As a suffix, this maybe combined with terms as a prefix to denote a specific gender identity; for example, cisgender, transgender, agender.

acronym of assigned female at birth.

A person with no, or very little, connection to the concept or traditional system of gender; someone who does not align with the traditional concepts of either being a man or woman, and/or someone who sees themselves as not having a gender at all (i.e. “without gender”), or an experience of gender that is not commonly understood.

In Queer contexts, alignment generally refers to whether two or more parts of an identity are in cohesion or not; whether they ‘match’ or are ‘different’.

In gender identity, one such example is the alignment of birth sex and gender. Typically, a transgender individual is transgender because their birth sex and perceived gender do not align; for example, a Trans man may be assigned female at birth, but identify as a woman – therefore, their assigned sex at birth and gender identity do not align. They may therefore take steps to align their sex and gender, by undergoing gender reassignment surgery, hormone therapy, and/or going through the various steps needed to officially recognise their gender.

A cisgender person generally has their sex and gender aligned; their sex assigned at birth and gender identity are the same.

In sexual identity, this may refer to the alignment between one’s sexual attractions and one’s romantic attractions. This is particularly pertinent with people on the asexual spectrum: their sexual identity (asexual) may not be aligned with their romantic identity (for example, homoromantic). Similarly, an aromantic person may be homosexual (e.g. homosexual-aromantic). An asexual with their sexual and romantic identities aligned may be aromantic as well.

In allosexual people, an example would be somebody who is bisexual but homoromantic. That is, somebody who is sexually attracted to their own and other genders, but only romantically attracted to their own.

In gender identities, being aligned may also refer to experiences nonbinary individuals have: for example, a nonbinary individual may describe themselves as male-aligned, because of the experiences they have with being male.

acronym of Assigned Male at Birth.

a term typically used by medical practitioners to describe the genitals of intersex infants whose genitalia do not appear as ‘typically’ either male or female. Such an example would be genitalia that are not “completely developed”, or display characteristics of both male and female anatomies. Considered a “disorder of sex development” in medical terminology.

People with “ambiguous genitalia” may have other intersex variations that aren’t immediately apparent; similarly, those without “ambiguous genitalia” may possess other intersex variations.

A pressing human rights issue in this regard is so-called “corrective surgery” which seeks to cosmetically alter an infant’s genitalia or physical anatomy without their consent to “normalise” their intersex variations.

“Ambiguous genitalia”, like “disorder of sex development”, are terms that are considered problematic and rejected by many intersex people.

Ambisexual has had two meanings in parlance, relating to either sexuality or gender identity. However, the sexual identity is now more prevalent.

Ambisexual – in sexuality – means someone of an ambiguous sexuality, meaning, somebody who is bisexual+.

In gender identity, it is someone of an ambiguous gender; for example, someone who is androgynous.

A nonbinary gender identity associated with androgynous individuals; typically having a gender that is simultaneously feminine and masculine – but not necessarily in equal amounts. Androgynes may identify further as transgender, nonbinary and/or genderqueer.

Typically used as an adjective to describe someone’s appearance as being a mixture of typically masculine/feminine traits. It was previously used to describe intersex individuals, although this definition has fallen out of favour.

An individual whose gender expression can be described as a mixture of both masculinity and femininity, or has elements of each.

An individual who was assigned the sex of female at birth. Typically used by transgender and nonbinary individuals to describe their ‘birth sex‘.

For example, a trans man may be known on their medical records as being assigned female at birth, or describe themselves as such – that is, when they were born, they were identified as being ‘female’.

Intersex individuals may also use the term to describe the birth sex that was assigned to them, although it should also be noted that intersex individuals do not necessarily identify differently to their sex assigned at birth.

An individual who was assigned the sex of male at birth. Typically used by transgender and nonbinary individuals to describe their ‘birth sex‘.

For example, a trans woman may be known on their medical records as being assigned male at birth, or describe themselves as such – that is, when they were born, they were identified as being ‘male’.

Intersex individuals may also use the term to describe the birth sex that was assigned to them, although it should also be noted that intersex individuals do not necessarily identify differently to their sex assigned at birth.

a term now most commonly known as aegosexual, in which individuals experience a disconnect between the thought of sexual behaviours, and engaging in sexual behaviours. For example, an individual who may experience arousal at the thought of sex, but without the desire to actually engage in it.

an individual that sees themselves as having ‘two’ or ‘double’ genders, either simultaneously or varying between the two. Typically these genders are seen as male and female, or, indeed, masculine and feminine, but may also include nonbinary identities. Bigender individuals may further identify as being more masculine/male or feminine/female leaning.

Bigender individuals may present as androgynous, or present as more masculine or feminine dependent on circumstances or feelings. They may also experience a fluctuation in dysphoria.

Not to be confused with bisexual or biromantic.

in Queer contexts, this usually refers to the gender binary; but this can also refer to related notions regarding various spectrums within Queer identities, either as extreme points or as the belief that such spectrums do not exist.

Such an example would be the sexuality spectrum; where both binary points would be homosexuality and heterosexuality on either end, with bisexuality and the various bisexual+ identities occupying the space in between. However, a binary belief would be that people are either heterosexual or homosexual.

also known as the gender binary or sex binary; it is the idea that there is only two genders (related to sex) that are male and female, and that everyone is either one or the other. Heavily disputed.

a piece of material – typically made of cloth strips, elastic or non-elastic bandages or purpose-built undergarments that flatten the breasts, known as binding.

the act of flattening one’s breasts using a binder. The act of breast-binding is typically done by trans men, as well as androgynous or nonbinary people (as well as Drag Kings) in order to make the breasts less prominent and/or in order to look less feminine. This may be in order to combat dysphoria.

an alternative to faux king – that is, a cisgender male drag king, except far more problematic as it carries connotations that transgender female-to-male individuals aren’t really ‘male’.

an alternative to faux queen – that is, a cisgender female drag queen, except far more problematic as it carries connotations that transgender male-to-female individuals aren’t really ‘male’.

a medical term used to refer to the chromosomal, hormonal and/or anatomical characteristics used to classify and designate a sex of an individual – typically male or female.

