Assigned Gender: The gender one is considered to be at birth, due to the presence of one's external sex organs at birth.

Androgenous/Androgeny: The quality of simultaneously exhibiting masculine and feminine characteristics.

Bigendered: One who switches between masculine and feminine gender roles from time to time.

Biphobia: The oppression or mistreatment of bisexuals, especially by lesbians and gay men.(See homophobia)

Bisexual: One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions to members of both the same and the other sex. Derogatory terms include the same terms as are applied to lesbians and gay men. Derogatory terms are sometimes used toward bisexuals from lesbians, gay men, and some heterosexuals: fence sitter, AC/DC, double-gaited, confused.

Boy: A young male. Colloquial term for masculine. Often used to specify gender of clothes. ["My boy clothes. "] Boy has often been used as a condescending term for a man (especially a man of color), and is therefore distasteful to many people.

Butch: 1. Masculine or macho dress and behavior, regardless of sex or gender identity. 2. A sub-identity of lesbian or gay men, based on masculine or macho dress and behavior.

Camp: To joke or playact exaggerated masculine or feminine behaviors for others' entertainment. Especially men exhibiting exaggerated feminine behaviors. Also, to camp it up.

Clocked: To discover one's dress or appearance is not consistent with their biological gender.(e.g. a male in drag may say "I was clocked on the bus by a little kid today who asked his mom why I was wearing a dress.")

Closeted: This is a verb used to describe someone who has not yet "come out" or disclosed their sexual orientation to another.(i.e. He is closeted at work, meaning he is not open about his sexuality at work).

Come Out: 1. To disclose one's own sexual identity to another. [I came out to my boss and I was fearful he would fire me.] 2. To discover that one's own sexual identity is different than previously assumed. [I came out to myself 10 years ago]. 3. To disclose another's sexual identity with their permission or at their request. [I asked my co-worker to come out to my boss for me]. 4. Sometimes applied to disclosure of other information than one's sexual identity.

Cross Dresser(CD): One (regardless of motivation) who wears clothes, makeup, etc. which are considered (by the culture) appropriate for the other gender but not one's own.

Cross-Gender: Transcending socially-prescribed gender lines.

Drag (In Drag): 1. Clothes, often unusual or dramatic, especially those considered appropriate to the other gender. 2. Can be applied to any recognizable "look." [i.e. to a man in a suit, "I see you are in corporate drag today]. 3. In drag: Wearing clothes of the other gender. [I went to the Halloween party in drag].

Dyke: Reclaimed derogatory slang. Refers to lesbians, or to lesbians and bisexual women. When used by non-gay persons, this is often viewed as derogatory.

Electrolysis: The process of killing hair follicles, especially of facial and neck hair, usually with an electric needle.

FTM: Female to male. Used to specify the direction of a sex or gender role change.

Femme: 1. Feminine or effeminate dress and behavior, regardless of sex or gender identity. 2. A sub-identity of lesbian or gay, based on masculine or macho dress and behavior.

Female: A culturally assigned label at the time of birth based on the presence of a vagina.

Female Impersonator (FI): A male who, on specific occasions, cross dresses and employs stereotypical feminine dialog, voice, and mannerisms for the entertainment of other people.

Feminine: The gender role assigned to females.

Fetishistic Transvestite: A Transvestite who consistently eroticizes cross dressing (receives sexual gratification from cross dressing). May also eroticize fantasies of gender/sex change.

Freedom Rings: These are 6 metallic rings in the same rainbow colors as the gay flag and they were originally worn in the early 1990's as necklaces. Since then, the concept of utilizing the colors of the rainbow flag in jewelry has proliferated in to multiple pins, rings, earrings, and other accessories.

Gay (man/woman): One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions primarily to members of the same sex (as oneself). Often refers only to gay males, others use this term to refer to gay males and lesbians. Derogatory slang includes: queer, faggot, swish.

Gender (identity): A psychological gender role. Masculine or feminine. The perception we have of ourselves as male or female.

Gender Bender: Slang word for one who crosses gender lines through appearance, behaviors and or attitudes without trying to appear to be from the other gender.

