5/25/2021 GLAAD Media Reference Guide - Lesbian / Gay / Bisexual Glossary Of Terms | GLAAD

GLAAD Media
Reference Guide -
Lesbian / Gay /
Bisexual Glossary
Of Terms
Glossary of Terms - Lesbian / Gay / Bisexual / Queer
Sexual Orientation
The scienti cally accurate term for an individual's enduring physical, romantic and/ or
emotional attraction to members of the same and/or opposite sex, including lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and heterosexual (straight) orientations. Avoid the o ensive term "sexual
preference," which is used to suggest that being gay, lesbian, or bisexual is voluntary and
therefore "curable." People need not have had speci c sexual experiences to know their own
sexual orientation; in fact, they need not have had any sexual experience at all.

Gay
The adjective used to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same sex (e.g., gay man, gay people). Sometimes lesbian (n. or
adj.) is the preferred term for women. Avoid identifying gay people as "homosexuals" an
outdated term considered derogatory and o ensive to many lesbian and gay people.

Lesbian
A woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women.
Some lesbians may prefer to identify as gay (adj.) or as gay women. Avoid identifying lesbians
as "homosexuals," a derogatory term (see O ensive Terms to Avoid).

Bisexual, Bi
A person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions to those of the same gender or to those of another gender. People may
experience this attraction in di ering ways and degrees over their lifetime. Bisexual people
need not have had speci c sexual experiences to be bisexual; in fact, they need not have had
any sexual experience at all to identify as bisexual. Do not use a hyphen in the word
"bisexual," and only capitalize bisexual when used at the beginning of a sentence.

Transgender, Transsexual
(see next section)

Queer
An adjective used by some people, particularly younger people, whose sexual orientation is
not exclusively heterosexual (e.g. queer person, queer woman). Typically, for those who

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identify as queer, the terms lesbian, gay, and bisexual are perceived to be too limiting and/or
fraught with cultural connotations they feel don't apply to them. Some people may use queer,
or more commonly genderqueer, to describe their gender identity and/or gender expression
(see non-binary and/or genderqueer below). Once considered a pejorative term, queer has
been reclaimed by some LGBT people to describe themselves; however, it is not a universally
accepted term even within the LGBT community. When Q is seen at the end of LGBT, it
typically means queer and, less often, questioning.

LGBTQ
Acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. Sometimes, when the Q is seen at
the end of LGBT, it can also mean questioning. LGBT and/or GLBT are also often used. The
term "gay community" should be avoided, as it does not accurately re ect the diversity of the
community. Rather, LGBTQ community is preferred.

Intersex
An umbrella term describing people born with reproductive or sexual anatomy and/or a
chromosome pattern that can't be classi ed as typically male or female. Those variations are
also sometimes referred to as Di erences of Sex Development (DSD.) Avoid the outdated and
derogatory term "hermaphrodite." While some people can have an intersex condition and
also identify as transgender, the two are separate and should not be con ated. (For more
information, visit interactyouth.org.)

Asexual
An adjective used to describe people who do not experience sexual attraction (e.g., asexual
person). A person can also be aromantic, meaning they do not experience romantic
attraction. (For more information, visit asexuality.org.)

Heterosexual
An adjective used to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attraction is to people of the opposite sex. Also straight.

Homosexual
(see O ensive Terms to Avoid) Outdated clinical term considered derogatory and o ensive.
The Associated Press, New York Times and Washington Post restrict usage of the term.

Homophobia
Fear of people attracted to the same sex. Intolerance, bias, or prejudice is usually a more
accurate description of antipathy toward LGBTQ people.

Biphobia
Fear of bisexuals, often based on stereotypes, including inaccurate associations with in delity,
promiscuity, and transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Intolerance, bias, or

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prejudice is usually a more accurate description of antipathy toward bisexual people.

