LGBTIQA+ inclusion

Asexual/ace: a sexual orientation that reflects little to no sexual attraction, either within or outside relationships. People who identify as asexual can still experience romantic attraction across the sexuality continuum. While asexual people do not experience sexual attraction, this does not necessarily imply a lack of libido or sex drive.

Bisexual: an individual who is sexually and/or romantically attracted to people of the same gender and people of another gender. Bisexuality does not necessarily assume there are only two genders (Flanders, LeBreton, Robinson, Bian, & Caravaca-Morera, 2017).

Brotherboy: a term used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to describe gender diverse people who have a male spirit and take on male roles within the community. Brotherboys have a strong sense of their cultural identity.

Cis/cisgender: the ‘cis’ comes from a Latin term meaning ‘on this side of’ and is a term used to describe people whose gender corresponds to the sex they were assigned at birth (male or female).

Cisnormativity: assumes that everyone is cisgendered and that all people will continue to identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. Cisnormativity erases the existence of transgender/trans and gender diverse people.

‘Coming out’/‘Inviting in’: coming out has been pertinent in giving voice to the ongoing struggles to attain legal recognition and support services for LGBTIQA+ communities, and played a significant role in rendering visible the human rights issues. However, at times the concept of “coming-out” (of the closet) might not fit for some people exploring sexual identities. People often decide to come out when they feel comfortable or mostly comfortable within themselves with their gender identity or sexuality. They may feel they now need to share it with others or that they want to share it with those closest to them, their family and friends. The idea of “coming-out of the closet” might not fit or feel right for some people. For some people it feels like they have a dark secret that needs to be hidden away, or that they need to come out to everyone all at the same time. Some people prefer to think of more like inviting people into their life. Who they “invite in” to that precious part of their life is up to them, a bit like if they were throwing a special party.

Gay: an individual who identifies as a man and is sexually and/or romantically attracted to other people who identify as men. The term gay can also be used in relation to women who are sexually and romantically attracted to other women.

Gender affirmation (aka ‘transition’): the personal process or processes a trans or gender diverse person determines is right for them in order to live as their defined gender and so that society recognises this. Gender affirmation may involve social, medical and/or legal steps that affirm a person’s gender. Affirming our gender doesn’t mean changing gender, ‘having a sex change’ or ‘becoming a man or a woman’, and transition isn’t the same as
being trans. A trans or gender diverse person who hasn’t medically or legally affirmed their gender is no less the man, woman or non-binary person they’ve always been.

Gender expression: gender expression refers to choices and propensities around gendered appearance and can include clothing, hair styles, hormone therapy, surgical procedures, vocabulary and body language.

Gender identity: gender Identity is a person’s internal sense of self with regards to gender. Some people feel more masculine, some people feel more feminine, others have changing or less strong gendered feelings. There are many genders including cis women, cis men, trans women, trans men, agender, non-binary, genderfluid and genderqueer people.

Heteronormativity: the view that heterosexual relationships are the only natural, normal and legitimate expressions of sexuality and relationships, and that other sexualities or gender identities are unnatural and a threat to society (GLHV, 2016).

Heterosexism: describes a social system that privileges heteronormative beliefs, values and practice. Heterosexism provides the social backdrop for homophobic and transphobic prejudices, violence and discrimination against people with non-heteronormative sexualities and gender identities and intersex varieties (Fileborn, 2012; GLHV, 2016).

Heterosexual: an individual who is sexually and/or romantically attracted to the “opposite gender”. Also known as straight.

Homonormativity: a term that describes the privileging of certain people or relationships within the queer community (usually cisgendered, white, gay men). This term also refers to the assumption that LGBTIQA+ people will conform to mainstream, heterosexual culture; for example, by adopting the idea that marriage and monogamy are natural and normal.

Homophobia and biphobia: refers to negative beliefs, prejudices and stereotypes that exist about people who are not heterosexual.

Intersectionality: intersectionality is the interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race, class, socio-economic background, disability, sexuality, body diversity and gender as they apply to a given individual or group. The intersections of our identities create overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination, disadvantage and oppression.

Intersex: intersex people are born with physical or biological sex characteristics (such as sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal patterns and/or chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions for male or female bodies. For some people these traits are apparent prenatally or at birth, while for others they emerge later in life, often at puberty (from the Darlington Statement).

Lesbian: an individual who identifies as a woman and is sexually and/or romantically attracted to other people who identify as women.

LGBTIQA+: acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, Queer, Asexual. The ‘+’ represents minority gender identities and sexualities not explicitly included in the term LGBTIQ.

