Do you need to know your ABCs or, in this case, your LGBTs?  You've come to the right page!

This is by no means an exhaustive list.

If you think anything is missing, wrong, or needs tweaking, please email me and I will update it!

Aa

AFAB

Assigned Female At Birth. Someone assigned female at birth is identified as a girl based on genital presentation at birth, i.e; a vulva.

You will often find AFAB being used to describe trans or intersex people. For example, a trans man was Assigned Female At Birth. Intersex people are often AMAB or AFAB based on external genitalia. 

In relation to, but not to be confused with AMAB.

Agender

Someone who doesn't identify with any particular gender. These folks come under the Transgender umbrella. An agender person may feel genderless, or that gender is irrelevant to their identity.

Ally

Someone who is straight and cis-gendered who unequivocally supports the LGBTQIA+ community. AKA: Friend, Supporter. 

AMAB

Assigned Male At Birth. Like AFAB, this refers to a person who was identified as a boy at birth based on the presentation of their genitalia, in this case, a penis.

You will often find AMAB being used to describe trans or intersex people. For example, a trans woman was Assigned Male At Birth. Intersex people are often AMAB or AFAB based on external genitalia. 

In relation to, but not to be confused with AFAB

Aromantic (Aro)

A person who doesn't experience (or experiences very little) romantic attraction. These people aren't interested in romantic relationships. They are cool with close friendships but might not want anything more than that. Romance movies are not their thing. Aromantic people can still have deep, meaningful relationships. They often don't experience "crushes" and don't "fall in love" with others. This is not to say they cannot experience love, as that comes in many forms. Some aromantic people are also Asexual, but not all of them are.

Aromanticism is a spectrum and includes Demiromantic people.

Not to be confused with Asexual. 

Asexual (Ace)

A person who doesn't experience (or experiences very little) sexual attraction. These people don't get the overwhelming urge to have sex with a stranger (or any person for that matter) just because that person is "hot". Many asexual people still have a libido and still engage in sexual relationships but the attraction to people sexually just isn't there. Sex scenes in media may have no impact on them or may even make them uncomfortable.  Asexual people can still recognise a person's attractiveness, and may even admire people they find attractive, the attraction just doesn't go anywhere after that. There is no 'imagining that person naked' kind of moments. Some asexual people are also aromantic.

Following a split-attraction model, which places romantic and sexual attraction in two different categories, Asexual people can also be hetero/homo/bi-romantic, meaning while they don't experience sexual attraction, they DO still desire romantic relationships with other people.

Asexuality is a spectrum and includes Demisexual and Grey-asexual folks.

Not to be confused with Celibate

Bb

Bear

A 'ruggedly masculine' presenting gay man. Generally seen to be over 30, with a large build, body hair, and full beard or a significant amount of facial hair.

Other identities under the Bear Umbrella include "Cub" (Under 30s), "Otter" (more slender men, but still with body/facial hair), and "Wolves" (deemed to be more sexually aggressive than other Bears).

In relation to, but not to be confused with, Twink.

Bi-curious

Someone who identifies as straight but is curious about what it would be like to be intimate with the same gender as themselves. A great analogy for bi-curious people is someone who is curious about travelling to another country but doesn't necessarily want to live there.

Bi-gender

Someone who is bi-gender identifies (or experiences) as having 2 genders. This may be the binary genders of male and female, or include other genders such as gender fluid or non-binary. Bi-gender falls under the transgender umbrella, however not all bi-gender people identify as trans.

Binary (gender binary)

Binary refers to 2 (two) and is often used to explain the traditionally recognised genders of Male and Female, without taking into account the many other gender identities people may experience. 

Biromantic (BiRom)

A person who, regardless of their SEXUAL attraction, is romantically attracted to people of the same, and different, genders to their own. Not all biromantic people are bisexual. Some biromantic people may not experience sexual attraction at all (Asexual) OR they may ONLY be attracted sexually to people of the opposite gender to their own (heterosexual).

In relation to, but not to be confused with, Omniromantic and Panromantic.

Bisexual (Bi)

Bisexuality is the attraction to genders the same as and different to one's own. This can look like a woman being attracted to other women and also men, or other women and genderfluid or non-binary people. Whilst "bi" means "two" bisexuality has never really meant attraction to ONLY 2 genders. Early on people mistakenly assumed bisexuality excluded transpeople, however this has nevver been the case. Some people choose the bisexual label over the pansexual label because their attraction isn't split evenly. Some people may experience more attraction to one gender in particular, over another gender.

In relation to, but not to be confused with, Pansexual and Omnisexual.

Butch (aka Stud)

Mostly seen in Lesbian or other Sapphic communities to describe a woman who displays a more masculine leaning aesthetic. 

In relation to, but not to be confused with, Femme.

Cc

Celibate

Celibacy is a choice people make to NOT engage in sexual activity. Many people assume asexual people are celibate, and they are in the sense that they are choosing not to engage in sex; however, the difference between celibacy and asexuality is that generally, celibate people experience sexual attraction and desire and are making the decision not to act on those feelings.