An alternative to biological sex.

a part of gender reassignment surgery that relates to the ‘bottom’ part of one’s anatomy (as opposed to ‘top‘ [the chest]) – the genitals, e.g. vulvoplasty, vaginoplasty, phalloplasty, metoidioplasty.

pieces of material, typically made of silicon, that are placed in a bra on top of one’s breasts to make them look bigger; in nonbinary and transgender contexts, bra inserts may be used to help alleviate gender dysphoria by giving the appearance of breasts in feminine-presenting people.

Also known as binding.

a culturally specific term in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lexicon to refer to transgender, nonbinary and other gender diverse individuals who have a ‘male‘ spirit and take on male roles within the community.

an individual who identifies themselves as being masculine – physically, mentally and/or emotionally (as opposed to femme). Although it has often be used in a derogatory way to describe lesbians, many lesbians embrace the label as an affirmative identity label and a term of pride.

Butch is a Polari term, which also had the meaning of ‘upfront, strong’. 

an initialism for coercively assigned female at birth.

an initialism for coercively assigned male at birth.

a slang term for bra inserts.

Somebody who is not transgender and/or nonbinary. An individual whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth; for example, a cisgender man is someone who presently identifies as being “male” or a “man”, and was also assigned male at birth. Cisgender individuals may also be hetero, homo, bi(+) or asexual; it is not necessarily related to their sexual identity.

the assumption that all individuals are cisgender, or that they are cisgender until shown otherwise.

Related: heteronormativity

the behaviour that gives preferential treatment to cisgender people as opposed to transgender, nonbinary, people with intersex variations or other gender identified people.

a term used by some intersex people to describe being assigned female at birth, with the added implication that this happened without their consent to erase their intersex status and/or identity, such as through “corrective surgery“.

a term used by some intersex people to describe being assigned male at birth, with the added implication that this happened without their consent to erase their intersex status and/or identity, such as through “corrective surgery“.

in Queer contexts, this refers to the practice of “correcting” babies and toddlers with intersex variations with medical interventions. Although sometimes such interventions may be necessary (for example, to prevent or reduce future health problems, such as to improve urinary or faecal continence), many are controversial and seek to erase the intersex variations altogether; for example, to make the appearance of ambiguous genitalia more akin to what is typical for males and females. As such, corrective surgery in this regard refers to the cosmetic surgeries performed on infants without their consent, and as such considered an act of interphobia as it considers those with intersex variations to be in need of normalisation.

Increasingly, the practice has come under intense scrutiny – with many countries such as Malta banning the practice of non-consensual cosmetic medical interventions – and the practice being considered a human rights issue. The Council of Europe in 2015 recognised the right for intersex individuals to not undergo sex assignment treatment.

Corrective surgery should not be confused with gender reassignment surgery that takes place on consenting, transgender individuals.

The act of wearing clothes traditionally associated with a gender different from one’s own. A person who participates in cross-dressing is known as a cross-dresser; although they may not necessarily identify as transgender.

Related: gender-bender; transvestite.

an individual who wears the clothes of another gender/sex. Such individuals may not identify as transgender or nonbinary, they may consider themselves cisgender. They may, or may not, label themselves a transvestite. Crossdressers may also have separate personas and/or names for when they are cross-dressing; this may not take the form of drag either.

People cross-dress for a range of reasons, including for relaxation, fun or sexual gratification. Some transgender individuals do discover their identity through cross-dressing (as well as other forms of gender variant expression), but it is important to conflate being transgender or nonbinary with cross-dressers or cross-dressing (that is, not to refer to transgender or nonbinary people as “crossdressers”.

A name in which a person may previously have been known. This may be particularly pertinent, but not exclusive to, transgender and nonbinary individuals who may have been born with a name different to the name they now go by.

For example, a man who was assigned female at birth may have been born with the name ‘Julia’, but since transitioning goes by the name ‘John’. This would make ‘Julia’ his deadname, and referring to him as ‘Julia’ would be an act of deadnaming.

Much like deliberately ignoring an individual’s preferred pronouns, deliberate deadnaming is considered transphobic.

The act of deliberately referring to someone by their deadname, that is, the name they may have been born with or previously known by.

an individual who identifies partly, but not wholly, as a man/boy or masculine regardless of their designated sex at birth. This may be an individual designated male at birth who only identifies partly with being a man, or, a transmasculine person who identifies more with being male than female, but not entirely or to the point of identifying as a man.

Alternative: demiman, demimale.

Related: demigirl, deminonbinary

an alternate identity to demigirl.

an individual who describes their gender identity as only partially genderfluid. An example may be an individual assigned female at birth who feels part of their gender identity is statically female, but another part is fluid between male and nonbinary.

a gender identity which comprises of the words ‘demi’ (half) + gender. Demigender is an umbrella term for the various nonbinary identities beginning with demi: e.g. demigirl, demiboy, deminonbinary, demifluid.

Although the term linguistically states half, the idea behind demigender is that one identifies partly with a gender, rather than wholly, regardless of their assigned gender at birth.

an individual who identifies partly, but not wholly, as a woman/girl or feminine regardless of their designated sex at birth. This may be an individual designated female at birth who only identifies partly with being a woman, or, a transfeminine person who identifies more with being female than male, but not entirely or to the point of identifying as a woman.

