from one's legal name and is the preferred term over "preferred name" since transgender individuals' names are not optional or preferred. Chosen names are not only used by transgender people; chosen names are also used by cisgender people as nicknames and Westernized/Americanized names.
Cishet - One who identifies as both cisgender and heterosexual. In other words, one who identifies as the gender they were assigned at birth and are attracted solely to the opposite gender as themselves. See also: Cisgender, Heterosexual.
Cisgender - One who identifies with the sex assigned to them at birth, coming from the Latin word for "on the same side as." The term cisgender is not a slur and people who are not trans should avoid calling themselves "normal" in comparison to transgender individuals. Pronounced "sis-gender" and can shortened to "cis."
Cisnormativity - The notion that everyone is assumed to be cisgender and/or being cisgender is superior to being transgender. The prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination of transgender people is referred to as cissexism.
Clocking - The action of identifying an individual as transgender and/or nonbinary, especially when that individuals would rather they didn't. Also referred to as "being read."
Closet - One who is not open or out about their sexual orientation or gender identity. A closeted person is often called as being "in the closet," although there are many degrees of being out/closeted - one may be just out to themselves, close friends, co-workers, etc. See also: Come Out, Disclosure.
Consent - Using Planned Parenthood's FRIES model, consent is actively agreeing to an act with another person - especially if that act is sexual or romantic in nature. FRIES is an acronym that encompasses many aspects of consent, such as that consent is a choice that is made without pressure, manipulation, or drugs (Freely Given), can be reversed or changed (Reversible), can only be done if you have all of the facts and information available (Informed), only when you genuinely want to have sex (Enthusiastic), and only apply to each individual action at a time (Specific).
Conversion Therapy - The dangerous and pseudoscientific practice of changing an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms through brain surgery, surgical/hormonal castration, electric shocks, nausea-inducing drugs, hypnosis, counseling, spiritual interventions, visualizations, psychoanalysis, and arousal reconditioning. It is well-established within the scientific community that conversion therapy is ineffective at changing one's sexuality or gender identity and instead presents significant long-term psychological harm.
Come Out - The act of self-acceptance and self-identifying as LGBTQIA+ as they reveal their identities to others. Also known as disclosure, there are many different degrees of being out and coming out is a lifelong process that is deeply personal and transformative. It is critical to respect where each person is within their process of self-identification and understand that it is up to them on when and/or if they come out. See also: Closet, Disclosure.
Compulsory Heterosexuality - The theory that heterosexuality is assumed and enforced upon people (especially women) by society. Due to Also see: Heteronormativity.
Cross Dressing (CD) - One who dresses, at least partially, as a member of the a gender other than their assigned sex at birth. Cross dressers are not transgender and the act of cross dressing has no implication or weight on one's sexual orientation or gender identity. Historically, CDs were referred to as "transvestites" until "cross dresser" replaced it as the more politically correct term.
Cultural Humility - The approach to engage the world's many oppressions as a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique to fix power imbalances where none ought to exist.
Culturally Queer - The notion that people with LGBTQIA+ parents are raised being immersed in queer culture, traditions, media, and language even if they are not LGBTQIA+ themselves. Compared to traditional LGBTQIA+ allies, culturally queer allies go above and beyond their understanding of queerness by having an innate queer lens to view the world. See also: Gayby.

D
Deadname - The act of using a name that a transgender individual used at a different time in their life. This should be avoided, since it causes trauma, stress, embarrassment, and even danger to transgender people. Similar terms include birth name, given name, or old name.
Demigender - One who identifies as only partly male, female, or another gender regardless of their sex assigned at birth. 
Demisexual - One who only feels sexually attracted to someone after creating an emotional bond with that person. Demisexuality falls along the asexual spectrum.
Disclosure - The act or process of revealing one's transgender or gender-expansive identity to another person. See also: Come Out, Closet.
Drag - Theatrical performance of one or multiple genders, often with makeup, costume, dance, lip-syncing, and temporary body modifications. Performers who present feminine are often called "drag queens," whereas those who present masculine are often called "drag kings." "Drag performers" is a term to refer to those who do not identify or perform in a binary way. Drag uses expression and performance, which makes it completely separate from gender identity and being transgender in modern day.
Drop-In - A Rainbow Cafe LGBTQ Center program for LGBTQIA+ youth ages 13 to 18*.