You may come across the term "Incel" which stands for Involuntarily Celibate. Men will sometimes use this term as a way to gaslight other people, by placing the blame on others for their own lack of sexual engagement. 

Cisgender (cis)

The prefex 'cis' is latin for "on this side of", so cisgender means "on this side of gender". A cisgendered person is simply one whose gender identity matches with what they were assigned at birth. So, for example, a person who was assigned female at birth (AFAB) and identifies as a woman is Cisgender. A person who was assigned male at birth (AMAB) but identifies as a woman would be Transgender.

Dd

Diamoric

Diamoric is a newly emerging term that refers to the attraction non-binary people experience towards other non-binary people. Because non-binary people are outside the "Gender Binary" of strictly male and female, and are attracted to other non-binary people, their sexuality isn't really covered by homo or hetero sexualities.

Demi-Gender

Demi-gender describes those who experience more than one gender identity. This can include trans or non-binary people.

Demi Boy/Demi Girl are the more commonly known demi-genders. A DemiBoy partially, but not entirely, identifies as a man or as masculine. A DemiGirl partially, but not entirely, identifies as a woman or as feminine. 

Demi-Romantic

Demi-romantic people do not experience romantic attraction to people until a close bond is formed. Demi-romantic people generally don't form crushes on people they know very little about. Their romantic attraction comes after they have known a person well. Friends to Lovers type experiences. Demi-Romantic people are not necessarily asexual and may experience intense sexual attraction to others without the romantic experience.

Demi-Sexual

Similar to Demi-romantic people, Demi-Sexual folk don't experience sexual attraction to a person until a strong romantic bond is formed. Not to be confused with Asexual people who never (or almost never) experience sexual attraction of any kind, Demi-sexual people can develop sexual interest in their romantic partners after they have started dating seriously. Demi-sexual people are not necessarily demi-romantic and may fall in love very easily.

Ee

Ff

Femme (feminine)

A feminine aligned person; someone who's identity includes some sort of feminine expression. Most common within the Lesbian community in a "Femme/Butch" binary, but also seen in the Trans and non-binary communities (trans-femme). Can also present as Hard Femme; an edgy, rock & roll feminine aesthetic, or High Femme; leaning into a more traditional feminine aesthetic.

In relation too, but not to be confused with, Butch.

Gg

Gay

Gay is an umbrella term generally used to describe people who are attracted to people of the same gender as their own (women attracted to women, men attracted to men). When the term 'Lesbian' was added to the acronym, Gay became synonymous with Men attracted to Men, however many same-sex attracted people use the word gay to describe their sexuality.

Gender 

Gender is complex. An individual's personal characteristics, self-expression, and presentation all factor into one's gender identity. This is also influenced by societies interpretation of those facets and the allocation of roles and norms to different genders. For example, in Western culture it was traditionally women who wore skirts and dresses. For many, many years women were not allowed to wear pants as they were seen as "mens clothing".

Because of the complex interpretations on what gender IS, our sex assigned at birth comes with a lot of assumptions as to how that individual will act, dress, and identify.   For a lot of people their gender identity matches up with the sex assigned at birth (Male or Female) and this makes them Cisgendered. For those who experience gender differently, they may be more comfortable with a nonbinary or transgender identity.

Gender Dysphoria

Dysphoria is a mental condition characterised by feelings of emotional discomfort, depression, or anxiety. When coupled with Gender, it expands to mean "a profound and persistent unhappiness related to one's physical sex". This is most commonly seen in Transgender people, but not always. Some transgender people don't experience dysphoria at all, and this doesn't not make them any less trans than those who do.

Genderfluid (non-binary)

Falling under the non-binary and transgender umbrellas, a genderfluid person doesn't necessarily experience any one particular gender. Their gender expression can change over time, even over the course of the day, when their experiences move between feminine and masculine identities.

Under the Genderfluid label are many other experiences of gender, however the most common are Genderfae and Genderfaun. Genderfae people will experience multiple genders but NEVER male or masculine aligned genders. Similarly, Genderfaun people will experience multiple genders but NEVER female or feminine aligned genders.

Genderqueer (non-binary)

Like Genderfluid, genderqueer people don't experience gender as a binary (male OR female). According to the LGBTQIA+ Wiki, it was the non-binary community that coined the term genderqueer to describe "anyone who experienced or expressed gender with the non-normative connotations of the Queer Movement". The Spring 1995 edition of the Transexual Menace newsletter is the earliest known use of the term Genderqueer as an identity.

Hh

Heterosexuality (straight)

The attraction to gender the opposite of one's own.

HeteroFlexible (NOT Bi)

Heteroflexible refers to someone who identifies primarily as straight, but is open to being intimate with other genders under certain circumstances. The National Youth Theatre of Britain explains it like "You can visit a country and not want to move there".

See also; HomoFlexible.

HomoFlexible (NOT Bi)

Like Heteroflexible; this refers to someone whose primary identity is homosexual (gay or lesbian) but will occasionally be intimate with people of other genders. 

Homosexuality (gay/lesbian)

The attraction to genders the same as one's own.