Alternative: demiwoman, demifemale.

Related: demiboy, deminonbinary

an alternate identity to demiboy.

an alternate identity for demiboy.

an individual who identifies partly, but not wholly, as nonbinary.

Related: demiboy, demigirl

an alternate identity for demigirl.

the sex assigned at birth; that is, typically, male or female.

medical terminology for the wide variety of intersex variations, although the terminology is fast becoming questioned and debated as inappropriate, particularly as it may suggest something that needs ‘correcting’ (such as through corrective surgery).

the theatrical and performative act of sensationalised femininity, masculinity or other gender expression; taking the traditional or stereotypical gender presentation to a new hyper, artistic or surrealistic degree – typically, in the process, creating a character distinct from one’s own.

The term “drag” is a Polari term for ‘clothing’, and this is where we get the term drag queen and drag king from.

It is incredibly important for the art and act of Drag to not be conflated with transgender identities; these are two distinct things. Although there are Drag performers who are also transgender or identify as nonbinary, Drag performers, by default, are not transgender – many are cisgender. Drag is temporary: it exists for the entirety of one’s performance or night out, much like with an actor’s character.

There may be many shared features between, for example, transvestism/cross-dressing and Drag, such as character or identity creating, and there is no firm, fixed line that can separate’s what constitutes Drag and what is cross-dressing without Drag, although typically it is the intention (e.g. drag is typically for art or performance).

Drag performers, therefore, can be of any gender identity or sexual orientation.

Cisgender performers who perform sensationalised versions of their sex assigned at birth are known as faux queens and faux kings; that is, drag queens that are cisgender and assigned female at birth are known as faux queens, and drag kings that are cisgender and assigned male at birth are known as faux kings.

However, increasingly, the use of the “faux” label has been disregarded by the drag community as irrelevant and problematic, with transphobic implications; however, some “faux” kings and queens have embraced the identity.

an individual who performs, or simply dresses, in a hyper-masculine way, most often with a theatrical aspect.

It is important to note that being a Drag King is not a gender identity in itself: Drag Kings may be of any sexuality, and of any gender identity: being a Drag performer does not automatically mean that the performer is transgender or nonbinary.

A Drag King that is also a cisgender person assigned male at birth is known as a faux king (although some consider the label problematic).

an individual who performs, or dresses for effect, in a hyper-feminine way, most often with a theatrical aspect.

It is important to note that being a Drag Queen is not a gender identity in itself: Drag Queens may be of any sexuality, and of any gender identity: being a Drag performer does not automatically mean that the performer is transgender or nonbinary.

A Drag Queen that is cisgender and assigned female at birth is known as a faux queen (although some consider the label problematic).

shorthand for designated sex at birth.

an individual whose mannerisms, behaviours or style may be described as overtly feminine, particularly, but not exclusively, when said individual is a cisgender male.

an individual who is not intersex/does not have an intersex variation. Put simply, an individual whose sex characteristics meet medical or social norms for ‘male‘ and ‘female‘ bodies.

a major sex hormone produced by the human body, that affects female appearance and sexual development in profound ways, such as those that develop during puberty (secondary sex characteristics).

With transgender and gender non conforming individuals, puberty blockers may be prescribed to prevent the related changes in puberty caused by estrogen in those assigned female at birth. Feminising Hormone Therapy will increase the level of estrogen; Masculinising Hormone Therapy will increase the level of testosterone whilst blocking estrogen hormones.

A Drag King that is a cisgender person assigned male at birth.

The term has been dismissed as irrelevant and problematic by many in the drag community, and should be used with caution, particularly when terms like bio king or male king are used, as it implies that a female-to-male drag king’s male identity is not really ‘male’.

Despite this, many performers adopt and relish the faux identity.

A Drag Queen who is also a cisgender person assigned female at birth.

The term has been dismissed as irrelevant and problematic by many in the drag community, and should be used with caution, particularly when terms like bio queen or female queen are used, as it implies that a male-to-female drag queen’s female identity is not really ‘female’.

A particular example of this controversy is present with RuPaul’s Drag Race, where neither trans women or cisgender women are invited to participate, as they are considered “faux queens” rather than “drag queens”.

Despite this, many performers adopt and relish the faux identity.

relating to being a woman, women, girl/girls, or femininity, or the qualities of such; for example, female scientists describes scientists who are women.

Female is also a gender identity that may be used in conjunction with other identities (such as a bisexual female, a transgender female, etc), as well as being a classification used for one’s sex assigned at birth.

A nonbinary person may describe themselves as being female-aligned.

In binary sex, individuals are often classified as being either female or male.

a problematic term referring to a faux queen: that is, an assigned-female-at-birth individual who is a drag queen.

See also: bio queen.

a description used by individuals on the nonbinary and transgender gender spectrum to describe individuals that do not identify as female exclusively, but describes a certain alignment towards female identity.

An example may be an agender person that identifies as female-aligned because they were assigned female at birth; or a nonbinary person whose identity is more towards the female end of the spectrum than the male end.

used to describe transgender individuals who were assigned female at birth, but now identify as male. Often seen as M2F.

It may also be used to describe female cross-dressers and tranvestites who dress in a male way.

having qualities and attributes traditionally associated with being a woman; possessing traits, behaviours and/or behaviours that are typically associated with the feminine side of the gender spectrum.

Men that possess feminine attributes are known to be effeminate or ‘femme‘; in Queer slang, lesbian and bisexual women that are feminine are known as lipstick lesbians. Women who are more masculine than feminine are known as butch or tomboys.