E
elevate - A Rainbow Cafe LGBTQ Center program for LGBTQIA+ youth ages 18 to 25.
Enby - An abbreviation for "nonbinary." Should not be shortened further to "NB" since it is widely used as the abbreviation for Non-Black and NBPOC (Non-Black People of Color). See also: Nonbinary.
Expression - Also referred to as gender presentation, the combination of one's behavior, mannerisms, and appearance to show their social gender identity to others. Common manifestations of gender expression include clothing, hairstyles, voice, as well as gender roles and stereotypes. Typically, gender expression reflects one's internal gender identity - although this is not always the case.

F
Facial Feminization (FFS) - A series of plastic surgery procedures designed to create a more feminine appearance of the face. FFS may be part one's journey in transitioning, but not always and is almost always a staged process that takes multiple surgeries to reshape the forehead, brows, nose, cheeks, jaw, and Adam's apple.
Femme - One who is feminine in dress, attitude, and/or presentation. Considered both a type of feminine gender expression and gender identity used among cisgender and transgender individuals, commonly in lesbian circles and gay men. Femme is considered its own spectrum ranging with additional subculture identifiers like chapstick femme, lipstick femme, blue jeans femme, etc.
FTM -  An abbreviation of Female to Male, as known as transgender men. See also: Transgender, Transgender Man.
FTX - An abbreviation of Female to "X," such as nonbinary, genderqueer, and gender-expansive people. See also: Transgender, Nonbinary.

G
Gatekeeping - A broad term where one decides another does not belong to a certain community, group, or identity. An example of gatekeeping is a gay man telling a questioning man that he must have sex with another man before he can call himself gay. Gatekeeping occurs both inside and outside the LGBTQIA+ community and is often invalidating and painful to the recipient.
Gay - One who identifies as a man who is attracted to other men. Alternatively gay is also used to refer to anyone within the wider LGBTQIA+ community regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. See also: Homosexual, Sexuality.
Gayby - One with one or more LGBTQIA+ parents and/or caregivers. See also: Culturally Queer.
Gender - A set of socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate related to a person's assigned sex or gender identity.
Gender-Critical Feminism - Also known as TERFs, a branch of radical feminism that argues that one's biological sex as assigned at birth is immutable. Viewing themselves as "critical" of modern gender theory, they believe that transgender people are the gender they were assigned at birth rather than their current gender identity. See also: TERF.
Gender Dysphoria - The distress or discontentment one feels regarding their sex assigned at birth and assumed gender. See also: Transgender.
Gender Envy - A term used by transgender people to describe types of gender expression they desire, such as voice, mannerisms, style, or physical features.
Gender Expression - The combination of one's behaviors, clothing, roles, ideas, grooming practices, and other ways in which they express their gender to others. One's expression may be influenced by sex assigned at birth and/or gender identity. Common gender expressions include masculine, feminine, androgynous, etc.
Genderfluid - One who does not consistently adhere to one fixed gender and may move among genders.
Gender Identity - One's inner sense of self belonging to gender groups, such as men, women, nonbinary, etc. May be different than one's sex assigned at birth and/or gender expression. Common gender identities include man, woman, demigender, genderfluid, etc.
​Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) - An umbrella term for those who do not follow gender stereotypes or those who expand ideas of gender expression and identity. GNC does not mean nonbinary and cisgender people can be gender non-conforming. Similar to the term "gender expansive," although gender expansive is most used by parents and allies while gender non-conforming is used most by LGBTQIA+ people themselves.
Genderqueer - One who blurs preconceived boundaries of gender in relation to the gender binary.
Graysexual - One who falls somewhere between asexual and allosexual, also referred to as gray ace. Graysexual exists as an additional spectrum between the asexual spectrum and allosexual spectrum, and individuals may or may not experience sexual attraction. See also: Asexual, Allosexual.