Ii

Intersex

Intersex people are born with (or grow to develop) sex characteristics that are not strictly male or female. This can look like a person with a penis and ovaries, or a person with a vagina and testes. Sometimes these differences are obvious from birth, and other times aren't discovered until puberty or even later. Many, many years ago intersex people were known as hermaphrodites, but this word isn't used anymore. You will sometimes see Intersex people refer to themselves as AMAB or AFAB.

Jj

Kk

Ll

Lesbian

A woman exclusively attracted to other women. 

See also: Gay, Homosexuality

Mm

Masc (Masculine)

 A masculine aligned person, someone who's identity includes some sort of masculine presentation. Most commonly seen in the Lesbian community but also increasingly common in the Trans and non-binary communities (trans-masc).

In relation to, but not to be confused with, Femme.

Nn

Non-Binary (genderfluid, genderqueer, aka enby)

A person whose Gender Identity doesn't fall within the Binary of Male or Female. It may be a combination of both, or neither. Non-Binary folks can sit anywhere within the Gender Spectrum. Many enby folks consider themselves Trans, but not all. 

Non-Binary includes other gender expressions such as Agender, Genderfluid, Genderqueer, and Demigender.

Oo

OmniRomantic

Omniromantic, similar to Biromantic and Panromantic, refers to a person who is romantically attracted to all genders and gender expressions. The defining factor between Omni and Bi/Panromantic identities is the recognition that some genders may evoke more romantic attraction than others. For example, an omniromantic person, while romantically attracted to all genders, may find themselves more attracted to masculine gender identities.

OmniSexual

Omnisexual, similar to Bisexual and Pansexual, is the sexual attraction to more than one gender. Like Pansexuality, omnisexual refers to an attraction to ALL genders and gender expression, with the defining factor being that for Omnisexual people there may be some distinction between genders; for example, an Omnisexual person may be MORE attracted to femme presenting people than other gender expressions. Bisexuality, which also encompasses all genders, differs in that while they may be attracted to their own, and other genders, they may not be attracted to ALL genders. 

In relation to, but not to be confused with, Pansexual and Bisexual.

Pp

PanRomantic

Similar to Bi/Omniromantic, Panromantic people are attracted to all genders. The difference between pan identities is that gender doesn't influence their romantic attraction. Unlike Bi or Omni romantic people, who may experience deeper attractions to certain genders, Pan people don't. They are attracted to people REGARDLESS of that person's gender identity or expression.

PanSexual

A Pansexual person, similar to Bi and Omnisexual people, are sexually attracted to more than one gender. The defining factor between the sexualities is that Pan people are sexually attracted to others regardless of their gender identities. 

Pronouns

Pronouns are words we use to refer to a person talking (I, me, my, you, yours) or a person being spoken about (she, her, he, him, they, them) when we aren't using the person's name. EVERYONE has pronouns, if you've ever referred to yourself as "I" you have used a pronoun. If you've ever referred to someone else as "her" or "him" you have used a pronoun.

Pronouns come in Gendered and non-gendered forms. She/Her/Hers and He/Him/His are gendered pronouns.

Non-Gendered pronouns include They/Them/Theirs and Zi/Zir. 

It is important to remember that She/He are ENGLISH pronouns and other languages may use very different pronouns to refer to gender. It shows a great deal of respect to ask a person what pronouns they use. Don't assume, it might not be what you think.

Qq

Queer

For a long time Queer was considered a slur against LGBTQIA+ people, but the community has reclaimed the word and now use it with pride. Many people within the LGBTQIA+ community will simply use the word "Queer" to cover all aspects of their identity.

Questioning

The Q in LGBTQIA+ stands for both Queer and Questioning. The National Youth Theatre of Britain explains that it's included in the acronym to make others who aren't sure of their identity feel welcome. 

Rr

Ss

Tt

Transgender (trans)

A transgender person is someone whose gender identity doesn't match up with the sex they were assigned at birth (See: AMAB & AFAB). When a baby is assigned male or female at birth there is the assumption that their identity will match that assigned sex, making them Cisgendered. However, this is not always the case. Some of these people may identify with another of the binary (male or female) genders (trans), or neither gender (agender) or a mix of different genders (genderqueer, genderfluid). Some people don't feel like they really fit into the binary genders and may identify as non-binary (enby)

TransMasculine (transmasc)

TransMasc refers to someone whose gender identity is predominantly Masculine. This will generally be used by people who were AFAB, but see themselves as more masculine than feminine. Some NonBinary people may refer to themselves as TransMasc when explaining their gender if they identify with more traditionally masculine aspects of gender.

TransFeminine (transfem, transfemme)

Like TransMasc, TransFem refers to someone whose gender identity is predominantly Feminine. This can be used by NonBinary people or anyone AMAB who heavily identifies with more feminine gender aspects..

Uu

Unicorn

A term used to describe a bisexual person (generally a woman, but not always) who is willing to date a married couple. This term is used in polyamorous (engaging in consenting relationships with multiple people at a time) circles when a couple is looking specifically for a bisexual person willing to be intimate with both partners. This practice is known as Unicorn Hunting and is generally frowned upon.

Vv

Ww

Xx

Yy