Gender consists of socially constructed roles, behaviors, attributes, and other characteristics that a given society considers appropriate. Because gender is a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time. Gender is also multidimensional and intersects other social categories and identities such as race, ethnicity, class, ability, age, and religion. Gender is frequently viewed as a binary concept of male/female, but many individuals, communities, and societies identify with more than two genders and/or view gender as a spectrum of expression.

A person’s deeply felt, core sense of self in relation to gender. Gender identity may or may not correspond to sex assigned at birth or to a person’s primary or secondary sex characteristics. Because gender identity is internal, a person’s gender identity may not be visible to others, and it is determined by self-identification. People become aware of their gender identity at many different stages of life, from childhood to adulthood, and a person may disclose their gender identity at different times and to some people, but not others.

The manner in which a person communicates gender to others within a given culture, such as clothing, appearance, or mannerisms. All people have gender expression. This communication may or may not reflect a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation. While many people’s gender expression relates to social constructions of masculinity and femininity, there are countless combinations that may incorporate both masculine and feminine expressions —or neither (e.g., androgynous expressions).

A term used within some Native American and Indigenous communities to refer to a person who identifies as having both a male and a female essence or spirit. In some Native American and Indigenous communities, two-spirit people traditionally occupied a distinct, alternative gender status(es) and in some tribes constituted a third or fourth gender. Notably, there are hundreds of distinct Native American and Indigenous communities that encompass varying gender identities, expressions, and roles; there is no universal experience or culture and no universally used or accepted term. Non-indigenous people should not use this term as a self-identifier.

An acronym referring to Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer individuals and/or communities. You may also see LGBTQIA, which includes Intersex and Asexual/Ally. Both acronyms are inclusive and acceptable, although some organizations may prefer one over the other.

A term referring to a woman who is emotionally, romantically, and/or physically attracted to other women.

A term used to describe people who are emotionally, romantically, and/or sexually attracted to people of the same sex and/or gender. A person may identify as gay even though that person does not have any sexual experience or any sexual experience with a person of the same gender and/or sex. A person may identify as gay despite having previously identified as straight or heterosexual and/or having relationships with individuals of the opposite sex and/or gender.

A term referring to a person who is emotionally, romantically, and/or sexually attracted to people of more than one gender, though not necessarily at the same time, in the same way, or to the same degree. 

An umbrella term used by some 2SLGBTQ people to describe a sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression that does not conform to dominant social norms. Queer is not only used as a self-identification but may also be used to describe communities. Historically, the word “queer” constituted a negative or pejorative term for people who are LGBTQ+, and is offensive to some individuals.

A term used to refer to an individual whose gender identity aligns with sex assigned as birth. (Pronounced: sis-gender)

An umbrella term describing the wide range of people whose gender identity and/or gender expression does not necessarily conform to their assigned sex at birth. Transgender people may or may not decide to transition socially or medically. Because transgender is an umbrella term, the term may refer to, but is not limited to, people who identify as transsexual, non-binary (identifying not exclusively as male or female), genderqueer, or gender nonconforming. See below for common acronyms and terms including female to male (or FTM), male to female (or MTF).

An umbrella term encompassing gender identities and expressions existing outside of the gender binary.

A self-identifying term used by some people to describe gender identities and expressions that do not adhere to the gender norms and roles commonly associated with sex assigned at birth. Related but not equivalent identities include gender-expansive, genderfluid, and genderqueer.

A term used to describe the process that a person undergoes to affirm a gender identity that is different from sex assigned at birth. This process may be a social transition, such as using new names, pronouns, or clothing; it may be a legal transition, such as legally changing one’s name or gender markers on documents; it may be a medical transition, such as taking hormones or undergoing gender-affirming surgery. An individual may choose to undergo a combination of these processes, all of them, some but not others, or none at all. Many individuals choose not to or are unable to transition for a wide range of reasons both within and beyond their control.

This occurs when an individual uses the birth name of a transgender or non-binary person who has changed their name as part of their gender transition. This may result in trauma, stress, embarrassment, and even danger. 

A concept designated in the DSM-55 as clinically significant distress or impairment related to a strong desire to be of another gender, which may include the desire to change primary and/or secondary sex characteristics. Not all transgender, non-binary, or gender nonconforming individuals feel gender dysphoria. Some jurisdictions, agencies, institutions, and/or practitioners require a diagnosis of gender dysphoria before providing gender-affirming services, such as gender-affirming health care and housing.

Violence directed towards a person based on their assigned sex at birth or gender identity and expression and grounded in unequal power relationships. It encompasses physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and economic harm, including threats and coercion. It should not be conflated with “violence against women,” which excludes a broad understanding of gender.

Interpersonal or institutional discrimination, bias, violence, or other negative attitudes or behaviors towards 2SLGBTQ people due to their gender identities and/or sexual orientation. 

Interpersonal or institutional discrimination, bias, violence, or other negative attitudes or behaviors towards transgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary people due to their gender identities and/or expressions.

The complex and cumulative effect of discrimination resulting from the combination of different marginalized forms of identity. Intersectionality theory is rooted in the work of U.S. Black feminist scholarship; the term “intersectionality” was originally coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, who, when writing about the forms of legal discrimination that African American women experience, explains: “Because of their intersectional identity as both women and of color within discourses that are shaped to respond to one or the other, women of color are marginalized within both.” Intersectionality theory highlights that a person’s identity may compose of a multitude of marginalized identity markers, such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, religion, or class, to name a few.