Language is dynamic; it grows, changes and develops. This is
particularly true with the language of diversity and the terms (labels)
we use to identify ourselves. As respectful individuals in a civil
society, we should strive to be sure that our language does not demean,
exclude, or offend. We must allow others to self identify, for
definitions of terms will vary for everyone. These definitions provide a
starting point for discussion and understanding.
- Bisexual:
- A person who experiences the human need for warmth, affection, and
love from persons of either gender. Sometimes this includes sexual
contact.
Gay: - A term often said to apply to both men and women who are attracted
to the same gender much in the same way that 'man', used generically,
has been used in the past to encompass both men and women. Many object
to the use of 'gay' applied to gay men and lesbians, and it is often
used only to identify homosexual males.
Gay Man: - A man who experiences the human need for warmth, affection, and
love from other men. Sometimes this includes sexual contact.
Gender Identity: - An individual's basic self-conviction of being male or female.
This conviction is not contingent upon the individual's biological
gender. The exact process by which boys and girls come to see
themselves as males or females is not known. However, research
indicates that gender identity develops some time between birth and 3
years of age. (See also: Transgender Definitions)
GLBT: - "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender"
Heterosexual Privilege: - The basic civil rights and social privileges that a heterosexual
person automatically receives that are systematically denied to gay,
lesbian, and bisexual persons simply because of their sexual
orientation. The assumption that all people are heterosexual.
Heterosexual: - A person who experiences the human need for warmth, affection, and
love from persons of the opposite gender. Sometimes this includes
sexual contact.
Heterosexism: - Systems and ways of thinking that reinforce a belief in the
inherent superiority of heterosexuality and heterosexual
relationships, thereby negating the lives and relationships of gays,
lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people.
Homophobia: - Negative feelings, attitudes, actions, or behaviors against
lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people, or people
perceived to be any of the above. It may also manifest as a persons
fear of being perceived as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.
Consists of three separate components: Sexism, Xenophobia and
Erotophobia. Currently, the word is often used in relation to issues
of discrimination in regards to gender identity and sexual
orientation. Other related terms that may be appropriate in specific
cases: 'Biphobia' and 'Transphobia.'
Homosexual: - A term coined in 1869 by an early psychiatrist, who used it to
describe a person who has 'an other than normal sexual urge which
renders them physically and psychically incapable.' Since the word was
originally used to describe a pathology, most gays and lesbians do not
like this term used to define them. Homosexuality per se is no longer
considered an illness by the American Psychiatric Association, nor by
the American Psychological Association, the American Medical
Association, or most other reputable professional organizations.
Lesbian: - A woman who experiences the human need for warmth, affection, and
love from other women. Sometimes this includes sexual contact.
"Out of the Closet" / "Being Out": - Means that one states openly that one is lesbian, bisexual, gay,
or transgendered, in contrast to 'staying in the closet' by hiding or
denying one's gender identity or sexual orientation either from
oneself or from others.
Sex: - An act, or series of acts, which are a natural part of human
expressions of desire, love and affection. Or the identification of
biological gender.
Sexual Orientation: - The orientation within human beings, which leads them to be
emotionally and physically attracted to persons of one gender or the
other or both. One's sexual orientation may be heterosexual,
homosexual, bisexual, or asexual.
Queer: - Used by some to refer to themselves, the GLBT Community, a person
who is GLBT, or even someone who is supportive of the GLBT
communities. Often viewed as a political statement as well as an
identity or label. Many of those who use the term feel it is more
inclusive, allowing for the diversity of race, class, ability and
gender that is represented by the GLBT communities. Caution: Many GLBT
individuals dislike this word and view it as pejorative.
Domestic Partners: - Adults who are not legally married, who share resources and
responsibility for decisions, share values and goals, and have
commitments to one another over a period of time. Legal definitions
may vary among city ordinances, corporate policies and by individuals
and families
Family: - "Two or more persons who share resources, share responsibility for
decisions, share values and goals, and have commitments to one another
over a period of time. The family is that climate that one comes home
to; and it is that network of sharing and commitments that most
accurately describes the family unit, regardless of blood, or adoption
or marriage." Source: American Home Economics Association.
Transgender Definitions
- Transgender:
- A broad umbrella term for persons who have a self-image or gender
identity not traditionally associated with their biological gender.
Some transgender persons wish to change their anatomy to be more
congruent with their self-perception, while others do not have such a
desire. There is no absolute correlation between sexual orientation
and transgender issues. A transgender person may identify as
heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
Bigenderist: - A person who develops and expresses a distinctly male persona and
a distinctly female persona. A bigenderist might, for example, work as
a woman and socialize as a man (or vice versa). See also: Crossdresser.
Crossdresser: - A person who dresses in the clothing of the opposite biological
gender. Crossdressers generally want to relate as, and be accepted as,
a person of the gender they are presenting. Crossdressing may be
partial or total in amount of time and amount of clothing worn. See
also: Bigenderist. Crossdressers may identify as heterosexual,
lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
"Drag": - Dressing in the clothing of the opposite biological sex, or in a
manner different than how one will usually dress (i.e. "corporate
drag" or "military drag"). 'Drag' is often theatrical, and often
presents a stereotyped image. Individuals who dress in 'Drag' may or
may not consider themselves part of the transgender community. They
also may identify as heterosexual, gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Female or Male Impersonator: - Persons who crossdress as performance art and/or as stage
personalities. They may also consider themselves 'drag performers.'
