The following is a list of LGBTQIA+ definitions that have been pulled together in consultation with the HUTH LGBTQ+ Staff Network to help in the education and broader understanding of staff, patients and visitors.
We continue our progress to become a more inclusive organisation so we are raising awareness in order to be able to better support the full range of our staff and service users. As with all lists this is not exhaustive.
Abro (sexual and romantic)
A word used to describe people who have a fluid sexual and/or romantic orientation which changes over time, or the course of their life. They may use different terms to describe themselves over time.
Asexual or Ace
An umbrella term used specifically to describe a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of sexual attraction. This encompasses asexual people as well as those who identify as demisexual and grey-sexual. Some asexual people experience romantic attraction, while others do not. Ace people who experience romantic attraction or occasional sexual attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their romantic or sexual attraction.
Ace and aro/ace and aro spectrum
Umbrella terms used to describe the wide group of people who experience a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of romantic and/or sexual attraction, including a lack of attraction. People who identify under these umbrella terms may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, asexual, ace, aromantic, aro, demi, grey, and abro. People may also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with ace and aro to explain the direction of romantic or sexual attraction if and when they experience it.
Allo (sexual and romantic)
Allo people experience sexual and romantic attraction, and do not identify as on the ace or aro spectrum. Allo is to ace and aro spectrum identities, as straight is to LGB+ spectrum identities. It is important to use words that equalise experience, otherwise the opposite to ace and aro becomes ‘normal’ which is stigmatising.
Aromantic or Aro
An umbrella term used specifically to describe a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of romantic attraction. This encompasses aromantic people as well as those who identify as demiromantic and grey-romantic. Some aromantic people experience sexual attraction, while others do not. Aro people who experience sexual attraction or occasional romantic attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their attraction.
Bi (sexual and romantic)
These are umbrella terms used to describe a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards more than one gender. Bi people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including but not limited to, bisexual, pan, queer, and some other non-monosexual and non-monoromantic identities.
Cisgender or Cis
Someone whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. Non-trans is also used by some people.
Demi (sexual and romantic)
An umbrella term used to describe people who may only feel sexually or romantically attracted to people with whom they have formed an emotional bond. People may also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with demi to explain the direction of romantic or sexual attraction as they experience it.
Femme
Femme is a term used in LGBT+ culture to describe someone who expresses themselves in a typically feminine way.
There are other identities within the scope of femme, such as ‘low femme’, ‘high femme’, and ‘hard femme’.
You shouldn’t use these terms about someone unless you know they identify with them.
Grey (sexual and romantic)
Also known as grey-A, this is an umbrella term which describes people who experience attraction occasionally, rarely, or only under certain conditions. People may also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with grey to explain the direction of romantic or sexual attraction as they experience it.
Homo (sexual and romantic)
Refers to a person who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards someone of the same gender. This term is considered to be a medicalised term and therefore ‘gay’ tends to be more widely used.
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 or non-binary.
Lesbian
Refers to a woman who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards other women. Some non-binary people may also identify with this term. The words ‘lesbian’ and ‘gay’ are terms which most lesbians and gay men prefer to use rather than ‘homosexual’. Lesbians often prefer the term ‘lesbian’ rather than ‘gay’ or ‘gay woman’ because it acknowledges their separate identities and experiences, although this is not always the case.
LGBTQIA+
An inclusive acronym which stands for:
- Lesbian
- Gay
- Bisexual
- Transgender
- Queer / Questioning
- Intersex
- Asexual / Aromatic
- Plus – meaning more, or additional, genders or sexual orientations
We may refer to the LGBTQIA+ community. Alternatives are LGBTQ+ LGBT+ and it is always a good idea to include the + to ensure inclusivity.
Masc
Masc is a term used in LGBT+ culture to describe someone who expresses themselves in a typically masculine way. You shouldn’t use this term about someone unless you know they identify with it.
Non-binary
An umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’. Non-binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities, while others reject them entirely.
Pan (sexual and romantic)
Refers to a person whose romantic and/or sexual attraction towards others is not directed towards specific sexes or genders.
Platonic partnerships
People who are on the asexual and/or aromantic spectrum may have platonic partnerships. These can also be known as queer platonic relationships (QPRs). These are relationships where there is a high level of mutual commitment which can include shared life decisions, shared living arrangements, and co-parenting of children. These partnerships can include more than two people. Like allosexual and alloromantic people, asexual and aromantic spectrum people may be monogamous or polyamorous.
Queer
Queer is a term used by those wanting to reject specific labels of romantic orientation, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can also be a way of rejecting the perceived norms of the LGBT+ community (racism, sizeism, ableism etc). Although some LGBT+ people view the word as a slur, it was reclaimed in the late 1980s by the queer community who have embraced it.
Sapphic
Sometimes known as women loving women or sapphist refers to a woman or woman-aligned person of any sexual orientation who is attracted to other women and/or women-aligned individuals. Another definition is specifically inclusive of non-binary people. It is an umbrella term for many identities, including those who are lesbian, pansexual, bisexual, or queer. It is used to promote solidarity among women and non-binary people of all identities who are attracted to those who are women and woman-aligned. It may also be used as an identity, and may be found particularly useful for individuals who know they are attracted to women but may be uncertain if they are attracted to other genders. It can also be used to describe a relationship between two women.
Tertiary attraction (also known as oriented aro/ace)
This is a term often used by people on the aro/ace spectrum to describe an attraction they experience that is other to sexual or romantic attraction. There are many different types of attraction, including (but not limited to), aesthetic, alterous, emotional, platonic and sensual/physical. People who experience tertiary attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer to describe the direction of their attraction.
Transgender or 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.
Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, transsexual, gender-queer (GQ), gender-fluid, non-binary, gender-variant, gender non-conforming, two-spirited, crossdresser, genderless, agender, nongender, third gender, bi-gender, trans man, trans woman, trans masculine, trans feminine and neutrois.
Transgender man
A term used to describe someone who is assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man. This may be shortened to trans man, or FTM, an abbreviation for female-to-male. (the term FTM can be considered offensive by a lot of Trans individuals though may still used by some)
Transgender woman
A term used to describe someone who is assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman. This may be shortened to trans woman, or MTF, an abbreviation for male-to-female. (the term MTF can be considered offensive by a lot of Trans individuals though still may be used by some)
Transsexual (somewhat outdated term)
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.