Misgendering: referring to someone using language, such as pronouns, former names or form of address that does not affirm their gender identity.

Mx: pronounced ‘mix’, Mx is a gender-neutral title option ie) Dr, Ms, Mr, Mx.

Non-binary: an umbrella term for any number of gender identities that sit within, outside of, across or between the spectrum of the male and female binary. A non-binary person might identify as gender fluid, trans masculine, trans feminine, agender, bigender etc.

Pansexual: an individual who's sexual and/or romantic attraction to others is not restricted by gender. A pansexual may be sexually and/or romantically attracted to any person, regardless of their gender identity.

Pronouns: pronouns are words that we use to refer to people when we’re not using their name. Pronouns are a special part of the English language as they are often used to indicate a person’s gender. For many people, when their gender identity and gender expression fall closely within traditional norms of masculinity and femininity, most people assume the appropriate ‘he’ or ‘she’. Some other individuals may present their gender identity or expression ambiguously, causing traditional assumptions about gender to be incorrect. For many trans people, having people know and use correct and affirming pronouns is an important and validating part of their gender affirmation. Some examples of pronouns include he/him/his, she/her/hers, as well as gender-neutral pronouns such as they/them/theirs.

Sex characteristics: physical parts of the body that are related to body development/regulation and reproductive systems. Primary sex characteristics are gonads, chromosomes, genitals and hormones. Secondary sex characteristics emerge at puberty and can include the development of breast tissue, voice pitch, facial and pubic hair etc. The term ‘sex characteristics’ is more accurate than ‘biological sex’ and terms such as ‘biologically male’ or ‘biologically female’. Physical organs and chromosomes should not be gendered as male or female, the gendering of body parts is a significant source of stigma, discrimination and pathologisation.

Sexuality: sexuality refers to who a person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual and pansexual are some examples of sexualities.

Sistergirl: a term used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to describe gender diverse people that have a female spirit and take on female roles within the community. Including looking after children and family. Many Sistergirls live a traditional lifestyle and have strong cultural backgrounds.

Transphobia: refers to negative beliefs, prejudices and stereotypes that exist about transgender/trans and gender diverse people.

Trans/Transgender and gender diverse: these are inclusive umbrella terms that describe people whose gender is different to what was presumed for them at birth. Trans people may position ‘being trans’ as a history or experience, rather than an identity, and consider their gender identity as simply being female, male or a non-binary identity. Some trans people connect strongly with their trans experience, whereas others do not. Processes of gender affirmation may or may not be part of a trans or gender diverse person’s life. It is important to note that some trans people may identify specifically as a trans woman or a trans man while some identify as a woman or a man.

Transsexual: Definition from GLAAD: an older term that originated in the medical and psychological communities. Still preferred by some people who have permanently changed - or seek to change - their bodies through medical interventions, including but not limited to hormones and/or surgeries. Unlike trans, transsexual is not an umbrella term. Many trans people do not identify as transsexual and prefer the word trans. It is best to ask which term a person prefers. If preferred, use as an adjective: transsexual woman or transsexual man.

Queer: an umbrella term used to describe a range of sexual orientations and gender identities. Although once used as a derogatory term, the term queer now encapsulates political ideas of resistance to heteronormativity and homonormativity and is often used as an umbrella term to describe the full range of LGBTIQA+ identities.

References

• Twenty10: https://www.twenty10.org.au/
• Trans Hub: https://www.transhub.org.au/language
• GLAAD: https://www.glaad.org/reference/transgender
• Australian Government, Australian Institute of Family Studies: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/lgbtiq-communities
• IHRA (Intersex Human Rights Australia): https://ihra.org.au/
• Fileborn, B. (2012). Sexual violence and gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer communities (Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (ACSSA) Resource Sheet). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies. Retrieved from aifs.gov.au/publications/sexual-violence-and-gay-lesbian-bisexual-trans-intersex-and-queer-communiti
• Flanders, C. E., LeBreton, M. E., Robinson, M., Bian, J., & Caravaca-Morera, J. A. (2017). Defining bisexuality: Young bisexual and pansexual people's voices. Journal of Bisexuality, 17(1), 39–57.
• GLHV. (2016). The Rainbow Tick guide to LGBTI-inclusive practice (2nd ed.). Melbourne: GLHV, La Trobe University. Retrieved from www.glhv.org.au/sites/default/files/2017-02/Rainbow%20Tick%20guide%20to%20LGBTI%20inclusive%20practice%20web.pdf