Femininity and masculinity are social constructs; however, that is not to say that gender is completely constructed or that there are no environmental or biological factors in play, and even as a social construct, concepts of femininity and masculinity aren’t inherently wrong – traditionally, the problem has been that women have been expected to be feminine; femininity was seen as ‘weaker’ than masculinity; people have ascribed false or self-fulfilling traits on femininity (e.g. ascribing rationality and strength as masculine traits, in order to paint femininity as irrational and weak); that femininity was seen as submissive, and masculinity as dominant; and that women who weren’t feminine were portrayed in a negative light and faced prejudice.

Such concepts were used to oppress women into subordinate positions below men, and to paint women as being intellectually incapable: this misogynistic, sexist thinking has traditionally resulted in women being stripped of the right to vote, being relegated to work only as a homemaker or in servitude, and the gender pay gap. Such beliefs still persist in my areas of the world and Western society, traditionally those that are more conservative and/or traditional.

a description for somebody who describes their gender as being more feminine than masculine in terms of how they express their gender.

an identity used to describe individuals who consider themselves to be more feminine than masculine and may encompass a range of other identities (e.g. femme, submissive, transfeminine), but do not describe themselves as women.

a medical intervention of hormone therapy in which medications are prescribed that will reduce the level of testosterone whilst providing estrogen.

In Queer contexts, fluid refers to one’s sexual or gender identity in which things change or fluctuate over time; that is, a sexual or gender identity which is not static or fixed, or, that they can be subject to change unexpectedly.

Examples may be genderfluid/genderflux, or various bisexual+ identities. Many people may not realise their fluid identities until they actually experience it; for example, a heterosexual or homosexual person may enter one, or many, bicurious phases throughout their life.

Bisexual+ people may find that their attractions towards certain genders increase or decrease on a fluid basis.

Fluidity should not be confused with bisexuality being a “phase”, nor homosexuality or heterosexuality as something that something that can be changed through intervention; nor should it be considered a “transitional” period between identities; rather, it should be seen as a distinct.

One’s own personal fluidity is not applicable to other sexual and gender identities anymore than any other identity is (e.g. the existence of heterosexuals does not diminish the existence of homosexuals or bisexuals; nor do genderfluid people diminish the existence of transgender or cisgender individuals – and vice versa).

initialism for female-to-male; used to describe a transgender or transsexual man who was assigned-female-at-birth.

Typically conflated with biological sex, gender – broadly – refers to the social and cultural differences between different people, rather than merely anatomical ones. Much as there are numerous genres within art that are defined by characteristics, gender describes the multitude of characteristics in relation to biological sex (or in opposition to it) and the associated behaviours, identities, social/cultural expectations, constructs and classifications.

While the West has traditionally defined human gender to be limited to ‘male’ and ‘female’, other cultures have had more than two.

used to refer to behaviours or interventions that allow transgender and gender non-conforming individuals to be supported and recognised by their gender identity.

A very simple example of gender affirming behaviour is respecting a person’s preferred pronouns and their preferred name.

In Queer health, there are gender affirming medical interventions, such as hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery.

a term that gained popularity in the 1980s to describe individuals who were androgynous and/or deliberately played with notions of gender presentation and gender norms. Such individuals were not necessarily cross-dressers or transvestites; nor did they necessarily identify as nonbinary or transgender.

See also: genderfuck.

a prejudice or inclination towards one gender; a form of sexism, gender bias isn’t always conscious or deliberate – it can be the result of social attitudes and values that are distilled into our psychology over time and manifest in ways we may not be aware of. As a result, such attitudes need to be analysed and deliberately challenged both on an individual and group level.

An example of gender bias may be the subconscious idea that when interviewing for a position, the male applicant may be more qualified to do a job than the female applicant, even if on paper, they both have the same qualifications or experience, or that the male applicant is a better option because he won’t take maternity leave.

Gender bias can also be detrimental to men too, however: an example would be the gender bias that values a woman’s role as a housewife and/or principle caregiver of children in the home, whereas for men, househusbandry or being a stay-at-home father is typically looked down upon (especially when compared to stay-at-home mothers), and is faced with prejudice and cultural attitudes that disparage men who take on such roles – and as such, also place prejudicial attitudes upon the women who opt to be the working partner.

Gender bias can also be found in schools – hence why there is a gender gap in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics): because there is a subconscious assumption that male students are more intellectually inclined towards such subjects over females.

the idea that there is only two genders (related to sex) that are male and female, and that everyone is either one or the other. Disputed by many academics in the medical, scientific and psychological fields who make a distinction between sex (of which the idea of there only being ‘two’ binary sexes is disputed too) and gender.

Also known as ‘gender straight‘ or ‘gender normative‘.

Related: gender non-conforming.

a term used by Trans-exclusionary radical feminists to describe their ideology, particularly in an attempt to disassociate themselves as being transphobic; that is, they prefer to say their trans-exclusionary views are based on them being “gender critical”.

a catch-all, umbrella term for those who are not cisgender; that is, those who are transgender, nonbinary and/or gender non-conforming.

a medical term describing the distress an individual feels between their gender identity and their sex assigned at birth. It was previously known as gender identity disorder.

Gender dysphoria is a complicated process that differs from person to person and intensity. Some aspects to gender dysphoria may be more easily assisted than others; for example, the use of preferred pronouns is one small and simple tonic for part of an individual’s gender dysphoria (that is, by using an individual’s preferred pronouns, you alleviate the dysphoria they feel in regards to being referred to the pronouns associated with their sex assigned at birth), similarly with using their preferred name.