Gender dysphoria (GD): Unhappiness or discomfort experienced by one whose sexual organs do not match one's gender identity.

Gender neutral: Clothing, behaviors, thoughts feelings, relationships, etc... which are considered appropriate for members of both genders.

Gender role: Arbitrary rules, assigned by society, that define what clothing, behaviors, thoughts feelings, relationships, etc. are considered appropriate and inappropriate for members of each gender. Some clothing, behaviors, etc. are considered appropriate for members of both genders. Which things are considered masculine, feminine, or neutral varies according to location, class, occasion, and numerous other variables.

Genetic Boy (GB): Colloquial term for Genetic Male.

Genetic Male/Man (GM): One who was considered male from birth, regardless of one's present sex or gender identity.

Genetic Female/Woman (GF/GW): One who was born female, regardless of one's present sex or gender identity.

Genetic Girl (GG): Colloquial term for Genetic Female.

Girl: 1. A young female. 2. Colloquial term for feminine. Often used to specify gender of clothes. ["My girl clothes."] Girl has often been used as a condescending term for a woman, and is therefore distasteful to many people.

Hermaphrodite: One who has both a penis and a vagina.

Heterosexual (het): One who has significant sexual and romantic attractions primarily to members of the other gender (than oneself). Derogatory terms include: breeder.

Heterosexism: The institutional and societal reinforcement of heterosexuality as the privileged and powerful norm. The assumption that identifying as heterosexual and having sexual and romantic attractions only to members of the other sex (than oneself) is good and acceptable, and that other sexual identities and attractions are bad and unacceptable. The assumption that anyone is heterosexual whose sexual orientation is not known, usually coupled with a "blindness" to the existence and concerns of non-heterosexual persons.

Homophile: Obsolete term for gay male.

Homophobia: Originally, an irrational fear of sexual attraction to persons of the same gender. Developed into a term for the oppression of lesbians and gay men, and later into a term for all aspects of oppressions of lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals. This oppression ranges from not including GLB in one's circle of friends and media reports on and representations of society, through the cold shoulder, snide comments, verbal harassment, assault, rape, and murder based on the target person's (perceived) sexual orientation.

Homophobe: One who is afraid of or oppresses people because one (perceives them to) have sexual and romantic attractions to members of the same gender.

Homosexual: Formal or clinical term for gay, usually meaning gay male, sometimes meaning lesbian and gay persons, and occasionally including bisexual persons. The terms "homosexual" and "homosexuality" are often associated with the proposition that same gender attractions are a mental disorder (which they have not been considered to be since 1973), and are therefore distasteful to some people.

Hormone therapy: Used to change secondary sex characteristics, including breast size, weight distribution, and facial hair growth.

Identify/ied (as): To think of oneself as having a particular sexual identity or gender identity. [I identify as a lesbian.] Self-identify is often used to emphasize that one's identity refers to one's internal reality, as opposed to what others think or observe of one.

Identity: How one thinks of oneself. One's internal self, as opposed to what others observe or think about one.

Lambda Sign: In 1970, the Gay Activists Alliance of New York designated the lambda - the letter L in the Greek alphabet - as a symbol of our liberation.

Label: How someone else sees or thinks of one.

Lavender: A favorite theory about how lavender came to be associated with gay men and lesbians is the custom in the sixteenth century England in which both men and women indicated that they did not intend to marry by wearing violets. However it began, the link between lavender and gayness has been passed on throughout the generations.

Lesbian: A woman who has significant physical, psychological and emotional attractions to members of the same gender. Derogatory slang: dyke, lesbo.

LGB/LGBT/LGBTQ: Acronym used to refer to persons who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered), Questioning (ones gender or sexual orientation).

MTF: Male to female. Used to specify the direction of sex or gender role change.

Male: A culturally assigned label at the time of birth based on the presence or absence of a penis.

Male Impersonator: A female who, on specific occasions, cross dresses and employs stereotypical masculine dialog, voice, and mannerisms for the entertainment of other people.

Masculine: The gender role assigned to males.

