Guiding Definitions
Language has always been a dynamic force - constantly shifting, expanding, and diversifying to reflect the mulitfaceted human experience. Changes in our culture, society, lifestyle and technology give rise to neologisms, or new words such as 'hotspot' and 'copypasta'. Similarly, as the LGBTQ2S+ community expands and evolves, and the new world around them changes, the vocabulary we use changes too.
AFAB/AMAB
an individual assigned female/male at birth by a medical professional
Agender
an individual who does not identify with a gender
Identity Definitions:
Allosexual
an individual who experiences sexual attraction to others
Ally
an individual who is not part of the LGBTQ2+ community but supports and advocates for LGBTQ2+ individuals (like you!)
Androgyne
an individual whose identifies with a gender that is between male and female and feels both masculine and feminine simultaneously
Androsexual
an individual who is attracted to males, men, and/or masculinity
Aromantic
an individual who does not experience romantic attraction
Asexual
an individual who does not experience sexual attraction
Autosexual
an individual who is more attracted to themselves than to others
Bicurious
an individual who typically has relations with one gender but is curious about having relations with another gender
Bigender
an individual who identifies with two genders
Bisexual
an individual attracted to people of their own gender and to people with a different gender than their own, but not all genders
Cisgender
an individual whose gender aligns with the biology they were assigned at birth
Crossdresser
an individual who wears clothes that society associates with a gender other than the one assigned at birth (ex: a male wearing a dress)
Demisexual
an individual that cannot feel sexual attraction until a strong emotional bond has been developed with their partner
Drag King
a person who performs as a man for an audience
Drag Queen
a person who performs as a woman for an audience
Gay
generally refers to a man who is attracted to other men, but can also refer to those who are attracted to the same gender
Genderfluid
an individual whose gender identity changes over time
Greysexual
an individual on the asexual spectrum but does not identify with the main types of asexuality
Gynesexual
an individual who is attracted to females, women, and/or femininity
Intersex
an indidvidual whose biology has both female and male traits or is ambiguous
Lesbian
a woman who is attracted to other women
LGBTQ2S+
an acronym which reflects all queer identities, see the FAQ section for a full breakdown of the acronym!
Monosexual
an individual who is attracted sexually to one gender
Nonbinary
an umbrella term for individuals with identities outside the gender binary
Nonconforming
an individual whose appearance or behaviour differs from traditional societal gender norms
Omnisexual
an individual whose attraction is not dependent on gender, but still recognizes the gender of their chosen partner
Pansexual
an individual whose attraction is not dependent on gender, and is gender blind when it comes to their chosen partner
Pangender
a gender identity that is not limited to one gender and it may encompass all genders at once
Polysexual
an individual who is attracted to multiple genders
Queer
an umbrella term for individuals who do not identify as cisgender or straight, this term is often only used by those who identify as queer
Questioning
an individual who is unsure of their gender and/or sexuality
Skoliosexual
an individual who is attracted to transgender or nonbinary individuals
Straight
an individual who is only attracted to the opposite binary sex
Transgender
an individual whose gender does not align with the biology they were assigned at birth
Two Spirited
an Indigenous culture-specific gender identity which comprises of both male and female spirits
Action Definitions:
Coming out
the disclosure of an individual's gender identity or sexual orientation
Deadnaming
using a trans or non-binary individual’s birth name after they have transitioned into the new identity (and new name) which aligns with their gender identity
Gender Expression
the way an individual relays their gender identity to the public
Gender Identity
an individual’s internal sense of gender
Misgendering
the use of pronouns which does not accurately reflect an individual's gender identity
Transition
the process of changing one’s biological gender to better align with their gender identity; this may involve surgery or hormone treatments
Out
an individual who openly identifies as a part of the LGBTQ2+ community to those around them
Outing
the disclosure of an individual’s gender identity or sexual orientation without their consent
Pride
the promotion and support of the self-affirmation, equality, and increased visibility of members of the LGBTQ2+ community; can be done by allies and members of the community
Pronouns:
A disclaimer that the terminology, phrases, and definition provided in this website is only current as of 2022. As language evolves, some of these terms may become outdated and obsolete. Doing more research is just one step of many in learning.
The creators of the Dandelion Allyship also acknowledge that one of the limitations of our project is that we are not a part of the LGBTQ2S+ community ourselves, but we want to use an opportunity given to us to help educate and promote inclusivity around us.