An individual assigned male at birth, for example, may experience an intense gender dysphoria when they are masculine presenting (that is, when they look as males are expected to), and find that certain aspects or symptoms of their gender dysphoria are alleviated by being feminine presenting – for example, they feel much more comfortable or ‘themselves’ when they are wearing feminine clothes, make-up, etc, than when they are in a suit and tie and with a beard (this is a very basic example).

Other aspects to a person’s gender dysphoria may be harder to treat, and may require hormone therapy, top surgery or bottom surgery or other medical or cosmetic interventions.

Intense gender dysphoria is associated with transgender and nonbinary individuals.

When left untreated, gender dysphoria can have severe mental health complications for the individual experiencing it.

the external presentation of one’s gender – e.g. through clothing, behaviour, demeanour, etc. Typically referred to in scales of masculinity and femininity in accordance to social/cultural expectations. It is how one presents their gender.

Also known as: gender presentation

the perception of one’s gender internally; how one identifies themselves through their gender/s; how these gender/s exist with regards to their biological sex, and the alignment of these. Often conflated with biological sex.

a medical term previously used until the release of DSM-5 in 2013, now known as gender dysphoria.

gender neutral can mean a variety of things, depending on the context it is given.

As an identity, it may relate to being agender, neutrois or the vast array of gender identities that are wholly or partly without gender.

It also refers to the idea that policies, language and social institutions – such as structures, roles, norms and identities – should avoid distinguishing between genders; in order to prevent discrimination or ascribe gender roles that assert one particular gender is more suited for them than another.

An example of gender neutral language would be to refer to an audience as “people” or “folks” rather than “ladies and gentlemen”; a “police officer” rather than a “policeman” or “policewoman”.

A particular push has been given towards gender neutrality in many areas, particularly when it comes to objects like toys. Traditionally, there have been girls and boys toys, based on ascribed gender traits and marketed as such: for example, boys toys traditionally have been toy guns, cars, etc; whilst girls toys traditionally have been crowns, dolls, etc. However, there has been an increasing push not to separate toys in gender groups, and that toys should be enjoyed by either gender according to their interests; and to prevent ascribing gender roles at an early age.

Increasingly, there is a surge in parents deciding to raise their children in a gender neutral fashion – that is, to raise them without pushing gender norms and roles on them, to allow them to experience and enjoy life away from the ascribed gender binary to reach their potential as individual human beings, rather than to be limited by their biological sex.

also known as neutrois.

a person who identifies outside of the gender binary; also an umbrella term for individuals who do not conform to the traditional ideals and expectations of their gender; a non-traditional gender presentation (e.g. a masculine woman or a feminine man).

somebody whose gender presentation, whether by nature or choice, aligns with the expectations of that gender by their society/culture.

the set of socially defined acceptable and appropriate actions and behaviours for women and men in society, to which the majority of each conform; these are social constructs that define maleness and femaleness, and/or masculinity and femininity, and can vary from culture to culture, and evolve throughout time.

Gender norms are consistently challenged in societies. One example of a once widely-held gender norm that has changed (or, at least, is more commonly challenged) is the gender norm of a woman being a wife and mother that performs the majority of domestic duties.

Gender norms also ascribe certain behaviours and presentations, such as the gender norm that women wear dresses and make-up (whereas men typically don’t). An example of changing gender norms are found in the way one dresses: trousers were once considered the ‘norm’ for men and not women, but this has changed – it’s considered completely normal and acceptable for women to wear trousers.

Related to gender roles.

Also known as gender expression.

surgical or medical procedures in which transgender and nonbinary individuals align their existing sexual characteristics with that of their perceived gender; this may include what is called top or bottom surgery. Part of the treatment for gender dysphoria.

Not to be confused with corrective surgery, in which medical practitioners perform surgery – typically on babies and infants, before they are at an age to consent – to ‘normalise’ intersex variations.

the social and legal process of recognising an individual’s gender identity, for example, the legal ability to change one’s gender on legal documents, like a passport.

This may be the ability to be recognised as male or female when assigned female at birth or assigned male at birth respectively, such as with transgender individuals, or for nonbinary individuals to be recognised as neither male or female if desired.

The term may also relate to the desire of some individuals with intersex variations to be legally recognised as not being either male or female in their sex.

the wide variety of social and cultural expectations in regards to the behaviours and attitudes that are considered acceptable or expected of individuals because of their sex and/or gender.

Closely related to gender norms, gender roles vary between societies and cultures, constantly evolve and have changed throughout history. A prominent example of gender roles in the West that has been challenged, is the idea that a woman‘s role in society is to be a wife and mother first and foremost, and for a man‘s role to be the one that is employed.

These expected gender roles, therefore, have created a society in which a working mother is viewed much differently to a working father, and, equally, a stay-at-home father being viewed much differently to a stay-at-home mother. Because of this, there are many negative stereotypes and cultural attitudes associated with working mothers and stay-at-home fathers respectively; a set of double-standards which do not apply when fathers work and mothers opt to stay at home (for example, that the stay-at-home father is ‘unemployed’ rather than fulfilling a valuable role, or that the working mother is neglecting her mothering duties or ‘missing out’ by working).

This pertinent example further extends to other cultural attitudes which place negative attitudes in regards to expectations: for example, that if a woman lacks the desire to want children, that she is somehow ‘broken’, or that any man who has a strong paternal instinct to raise or work with children is either effeminate, or doing so for some ulterior motive (e.g. a sexual one).

the vast array of gender identities that exist on a continuum between male and female, and in opposition to the idea of gender binary. The idea that gender is complex, consisting of numerous mental, biological and emotional traits.