H
Hermaphrodite - An offensive term for one who is intersex, or someone who does not neatly fit into either male or female when assigned at birth. While used in academic settings for non-human animals and plants, the term should not be used to describe humans. See also: Intersex.
Heteroflexible - One who is most often attracted to a different gender from themselves (also known as straight or heterosexuality) but sometimes experiences attraction to people of the same gender as them. Considered distinct from bisexuality. See also: Questioning.
Heterosexual - One who is attracted to the opposite gender as themself. Also see: Straight.
Heteronormativity - The notion that heterosexuality, or being straight, is the assumed default sexuality and that everyone is expected to be straight unless they "come out" or state otherwise.
HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus, a virus that attacks cells that help the human body fight infection and spread through certain bodily fluids such as during unprotected sex. While HIV currently has no cure, it is treatable - although untreated HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).
Homosexual - One who is attracted to the same gender as themself. Also see: Gay.
Hormone Blockers - Form of gender-affirming medical care that blocks hormones like testosterone and estrogen that lead to puberty-related changes within the body. Hormone blockers are a reversible alternative that allow transgender children to prevent the potentially negative outcomes of going through a puberty that does not match their gender identity. Also referred to as puberty blockers.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) - Form of gender-affirming medical care that allows transgender and nonbinary people to medically transition their bodies to match their internal gender identity. HRT is also used by intersex and cisgender people to balance their naturally occurring levels of estrogen and testosterone.
House-Ballroom Community - An underground BIPOC LGBTQIA+ subculture that consists of "houses" or chosen families that compete against each other to earn recognition and awards. See also: Drag.
Hyperfemininity - The exaggeration of stereotypically female behaviors based on gender roles, often done by transgender women and cisgender lesbian women to be seen as "real" women.
Hypermasculinity - The exaggeration of stereotypically male behaviors based on gender roles, often done by transgender men and cisgender gay men to be seen as "real" men.
Hysterectomy - The surgical removal of the uterus and cervix, performed on millions of cisgender women and transmasculine people. See also: Bottom Surgery.

I
Internalized Homophobia - The notion that LGBTQIA+ can accept homophobic biases, such as the belief that all people should be straight and is done consciously and unconsciously. An example of internal homophobia is when a lesbian woman thinks less of herself or other lesbians for not being feminine, masculine, or androgynous enough.
Intersectionality - The notion that social identities like race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, disability, class, and geography overlap with one another and lead to additional discrimination and disadvantage.
Intersex - One who do not neatly fit into either the medically expected biological definitions of male or female. Intersexuality can manifest in hundreds of ways, such as in variations of hormones, chromosomes, internal or external genitalia, or primary/secondary sex characteristics. Intersex is a type of sex, and not a gender identity, meaning intersex people can identify as cisgender or transgender. In some countries and US states, intersex individuals are assigned "X" at birth.

J

K
Kinsey Scale - A notion developed in the 1940s that introduced the idea that sexuality occurs on a spectrum rather than a straight/gay binary.

L
Latine/Latinx - A gender-neutral term used in place of gendered binary terms like Latino and Latina to describe a person of Latin American origin or descent. Latine is pronounced "la-teen-eh," while Latinx is pronounced either as "Latin-ex" or "la-teen-x."
Laser Hair Removal - The process of hair removal by using pulses of laser light to destroy hair follicles. While laser hair removal is widely available and practiced in clinics, home devices exist for personal use.
Lesbian - One who identifies as a woman who is attracted to other women, or identifies as a woman who is not attracted to men.
Lesbophobia - Discrimination, prejudice, hatred, and erasure of lesbians.
LGBTQIA+ - Acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and more. The plus (+) sign is used to represent the multitude of other identities not specified, such as pansexual, genderfluid, nonbinary, two-spirit, etc.
Lifestyle - An offensive term historically used to describe LGBTQIA+ people's sexual orientations and gender identities, comparing it as a "choice."
Lived Experience - The personal experiences of individuals, which should be used and valued just as much as quantitative data when discussing narratives of discrimination.

