2.5.2.1 Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Everyone has a sexual orientation and gender identity. There are several different terms related to sexual orientation and gender identity summarized here.

Please be aware that in your community the vocabulary and definitions may be different.

Identity terms are complicated, and creating a description that works perfectly for everyone using that label is not possible.

Gender: Gender is a socio-cultural system that classifies some people as masculine and some as feminine based on certain characteristics that vary between cultures and communities.

Sex: Refers to a person’s genital organs, chromosomes or secondary sex characteristics, commonly ‘male,’ ‘female’ or ‘intersex.’

Heterosexual: Someone emotionally, physically and/or sexually attracted to a sex other than their own.

Lesbian: A woman who is primarily, emotionally, physically and/or sexually attracted to other women.

Gay: Someone who is primarily, emotionally, physically and/or sexually attracted to members of the same sex and/or gender; it’s often used to refer to men who are primarily, emotionally, physically and/or sexually attracted to other men but can also be applied to women and/or the queer community, to anyone who does not identify as a heterosexual.

Bisexual: Someone emotionally, physical and/or sexually attracted to people of their own gender as well as other genders but not necessarily simultaneously or equally.

Transgender: Someone whose gender identity differs from the social expectations of the physical sex with which they were born. Biological sex, which is one’s body (genitals, chromosomes, etc.), is different than social gender, which refers to one’s qualities of masculinity and/or femininity.

Gender and sex are not the same.

Queer: This is used as an umbrella term to describe individuals who do not identify as straight or to describe people who have a non-normative gender identity. Please note that, historically, this was used as a derogatory term, so it’s not embraced or used by all members of the LGBTQIA community.

Intersex: This is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not seem to fit the typical definitions of male or female.

Asexual: Someone who does not experience sexual attraction. It is distinct from celibacy, which people choose; asexuality is an intrinsic part of who someone is.