Agender and genderless identities are still considered to be a part of, and not a rejection of, the gender spectrum; that is, they are identities wholly or partly “off the spectrum“, much like in regards to asexuality and the sexuality spectrum.

Also known as gender normative.

an individual who is not gender conforming. That is, someone who is gender non-conforming; someone who may be transgender, nonbinary, genderqueer etc., by displaying or possessing characteristics that are considered to be different to what is expected of their sex assigned at birth.

However, some people may be perceived to be exhibiting gender variance or gender non-conforming, whilst identifying as cisgender. Individuals who have intersex variations may display characteristics of gender non-conformity, which may only become apparent during puberty.

a dynamic mix between male and female, or masculine and feminine. A genderfluid person may feel to be a mix of masculine/feminine or male/female, on a shifting, fluid scale that may change back and forth or fluctuate over time.

a gender identity in which an individual’s gender identity fluctuates over time, or varies in intensity.

the act of deliberately disrupting, challenging or exaggerating gender norms, presentation and expectation.

Such examples would be to adopt a presentation that incorporates hyper-masculine/hyper-feminine elements – for examples, wearing a beard and having enlarged breasts and makeup.

Genderfuck balls are common examples of events where participants are encouraged to deliberately break-down, ‘fuck with’ and challenge ideas of gender, particularly those that are traditionally ascribed, and those associated with binary sex.

as an identity, it is an alternative term for agender, but can also refer to the vast array of gender identities that are partly genderless or neutral.

Elsewhere, genderless also refers to activities, clothes, traits, etc, that are seen in society as being gender-universal, that is, not prescribed, suited to or exclusive to one particular gender over another – that is, gender neutral.

Increasingly, some people are choosing to raise their children in a genderless/gender neutral way – that is, in a manner that does not prescribe gender norms or expectations.

a gender identity used to describe by people who do not identify as a binary man or woman; also used as an umbrella term for non-conforming or nonbinary identities, for example genderfluid, bigender, agender, etc.

initialism for gender non-conforming.

a set of pronouns, commonly assigned to men and masculine gender identities.

Some people deliberately choose to avoid using he/him pronouns when discussing people – for example, when discussing potential job applicants; by its very nature, the use of he/him pronouns discloses a person’s gender and may lead to gender bias, and so many use they/them pronouns instead.

Pronoun Usage:

• he (“he will be marching in the Pride Parade tomorrow”);
• him (“that Pride Flag belongs to him”);
• his (“his sense of style is remarkable”);
• his (“that Pride Flag is his”);
• himself (“Jay danced by himself”).

an outdated term for an individual who has an intersex variation, typically someone born with the physical characteristics of both men and women, specifically in relation to the genitals and breasts.

In reproductive biology, hermaphrodite is used to describe fauna and flora that has both kinds of reproductive organs, and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes – such as those which do not have separate sexes.

a recognised third-gender on the Indian subcontinent, comprised of people who are either eunucs, intersex or transgender. The Hijra go by many other names depending on the language, with a well-documented history.

Many Hijra face discrimination, and during the time of the British Raj (when the Indian subcontinent was colonialised by the British), many Hijra faced persecution and prosecution.

Hijra, as a term, is sometimes rejected by the people it describes in favour of other terms – but nonetheless, it is a cultural term that shouldn’t be applied to, or used by, people outside of that culture.

also known as puberty blockers, these help delay unwanted physical changes that occur during puberty, in order to give transgender and gender non-conforming individuals either more time to navigate their gender identity, or, in combination with other hormone therapies, to allow puberty to develop more aligned with their perceived gender.

In TGNC adults, these help prevent the continuous production of testosterone or estrogen whilst on hormone therapy to align their gender identity.

also known as gender-affirming hormone therapy, it is a medical intervention for transgender and gender non-conforming in which hormones are prescribed to help alleviate gender dysphoria and align one’s gender identity.

Typically the medications seek to increase levels of either testosterone or estrogen, and decrease or block the production of estrogen or testosterone respectively.

Hormone therapy is further divided into either Masculinising Hormone Therapy or Feminising Hormone Therapy.

a term describing the exaggeration of stereotypical female/feminine behaviour; in Queer contexts, this usually refers to how drag queens use stereotypical female behaviours and appearances to create a character and performance; that is, the deliberate act of exaggerating female/feminine traits for deliberate effect.

In psychological contexts, it may refer to the various behaviours possessed by women that are overtly traditionally feminine, typically with a rejection of traits that are masculine; not simply being a “girly girl” (as in being a feminine female), but actively rejecting masculine traits and norms because of a belief that women shouldn’t possess them.

a term describing the exaggeration of stereotypical male/masculine behaviour; in Queer contexts, this usually refers to how drag kings use stereotypical male behaviours and appearances to create a character and performance; that is, the deliberate act of exaggerating male/masculine traits for deliberate effect.

In psychological contexts, it refers to the various behaviours possessed by men in order to create the appearance of a “macho” personality by rejecting traits considered even remotely feminine, such as believing violence is manly, having casually sexist attitudes towards women, or the attitude that men have to be emotionally hard or indifferent because emotions are ‘girly’ and ‘feminine’.

The range of negative attitudes, intolerance and resentment towards intersex people and people with intersex variations; this may lead to and include intersex erasure and the practice known as “corrective surgery” performed on infants to “normalise” intersex bodies.

Somebody who possesses such beliefs and attitudes can be described as interphobic (or intersexphobic).

Alternate: intersexphobia

somebody whose beliefs and actions display interphobia; actions or beliefs that are hostile or discriminatory towards intersex people/people with intersex variations.

an umbrella term for individuals that are born with sexual, reproductive, anatomical or chromosomal traits that are outside of the “typical” male/female sex binary. There is a wide range of intersex variations (previously referred to as ‘disorders of sex development‘). 