They may or may not consider themselves to be crossdressers or
bigenderists, and they may be heterosexual, lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
Gender Bending / Blending: - Dressing in such a way as to question the traditional feminine or
masculine qualities assigned to articles of clothing or adornment.
Gender bending may be part of a 'fashion' trend, or possibly a
'political' statement. Gender bending often has no correlation to
issues of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Transsexual: - A person whose gender identity is other than their biological
gender this person may wish to change their anatomy to be more
congruent with their self-perception. Most transsexuals would like to
alter their bodies through hormonal therapy, gender reassignment
surgeries or other means.
Transvestite: - Often a person who may achieve sexual pleasure through the use of
clothing or personal adornments of the other gender. Often incorrectly
used inter-changeably with 'Crossdresser.' There is no correlation
between sexual orientation and transvestite behavior. Transvestites
may identify as heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual in their
sexual orientation.
Transition: - In the parlance of Transgender issues, the 'transition' is the
time period when an individual changes from expressing one gender to
another in their personal life and/or workplace. For most individuals
the workplace transition is very carefully planned, often including
appropriate levels of management in early discussions, and the
transition process may be weeks to months in length. The personal life
transition, also eagerly anticipated, may be more sudden.
Intersexed: - Generally applied to individuals born with ambiguous genitalia (an
outdated term would be: Hermaphrodite). In the past, most intersexed
individuals have had surgery shortly after birth in an attempt to give
them an "identifiable" gender. There is now much discussion about this
practice, but so far little has changed. Parents often feel forced to
make a quick decision with little information. Most intersexed persons
are raised as girls/women.
Symbols of Pride for the GLBT Communities
- Pink Triangle:
- The symbolism of the pink triangle dates back to World War II. In
1935, the Nazis passed anti-homosexual laws (pp175). The Nazi death
camps were constructed to eliminate Jews, homosexuals, gypsies,
Jehovah's Witnesses, mentally and physically handicapped, and others.
Each of these groups were identified with a symbol on their camp
uniforms; just as Jews were forced to wear a yellow Star of David,
homosexuals, were forced to wear pink triangles. In 1977, the pink
triangle was adopted as a symbol of the fight against oppression, and
the work towards GLBT inclusion. The pink triangle is worn as a
reminder of what can happen when fanatical social elements launch
"hate wars" against minorities.
Lambda: - The 11th letter in the Greek alphabet, the Lambda has long been a
universal gay icon.
Rainbow Flag: - In 1978, when San Francisco was grieving the assassinations of
Harvey Milk, the city's first openly gay City Supervisor, and Mayor
George Moscone, the organizing committee for 'Speak Out for Justice'
called for the development of a permanent symbol which could be used
by gay men and lesbians celebrating and saluting their community. San
Francisco artist and former military officer Gilbert Baker, inspired
by the five striped 'Flag of the Races' (red, black, brown, yellow,
and white), designed the Rainbow Flag. The first eight-striped Rainbow
Flags made their debut at the 1978 Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day March
in San Francisco. The eight-colored flag was affectionately called the
'New Glory'.
The original eight colors were pink for sexuality, red for light,
orange for healing, yellow for the sun, green for natural serenity,
turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit. In 1979
the Paramount Flag Company introduced a six-striped flag through its
outlet, The Flag Store. Over the years, the Rainbow Flag has gone
through many variations. Popular sentiment, however, has kept the
current six-color flag in prominence: red, orange, yellow, green,
blue, and purple.
In 1985 The Rainbow Flag was accepted by the International Association
of Lesbian and Gay Pride Coordinators. Today one can see 'Rainbows' in
cities throughout the world.
Annual Gay Pride Celebration: - Held in late June every year to celebrate the anniversary of the
"Stonewall Inn Riots", a three day demonstration in New York City that
began on June 27, 1969, and marks the beginning of the modern "gay
liberation movement."
The purposes of this event include:
1) To educate about the diversity, issues and goals of gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender citizens and neighbors.
2) To provide a forum for celebration of the history and
accomplishments of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.
3) To provide an opportunity for networking and outreach by the many
businesses, services and community organizations that welcome and
serve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, their families
and friends.
Annual National Coming Out Day (NCOD): - Many studies have proven that people who personally know GLBT
individuals are significantly more likely to accept and support equal
civil rights for GLBT Americans. NCOD encourages all people to be
honest about their own sexual orientation, in order to have the
positive dialogue needed to erase bigotry, misunderstandings, and
stereotypes. NCOD is celebrated on October 11th every year to
commemorate the 1987 March on Washington for Gay, Lesbian Civil
Rights, as well as the inaugural visit of the Names Project - AIDS
Quilt to the nation's capital.
* The 1987 March was not inclusive of the bisexual
and transgender communities.)
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