M
Masc - Also known as masculine, the act of having qualities or appearances that are traditionally associated with men.
Monogamous - One who engages in one relationship with one person at a time.
Microaggressions - A subtle but offensive comment or action directed at a member of a marginalized group. Microaggressions are often unintentionally offensive but still reinforces a stereotype.
Misgendering - The act of using a word, such as a pronouns or title, that does not correctly reflect someone's gender identity. Regardless of whether the act is intentional or accidental, misgendering has a harmful impact.
Mixed Pronouns - The use of multiple pronouns such as he/they or she/they, mixed pronouns is the most common shorthand term for "I use both he/him/his and they/them/theirs pronouns interchangeably."
MLM - Short for Men Loving Men, which refers to gay, bisexual, pansexual, and other queer men. See also: Gay, Homosexual.
MSM - Short for Men Who Have Sex With Men, most often used within research and public health. See also: Gay, Homosexual.
​MTF - An abbreviation of Male to Female, as known as transgender women. See also: Transgender, Transgender Woman.
MTX - An abbreviation of Male to "X," such as nonbinary, genderqueer, and gender-expansive people. See also: Transgender, Nonbinary.
Mx. - An alternative gender-neutral honorific that used used commonly among nonbinary people, compared to traditionally gendered honorifics like Mister (Mr.), Miss (Ms.), or Missus (Mrs.).

N
Neopronouns - Personal pronouns used instead of mainstream gender-neutral options like "they/them/theirs," using the prefix "neo-" to mean new or modern. Unlike mainstream pronouns, neopronouns are not inherently associated with any gender identity. Some of the most common neopronouns include xe/xir/xirs, ze/zir/zirs, and fae/faer/faers. See also: Pronouns.
Neurodiversity - The understanding that there is a spectrum of diversity in the way human brains work, such as in sensory processing, motor abilities, social comfort, cognition, and focus.
Nibling - A gender-neutral term for niece/nephew. See also: Nonbinary.
Nonbinary - One who does not identify within the traditional gender binary of man/woman. Nonbinary is an umbrella term, which also encompasses identities like genderqueer, genderfluid, and gender non-conforming as well as related identities like nonbinary woman or transmasc nonbinary. While many nonbinary people are transgender, not all are - especially those who are raised and socialized as nonbinary rather than within the gender binary of boys and girls. Can be shortened to enby.

O
Openly - Those who self-identify as LGBTQIA+ in their private, public, and/or professional lives. See also: Closet, Come Out.
Orchiectomy - Surgical procedure that removes one or both testicles. See also: Bottom Surgery.
Outed - The deliberate or accidental sharing of another person's sexual orientation or gender identity without their explicit permission. See also: Closet, Come Out, Stealth.

P
Pansexual - One who is sexually attracted to all genders, regardless of gender identity, expression, and/or biological sex.
Passing - The act of being seen as straight and/or cisgender. Many LGBTQIA+ people aim to pass as straight or cisgender either out of safety or to fit in with larger society, but it is important to remember that passing is not required for LGBTQIA+ people to deserve respect and love. See also: Clocking.
Platonic Partnership - A close, non-romantic relationship between two people that can involve many of the same activities as romantic partners, such as living together, owning a home, raising children, etc.
Polyamorous - One who engages in multiple relationships (emotional and/or sexual) with more than one person at a time. Polyamorous is separate from cheating, since polyamory is done with the consent of all other people involved.
Positive - Shorthand for being HIV+ positive, although it is more appropriate to refer to someone as "living with HIV" due to the stigma and challenges of HIV. It is never appropriate to share a person's HIV status without their explicit consent, and you should refrain from discussing a person's HIV status unless they bring up the topic. See also: Undetectable.
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) - Emergency prescription antiretroviral medication that prevents infection of HIV if taken within 72 hours of possible exposure. Though PEP is highly effective in preventing HIV, it should not be taken in place of other HIV prevention measures, such as taking PrEP or practicing safe sex.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) - Prescription medication that prevents HIV infection long-term, most often given to those at higher risk for being exposed to HIV from sex or drug use.
Pre-/Post-/Non-Op - Terms used to describe the surgery status of a transgender person. "Pre-Op" refers to a person who has not had gender-affirming surgery, also does want it. "Post-Op" references those who have undergone gender affirmation surgery. Lastly, "Non-Op" refers to those who do not plan to have gender-affirming surgery. The choice to have gender-affirming surgery is highly personal and does not affect the validity of a person's gender identity. Refrain from discussing a transgender person's surgical history or future unless they bring up the topic. See also: Top Surgery, Bottom Surgery.
Privilege - Unearned benefits which are often unconsciously taken for granted and given to a particular population in society based on norms. There are multiple types of privilege based on race, ethnicity, skin tone, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, class, etc.
Pronouns - Words that substitute a noun, such as when one refers to another in the third-person without using their name. Common first-person pronouns include "I/me/my/mine/myself" and "we/us/our/ours/ourselves," and second-person pronouns include "you/your/yours/yourself." Third-person pronouns are typically associated with certain gender identities, such as "he/him/his" with men, "she/her/hers" with women, and "they/them/theirs" with nonbinary individuals. Everyone, regardless of gender identity, has pronouns - not just LGBTQIA+ people.
PTP - Acronym for Person with a Transgender Parent.