Individuals with intersex variations have been forced into becoming “anatomically correct” (that is, “typical” by social and medical standards) males or females through invasive, “corrective surgeries“ as infants; for example, surgeries on their genitals to give the appearance typical of men and women. Increasingly, governments across the world are making corrective surgery illegal.

People that have intersex variations have diverse gender identities and sexualities – that is, an intersex individual’s gender or sexual orientation exists distinct from their intersex status. Like endosex people, there are many cisgender and heterosexual individuals, as well as people with intersex variations who identify as being Queer in their gender or sexuality.

the acts and attitudes of ignoring, removing or falsifying intersex people and people with intersex variations and their identity. In its most extreme form, it could be the belief that intersex identity is non-existent, and that people with intersex variations are biological dysfunctions that need “correcting” and “normalising” (e.g. through “corrective surgery“).

Intersex erasure has been commonplace both in society and in the medical community, where the bodies of infant people with intersex variations have been cosmetically altered through surgery to “normalise” their appearance and bodies, rather than to allow intersex individuals agency over their own bodies and identities.

In more subtle forms, intersex erasure could be the act of propagating myths and stereotypes about intersex individuals.

Although it may not involve overt antagonism, intersex erasure is often the result of interphobia. The invisibility and misconceptions of intersex identities, people and topics has a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of individuals with intersex variations.

an alternate term for interphobia, that is, the range of negative attitudes, intolerance and resentment towards intersex people and people with intersex variations.

alternate term for interphobic.

relating to being a man, men, boy/boys, masculinity, or the qualities of such; for example, a male choir is a choir made up of men.

Male is also a gender identity that may also be used in conjunction with other identities (such as a bisexual male, transgender male, etc), as well as being a classification for an individual’s sex assigned at birth.

A nonbinary person may describe themselves as being male-aligned.

In binary sex, individuals are often classified as being either male or female.

a problematic term referring to a faux king: that is, a drag king assigned-male-at-birth.

See also: bio king.

a description used by individuals on the nonbinary and transgender gender spectrum to describe individuals that do not identify as male exclusively, but describes a certain alignment towards male identity.

An example, may be an agender person that identifies as male-aligned because they were assigned male at birth; or a nonbinary person whose identity is more towards the male end of the spectrum than the female end.

used to describe transgender individuals who were assigned male at birth, but now identify as female. Often seen as M2F.

It may also be used to describe male cross-dressers and tranvestites who dress in a female way.

an adult male person; a gender identity, that may also be used in conjunction with other identities – such as a bisexual man, a gay man, an asexual man, etc.

Men typically have male sex characteristics. A cisgender man is a man who was assigned male at birth, a Trans man is a man who was assigned female at birth.

An intersex man is a man who was born with sex characteristics that do not fit typical notions of male biology, and as such, some may have had “corrective surgery” performed on them whilst young to “normalise” their body into being typically male (that is, to look ‘typical’ of what an endosex male body would look like).

However, men may not have typical male sex characteristics, and still be cisgender and endosex (for example, a man who cannot produce sperm).

People who were known to be mwn, and identified as such, may no longer identify as women: such as Trans women, or nonbinary people.

having qualities and attributes traditionally associated with being a man; possessing traits, behaviours and/or behaviours that are typically associated with the masculine side of the gender spectrum.

Women that possess masculine attributes are known to be butch or tomboys; men with feminine attributes are typically called effeminate or camp. Particularly masculine men may be known as ‘he-men’, although this has also been used with connotations of them being sexist or misogynist, or ‘showy’ in a manner that they seek to prove their masculinity at any opportunity.

Femininity and masculinity are social constructs; however, that is not to say that gender is completely constructed or that there are no environmental or biological factors in play, and even as a social construct, concepts of femininity and masculinity aren’t inherently wrong. Traditionally, in society (and still elsewhere), masculinity was prized over femininity, and with that, men over women.

Such attitudes towards masculinity are known as examples of toxic masculinity.

a description for someone who describes themselves as being more masculine than feminine in the way they present themselves.

an identity used to describe individuals who consider themselves to be more masculine than feminine and may encompass a range of other identities (e.g. butch, dominant, transmasculine), but do not necessarily describe themselves as men.

a medical intervention of hormone therapy in which medications are prescribed that will increase the level of testosterone.

a form of bottom gender reassignment surgery in which a series of surgical procedures work with existing genital tissue to form a neophallus (“new penis”). Different from a phalloplasty, which uses grafted skin from elsewhere on the body.

A man, typically a straight man, but not always, who takes a great deal of pride in their appearance; that is, somebody who spends more time, energy, money or effort in keeping up their appearance than is considered normal for men – particularly straight men.

An initialism of male to female.

a nonbinary gender identity and umbrella term in which a person describes themselves as having multiple genders, for example, being genderfluid, bigender, polygender, pangender, etc; this is opposed to being agender, cisgender or binary transgender.

Pronounced miks, mucks, or em-ex, Mx. is an alternative title to Mr, Miss, Ms or Mrs that is gender neutral – with the x being a ‘wildcard’; it was proposed in the late 1970s and has since become accepted by the United Kingdom government and many businesses in the sovereign state.

Sometimes, Mx. is pronounced in an extended form as mixter.

a broad nonbinary/transgender identity in which individuals have a desire to make a gender neutral presentation; many define neutrois as being different to androgyne because whilst androgynous identities blend or encompass both masculine and feminine characteristics, those who are neutrois possess neither.

a gender identity in which individuals do not identify as being strictly male or female. It is also an umbrella term for a wide variety of gender identities on the gender spectrum which are not strictly male or female; that is, as the name suggests, identities that are not binary.