Non-gay: An alternative way of describing heterosexual persons - in response to concerns surrounding the word straight. (see straight)

Other Gender: The other sex or gender than the reference person's own. [She has an other gender partner (meaning she has a male partner).

(to be) Out: To be open about one's sexual identity with someone or in a situation. [I am out at work.]

Out (someone): 1. To disclose a second person's sexual identity to a third person, especially without permission from the second person. 2. To disclose one's own sexual identity, sometimes without choosing to do so. [I outed myself by leaving a personal letter on my desk.]

Preoperative Transsexual (Pre-op TS): One who is actively planning to switch physical sexes, mostly to relieve gender dysphoria. Probably, but not necessarily, cross dresses, takes hormone therapy, and gets electrolysis (if MTF).

Primary Sex Organs: Penis (male) or vagina (female).

Queer: 1. Reclaimed derogatory slang for the population of persons who identify as GLB. Not accepted by all GLB persons, especially those who recall the memories of abuse this word caused when used against them as youngsters.  2. Sometimes used for an even wider spectrum of marginalized or radicalized groups and individuals.

Rainbow Flag: This is a multi-colored flag that was originally designed for the 1978 Gay Pride celebration in San Francisco. The rainbow colored stripes symbolize the diversity among the gay and lesbian population. The flags have become an international symbol of lesbian, gay, and bisexual freedom and pride.

Same Sex/Gender: The same sex or gender as the reference person's own.

Sex: Male or female, depending on one's primary sex organs

Sex Role: See Gender Role

Sexual Identity: How we label ourselves (heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian)

Sexual Orientation: The direction (toward males, females, or both genders) of our emotional, social and physical attractions.

Sexual Preference: This is an outdated term used to describe one's sexual orientation. However, because the word "preference" indicates choice to some people, and is misleading in that studies show that people have little if any control or influence over the development of their sexual and romantic attractions.

Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS): A surgical procedure which changes one's primary sexual organs from one sex to another (penis to vagina or vagina to penis).

Sexuality Symbols: The astrological symbol for the planet Mars signifies men, and the symbol for Venus signifies women. Two intersecting women's or men's symbols mean lesbian or gay, respectively. And combining one of each means bisexual.

Straight: Colloquial for heterosexual. Because straight has connotations of "unadulterated," "pure," and "honest," some people object to the implication that one who is not straight is "bent," "adulterated," "impure," or "dishonest." Straight has connotations of "narrow, " "straight-laced" or "conservative," and some heterosexual-identified people find it distasteful.  Alternative terms include: heterosexual or non-gay.

Survival Sex: exchanging sex for money or the means to survive (shelter, food, etc.)

Transgender: Originally this word meant 1. What is also known as full-time cross-dressers or nonsurgical transsexuals, people who live and work in their non-anatomical gender continuously and always. Now it also means; 2. The group of all people who are inclined to cross the gender line, including transsexuals, cross-dressers, and gender benders. This is the main way the word is used today, and it is referred to as the "umbrella definition" as it covers all behaviors which transcend traditional gender norms.

Transsexual (TS): One who switches physical sexes (usually just once but there are exceptions). Primary sex change is accomplished by surgery (See SRS). Hormone therapy, electrolysis, additional surgery, and other treatments can change sex characteristics. (see Pre-op TS).

Transvestite (TV): One who mainly cross dresses for pleasure in the appearance and sensation. The pleasure may not be directly erotic. It may be empowering, rebellious, or something else.

Triangles : During World War II prisoners of the Nazi death camps were forced to wear colored symbols on their clothes to mark them as members of different groups. Jewish persons had to wear yellow stars. Gay men had to wear pink triangles and lesbians, as well as prostitutes and other "asocial" women, black triangles. At the end of the war, most people in the concentration camps were liberated, but those with pink triangles were considered to be criminals and were transferred to prisons. In the early 1970's gay men and lesbians began wearing these triangles as a statement of pride in their identity and a refusal to be oppressed any longer. The triangles serve to remind us all, "never forget/never again." The triangles point down, the way they were worn during the Holocaust. Bisexual people have adopted two overlapping triangles - one pink, one blue - that create a lavender triangle in the middle.