Coming Out
A lifelong process of self-acceptance. People forge a LGBTQ identity rst to themselves and
then they may reveal it to others. Publicly sharing one's identity may or may not be part of
coming out.

Out
A person who self-identi es as LGBTQ in their personal, public, and/or professional lives. For
example: Ricky Martin is an out pop star from Puerto Rico. Preferred to openly gay.

Openly Gay
Describes people who self-identify as gay in their personal, public, and/or professional lives.
Also openly lesbian, openly bisexual, openly transgender, openly queer. While accurate and
commonly used, the phrase still implies a confessional aspect to publicly acknowledging one's
sexual orientation or gender identity. See out above.

Closeted
Describes a person who is not open about their sexual orientation. Better to simply refer to
someone as "not out" about being LGBTQ. Some individuals may be out to some people in
their life, but not out to others due to fear of rejection, harassment, violence, losing one's job,
or other concerns.

Outing
The act of publicly declaring (sometimes based on rumor and/or speculation) or revealing
another person's sexual orientation or gender identity without that person's consent.
Considered inappropriate by a large portion of the LGBTQ community.

Lifestyle
(see O ensive Terms to Avoid) Inaccurate term used by anti-LGBTQ extremists to denigrate
LGBTQ people. As there is no one straight lifestyle, there is no one LGBTQ lifestyle.

Marriage
In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that every American has
the constitutional right to marry the person they love. When reporting on marriage for same-
sex couples, preferred terminology includes marriage equality and marriage for same-sex
couples. Note, the terms "gay marriage" and "same-sex marriage" should be avoided, as they
can suggest marriage for same-sex couples is somehow di erent than other marriages.

Civil Union
Historically used in the U.S. to describe state-based relationship recognition for same-sex
couples that o ered some or all of the state (though none of the federal) rights, protections,
and responsibilities of marriage. While many Western countries (including the United States)
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have now legalized marriage for same-sex couples, others only legally recognize same-sex
relationships through civil unions.

Domestic Partnership
Civil/legal recognition of a committed relationship between two people that sometimes
extends limited protections to them.

Sodomy Laws
Historically used to selectively persecute gay people, the state laws often referred to as
"sodomy laws" were ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in Lawrence v. Texas
(2003). "Sodomy" should never be used to describe same-sex relationships or sexual
orientation.

Terms to Avoid

OFFENSIVE PREFERRED
"homosexual" (n. or adj.) "gay" (adj.); "gay man" or "lesbian" (n.); "gay
Because of the clinical history of the word person/people"
“homosexual,” it is aggressively used by anti- Please use gay, lesbian, or when
LGBTQ extremists to suggest that people appropriate bisexual or queer to describe
attracted to the same sex are somehow people attracted to members of the same
diseased or psychologically/emotionally sex.
disordered – notions discredited by the
American Psychological Association and the
American Psychiatric Association in the
1970s. Please avoid using “homosexual”
except in direct quotes. Please also avoid
using “homosexual” as a style variation
simply to avoid repeated use of the word
“gay.” The Associated Press, The New York
Times and The Washington Post restrict use
of the term “homosexual” (see AP, Reuters,
& New York Times Style).

"homosexual relations/relationship," "relationship," "couple" (or, if necessary,

"homosexual couple," "homosexual sex," etc. "gay/lesbian/same-sex couple"), "sex," etc.
Identifying a same-sex couple as "a As a rule, try to avoid labeling an activity,
homosexual couple," characterizing their emotion, or relationship gay, lesbian,
relationship as "a homosexual relationship," bisexual, or queer unless you would call the
or identifying their intimacy as "homosexual same activity, emotion, or relationship
sex" is extremely o ensive and should be "straight" if engaged in by someone of
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avoided. These constructions are frequently another orientation. In most cases, your
used by anti-LGBTQ extremists to denigrate readers, viewers, or listeners will be able to
LGBTQ people, couples, and relationships. discern people's sexes and/or orientations
through the names of the parties involved,
your depictions of their relationships, and
your use of pronouns.