Q
QTBIPOC - Acronym for Queer People of Color, Queer Transgender People of Color, Queer Transgender Black Indigenous People of Color, etc.
​Queer - An umbrella term used to refer to anyone within the LGBTQIA+. During the 1980s and 1990s, the term "queer" began to be reclaimed by LGBTQIA+ people from a pejorative to a positive/neutral term - although the term should be used with caution given its history as a derogatory term.
Queerbaiting - A marketing technique in which media executives, creators, or corporations allude to the presence of LGBTQIA+ characters, relationships, and plotlines within their content but fail to include actual representation. Queerbaiting is often done because LGBTQIA+ audiences are highly loyal and marketable, but real representation isn't given since doing so may lose anti-LGBTQIA+ viewers.
Queerplatonic (QPP) - Committed intimate relationships between significant others who relationship is not romantic and/or sexual. QPPs have the same explicit commitment, status, and structure as formal romantic relationships, but does not involve love or sex. Not QPPs are the same; some QPPs may be partially or fully romantic in nature, while others may have none. Similar to platonic relationships and can be used interchangeably.
Queerspawn - One with one or more LGBTQIA+ parent and/or caregiver.
Questioning - One who is in the process of exploring their sexuality and/or gender identity.

R
Romantic Orientation - One's pattern of attraction based on another's gender identity and expression. Romantic attraction and sexual orientation are not mutually exclusive since while some people may be pansexual and panromantic, another person may be asexual and biromantic.

S
Same-Gender Loving (SGL) - A term most often used by the QTBIPOC community to express sexual and romantic orientation without relying on mainstream terms used by the wider white LGBTQIA+ community.
Safe Space - Places that are intended to be free of bias and conflict, as well as potentially threatening actions, ideas, and conversations where marginalized groups can discuss issues without having to address questions or negative remarks from individuals not within the group.
Sapphic - Term used to refer to queer, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or otherwise same-gender loving women based on the Greek lesbian poet Sappho's name. See also: Lesbian.
Serostatus - The state of whether one has detectable antibodies to HIV measured by a blood test.  When an individual becomes serostatus negative, they become undetectable. See also: Undetectable.
Sex - Commonly referred to as biological sex to mean the combination of anatomical, physiological, genetic, and physical attribute one has. One's hormone levels, gonads, genitalia, chromosomes, and genes determine if they are assigned male, female, or intersex at birth. Sex is often conflated or used interchangeably with gender, which is more societal than biological and involves personal identity factors. See also: Gender Identity.
Sexuality - One's romantic, emotional, physical, and/or sexual attraction to others. Also known as sexual orientation. Common sexualities include gay, straight, bisexual, asexual, etc.
Sex Worker - One who engages in sexual activity for payment, and considered the more respectful and appropriate term compared to prostitute or hooker. Can be shortened to SWer.
SOGIE - An acronym used to reference LGBTQIA+ identities and issues, especially in academia. SOGIE stands for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression.
Social Justice - The notion that everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social rights/opportunities.
Sodomy - Legal term to refer to any sexual activity that is aimed for reproduction, including queer sex as well as many other types of sexual activities.
Spectrum - A scale or wide range of positions and outcomes, especially when compared to binaries which only have two options such as male or female, straight or gay, etc.
Stealth - The act of a transgender person who does not disclose their gender identity in their public and/or private lives, especially after transitioning. See also: Closet, Come Out, Outed, Openly.
Stud - A Black lesbian who takes on a more butch or masculine role. See also: Lesbian.
Survival Sex - Sexual activity performed in exchange for goods and/or services, also known as transactional sex. Since LGBTQIA+ people are more likely to be denied fair housing and employment, some may rely on sex to get them a place to sleep or the money they need.​