Nonbinary individuals are typically transgender, as they have transitioned away – in some form – from their sex assigned at birth, although not all nonbinary individuals may identify themselves as such. Many, but not all, nonbinary people have experienced gender dysphoria.

a term describing, predominantly a couple, that are of different genders: typically related to the sex binary, to describe a couple in which one is a man and one is a woman.

a nonbinary gender identity in which an individual possesses and/or expresses all gender identities, or, possesses all of the broad gender categories: male, female and nonbinary/other.

Pangender individuals may also further describe their gender with other identities, such as genderfluid.

A term used to describe a transgender individual who manages to “pass” as their gender identity; that is, a trans woman who manages to “pass” as a cisgender woman, or a trans man who manages to “pass” as a cisgender man.

However, the use of the term is problematic; particularly as it suggests that a trans person’s worth is dependent on how other people perceive them, based solely on how they look or act.

the way one sees their own gender, the way one identifies their gender – which may be different to their sex assigned at birth.

initialism for preferred gender pronouns.

the construction of a neophallus (“new penis”) using grafted skin from elsewhere in the body (usually the forearm); this is different to a metoidioplasty, in which a neophallus is constructed from existing genital tissue.

a nonbinary gender identity in which an individual considers themselves to have, or express, multiple genders.

This is different to being pangender (having or expressing ‘all’ genders), agender (no gender) or bigender (having or expressing two genders, or simultaneously male/female). Polygender individuals may also identify with other nonbinary gender identities, such as being genderqueer or genderflux/genderfluid.

An individual’s preference for pronouns; e.g. their desire to be referred to as he/him, she/her, they/them, etc.

To deliberately neglect to use a person’s preferred pronouns – that is, to deliberately refer to them using pronouns they do not prefer – is considered transphobic in much the same way deadnaming someone is.

In regards to gender expression, it is how one presents oneself; their gender presentation, the outward part of their gender expression.

A subcategory of nouns that refer to a person or thing – traditionally, he/him, she/her, it/its, they/them.

Traditionally, males are referred to as he/him (e.g. he hurt himself on his table), and females by she/her (e.g. she hurt herself on her table), but the discussion around preferred pronouns has meant that individuals may ask to be referred to by pronouns that are different to what is traditionally expected; transgender individuals may adopt the pronouns of their gender identity (e.g. a woman who was assigned male at birth will ask to be referred to by she/her pronouns), or, in the case of nonbinary people, may wish to be referred to as they/them (e.g. they hurt themself on their table). A wide variety of other nonbinary or gender neutral pronouns also exist.

In the case of some genderqueer/genderflux or nonbinary individuals, as well as Drag Queens and Drag Kings, their pronouns may not be static; that is, depending on how they are presenting, their preferred pronouns may change (e.g. a Drag Queen may be referred to as she/her whilst in Drag, but he/him when not). Other individuals may not have any preference whatsoever.

When unsure, it is best practice to ask an individual which pronouns they prefer. It is considered polite and decent to respect an individual’s preferred pronouns and, aside from genuine mistakes, it is considered transphobic to not respect an individual’s preferred pronouns in much the same way it is to deadname them.

a term referring to hormone blockers, particularly when prescribed to people before or at early puberty in order to give gender non-conforming people more time to navigate their gender identity, and then used in conjunction with other hormone therapies to help align their sexual characteristics with their perceived gender.

An initialism for sex assigned at birth.

a term describing, predominantly a couple, that are of the same gender, and typically related to the sex binary to describe a couple in which both partners are either male or female; e.g. a same-sex relationship, same-sex marriage.

an acronym for sex coercively assigned at birth.

A term related to transgender individuals who go through hormone therapy, essentially starting what is known as a second puberty where hormonal changes take place within the body.

In medical circles, second puberty may also be used to describe the various hormonal changes that take place without hormone therapy that take place as a natural (that is, without medical intervention) part of aging.

in general, self-identification refers to being able to identify yourself with a group, community or label.

In the context of transgender identities, it refers to the ability of individuals who are transgender to identify with their gender identity without the approval of the various legal and medical authorities, such as the ability to identify as a man or a woman (or indeed, the various agender or nonbinary identities) without approval, or the prerequisite of gender reassignment surgery; in much the same way one has the agency to define their sexuality without medical approval.

Self-identification in the transgender community has proved controversial and raised concerns amongst some people; but it has also become a rallying-cry amongst transphobic people who attempt to use it in an alarmist way by inventing extreme scenarios.

The sex assigned to an individual when born; that is, typically, male or female as it may appear on one’s birth certificate.

A transgender individual is somebody who identifies their gender differently to their sex assigned at birth. By comparison, someone whose sex assigned at birth is the same as their gender (that is, their sex and gender are aligned) is considered cisgender.

It should be noted, however, that medical professionals are increasingly recognising those born with intersex variations, and may mark documents such as birth certificates as ‘X’ or ‘indeterminate’ – however, this should not be taken to mean that all people with intersex variations are of an indeterminate sex: it is common for intersex people to identify with their sex assigned at birth (male or female). A further issue presented in regards to people with intersex variations and sex assigned at birth is the issue of so-called ‘corrective surgery‘, in which medical practitioners conduct unnecessary, often cosmetic, surgery on intersex infants to ‘normalise’ their bodies to look more typically male or female.

Also known as designated sex at birth (DSAB), sex coercively assigned at birth (SCAB).

Related: assigned male at birth (AMAB), assigned female at birth (AFAB).