Ace – Is an umbrella term used to describe a variation in levels of romantic and/or sexual attraction, including a lack of attraction. Ace people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, asexual, aromantic, demis and grey-As.

Agender – A term used by people who don't see themselves as fitting anywhere on the gender spectrum. Agender people often use 'without gender', or 'genderless' to also describe what being agender means to them.

Ally (Heterosexual Ally, Straight Ally) – Someone who is a friend, advocate, and/or activist for LGBT people.

Androgynous – The term used to describe an individual whose gender expression and/or identity may be neither distinctly “female” nor “male,” usually based on appearance.

Asexual – A person who experiences no, or little sexual attraction towards other people.

Assigned Sex/Gender – The sex/gender you were distinguished as when you were born based on one's genitals, chromosomes etc.

Bi(sexual) – A person who is attracted to people of the same gender as themselves, and other genders.

Biphobia – The fear, discrimination, prejudice or bullying of a person because they are bisexual or perceived to be bisexual by others. Biphobia is considered a Hate Crime.

Cis(gender) – A person who feels like their gender is the same as the one given to them when they were born.

Coming Out – The process of telling others about your sexual/romantic orientation and/or gender identity.

Cross Dresser / Transvestite – An individual of either sex that likes to wear the clothes commonly associated with the opposite gender, but is otherwise happy with their gender assigned at birth. Cross Dressing is not the same as being trans.

Deadnaming – Calling someone by their birth name after they have changed their name. This term is often associated with trans people who have changed their name as part of their transition.

Deed Poll/Statutory Declaration – The document used to legally change a person’s name.

FTM/ trans man/ a transgender man – Someone assigned female at birth and identifies as male.

Gay – A person who is attracted to people of the same gender as themselves.

Gender / Gender Identity – How a person feels or experiences themselves in regards to their gender. E.g. male/ female/ neither/ both.

Gender Dysphoria – A recognised medical term that refers to the physical, mental and/or social discomfort of the mismatch between a person’s gender identity and their assigned sex.

Gender Expression – Gender expression is the way in which an individual expresses their gender identity, both in terms of self-identity and how others perceive them. This can be through the clothes they wear or behaviour, for example. A person's gender expression isn't always the same as their gender identity and can change depending on things like situation, place, and time.

Genderfluid – A person who experiences their gender as shifting, or changing over long and/or short periods of time.

Genderqueer – A term sometimes used by people who feel their gender identity does not fit into the standard socially constructed ideals of male and female. This can include feeling like you are outside of the binary of male and female, or somewhere in between. Genderqueer as an identity is often very subjective and individual to the person using that word and as such can have a variety of different meanings attached to it.

Gender Reassignment – Another way of describing a person’s transition. To undergo gender reassignment usually means to undergo some sort of medical intervention, but it can also mean changing names, pronouns, dressing differently and living in their self-identified gender.

GIC / Gender Identity Clinic – a service which provides specialist medical care for trans people.

Intersex – A term used to describe a person who may have the biological attributes of both sexes or whose biological attributes do not fit with societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female. Intersex people may identify as male, female, non-binary, or intergender.

Heteronormativity – the normalising of heterosexual relationships and the assumption that everyone is attracted to the ‘opposite’ gender.

Homophobia – The fear, discrimination, prejudice or bullying of a person because they are gay or lesbian or perceived to be gay or lesbian by others. Homophobia is considered a Hate Crime.

Homosexual – This might be considered a more medical term used to describe someone who has an emotional romantic and/or sexual orientation towards someone of the same gender. The term ‘gay’ is now more generally used.

Lesbian – A woman who is attracted to other women.

MTF/ trans woman/ a transgender woman – Someone assigned male at birth and identifies as female.

Non-binary – A person who feels that their gender identity does not fit into the “gender binary” of “men” and/or “women”.

Oestrogen – The female sex hormone often prescribed to trans women who wish to undergo medical transition.

Outed – When a lesbian, gay, bi or trans person’s sexual orientation or gender identity is disclosed to someone else without their consent.

Pan / Pansexual / Panromantic – Refers to a person whose emotional, romantic and/or sexual attraction towards others is not limited by sex or gender.

Passing – If someone is regarded, at a glance, to be a cisgender man or cisgender woman.

Pronoun – Words we use to refer to people’s gender in conversation - for example, ‘he’ or ‘she’. Some people may prefer others to refer to them in gender-neutral language and use pronouns such as they/their and ze/zir.

Queer – Historically used as an insult, however, some people feel they have reclaimed the word and it has a positive meaning. Some still feel it’s an insulting term. Some people use it as a collective term for LGBT+ people, and some to explain their gender, sexual or political identity.

Questioning – A person who is currently re-assessing or exploring their thoughts about their orientation and/or gender identity.

Sex – Assigned to a person on the basis of primary sex characteristics (genitalia) and reproductive functions. Sometimes the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are interchanged to mean ‘male’ or ‘female’.

Sexual Orientation – A person’s emotional, romantic and/or sexual attraction to another person.

Straight / Heterosexual – Used to refer to individuals who identify as a heterosexual, meaning having a sexual, emotional and/or physical attraction to individuals of the “opposite” gender/sex.

Testosterone –  The male sex hormone often prescribed to trans men who wish to undergo medical transition.

To gender/ misgender – To presume someone else’s gender identity/ to presume incorrectly.

Top surgery – A term that trans people may use when referring to surgeries designed to produce a male or female shaped chest.

Trans – An umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

Transition / Transitioning – The steps a trans person may take to live in the gender with which they identify. Each person’s transition will involve different things. For some, this involves medical intervention, such as hormone therapy and surgeries, but not all trans people want or are able to have this. Transitioning also might involve things such as telling friends and family, dressing differently and changing official documents.

Transphobia – The fear or dislike of someone based on the fact they are trans, including the denial/refusal to accept their gender identity.

Transsexual – This was used in the past as a more medical term (similarly to homosexual) to refer to someone whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth. This term is still used by some although many people prefer the term trans or transgender.