T
T4T - Abbreviation of Trans 4 Trans, or a transgender person who is only interested in emotional, romantic, intimate, and/or sexual partnerships with other transgender people. See also: Transgender, Nonbinary.
TERF - Acronym for Transgender Exclusionary Radical Feminist to refer to radical "gender-critical" spaces that purposely exclude transgender people on the belief that transgender women are not "real" women and transgender men are not "real" men. 
TGNC - Acronym for Trans and Gender Non-Conforming and umbrella term for people who are not cisgender. 
Third Gender - A separate gender category recognized by larger society that is neither male or female. See also: Nonbinary.
Throuple - Combination of the words "couple" and "three" to reference a relationship between three people in which every person is intimately linked with the other two. See also: Polyamorous.
Top Surgery - Surgical procedure on an individual's chest/breasts as part of gender-affirmation surgery. For AFAB people, this can be a chest reduction or a full removal, whereas for AMAB people, this may be an increase in chest size though saline or silicone.
Tracheal Shave - Surgical procedure that reduces the size of the Adam's apple, also known as a chondrolaryngoplasty.
Trancestors - Transgender elders that comes from the words "transgender" and "ancestor" to highlight the fact that many transgender people do not grow old and should be celebrated/honored within their communities.
Trans-Formation - A Rainbow Cafe LGBTQ Center program for transgender and nonbinary adults ages 18 and older.
Transgender - One who does not identify with the gender identity assigned to them at birth. As an umbrella term, transgender includes other identities such as transgender man, transgender woman, nonbinary, etc. While some transgender people may transition or altar their bodies through hormones or surgery to match their gender identity, not all do. Can be shortened to "trans."
Transitioning - The process that one undergoes socially, legally, and/or medically to affirm their gender identity which can include clothing, hair styles, legal name changes, pronouns, hormone replacement therapy, and/or gender-affirming surgery. There is no one correct way to transition, and the process can vary widely from person to person. 
Trans Man - One who identifies as a man or as masculine but was assigned female at birth. See also: FTM.
Transmedicalism - The notion that gender dysphoria is a necessary requirement to be considered "legitimately" transgender and is a condition to medically transition through hormone replacement therapy or gender-affirming surgery.
Transmisogyny - Sexism or misogyny directed at transgender women.
Transmisogynoir - Sexism or misogyny directed at Black transgender women.
Transpawn - One who has one or more transgender or nonbinary parent and/or caregiver.
Transphobia - Discrimination, hatred, animosity, and/or dislike of transgender and gender non-conforming people.
Transsexual - One who is considering or uses medical intervention/transition such as hormone replacement therapy or gender-affirming surgery to express their gender identity. Often misunderstood and sometimes offensive term that should only be used as self-identification. See also: Transgender.
Trans Woman - One who identifies as a woman or as feminine but was assigned male at birth. See also: MTF.
Tucking - Technique to hide the crotch bulge of a penis and/or scrotum to create a traditionally feminine crotch. See also: MTF.
​Twink - A queer man who is usually (but not always) in his late teens to twenties with a youthful appearance, little body hair, and flamboyancy.
Two-Spirit - One who identifies as a third gender and Indigenous, regardless of specific tribal tradition. Non-Indigenous people should not use this term.

U
Unconditional - A Rainbow Cafe LGBTQ Center program for parents and families of LGBTQIA+ youth, adults and any/all LGBTQIA+ families.
Undetectable - 

V
Voguing - Highly stylized modern street-style dance that stems from queer ballroom culture in New York City. See also: Drag, House-Ballroom Culture.

W
WLW - Acronym for Women Loving Women to refer to lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer, and otherwise same-gender loving women. See also: Lesbian.
WSW - Abbreviation for Women Who Have Sex with Women, used more commonly within research and public health. See also: Lesbian.

X
xe/xir - A set of one of the most commonly used neopronouns. See also: Neopronouns.

Y

Z
ze/zir - A set of one of the most commonly used neopronouns. See also: Neopronouns.