"sexual preference" "sexual orientation" or "orientation"

The term "sexual preference" is typically Sexual orientation is the accurate
used to suggest that being attracted to the description of an individual's enduring
same sex is a choice and therefore can and physical, romantic, and/or emotional
should be "cured." attraction to members of the same and/ or
opposite sex and is inclusive of lesbians, gay
men, bisexuals, and queer people, as well as
straight men and women (see AP, Reuters,
& New York Times Style).

"gay lifestyle," "homosexual lifestyle," or "LGBTQ people and their lives"

"transgender lifestyle"
There is no single LGBTQ lifestyle. LGBTQ
people are diverse in the ways they lead
their lives. The phrases "gay lifestyle,"
"homosexual lifestyle," and "transgender
lifestyle" are used to denigrate LGBTQ
people suggesting that their sexual
orientation and/or gender identity (see
Transgender Glossary of Terms) is a choice
and therefore can and should be "cured"
(see AP, Reuters, & New York Times Style).

"admitted homosexual" or "avowed "out gay man," "out lesbian," or "out queer
homosexual" person"
Dated terms used to describe those who You may also simply describe the person as
self-identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or being out, for example: "Ricky Martin is an
queer in their personal, public, and/or out pop star from Puerto Rico." Avoid the
professional lives. The words "admitted" or use of the word "homosexual" in any case
"avowed" suggest that being attracted to the (see AP, Reuters, & New York Times Style).
same sex is somehow shameful or
inherently secretive.

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"gay agenda" or "homosexual agenda" "Accurate descriptions of the issues (e.g.,

Notions of a so-called "homosexual agenda" "inclusion in existing nondiscrimination laws,"
are rhetorical inventions of anti-LGBTQ "securing equal employment protections")

extremists seeking to create a climate of LGBTQ people are motivated by the same
fear by portraying the pursuit of equal hopes, concerns, and desires as other
opportunity for LGBTQ people as sinister everyday Americans. They seek to be able to
(see AP, Reuters, & New York Times Style). earn a living, be safe in their communities,
serve their country, and take care of the
ones they love. Their commitment to
equality and acceptance is one they share
with many allies and advocates who are not
LGBTQ.

"special rights" "equal rights" or "equal protection"

Anti-LGBTQ extremists frequently
characterize equal protection of the law for
LGBTQ people as "special rights" to incite
opposition to such things as relationship
recognition and inclusive nondiscrimination
laws (see AP, Reuters, & New York Times
Style). As such, the term should be avoided.

 Defamatory Language

"fag," "faggot," "dyke," "homo," "sodomite," and similar epithets

The criteria for using these derogatory terms should be the same as those applied to vulgar
epithets used to target other groups: they should not be used except in a direct quote that
reveals the bias of the person quoted. So that such words are not given credibility in the
media, it is preferred that reporters say, "The person used a derogatory word for a
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer person."

"deviant," "disordered," "dysfunctional," "diseased," "perverted," "destructive" and similar

descriptions
The notion that being LGBTQ is a psychological disorder was discredited by the American
Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association in the 1970s. Today,
words such as "deviant," "diseased" and "disordered" often are used to portray LGBTQ people
as less than human, mentally ill, or as a danger to society. Words such as these should be

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avoided in stories about the LGBTQ community. If they must be used, they should be quoted
directly in a way that clearly reveals the bias of the person being quoted.

Associating LGBTQ people with pedophilia, child abuse, sexual abuse, bestiality, bigamy, polygamy,
adultery and/or incest
Being LGBTQ is neither synonymous with, nor indicative of, any tendency toward pedophilia,
child abuse, sexual abuse, bestiality, bigamy, polygamy, adultery and/or incest. Such claims,
innuendoes and associations often are used to insinuate that LGBTQ people pose a threat to
society, to families, and to children in particular. Such assertions and insinuations are
defamatory and should be avoided, except in direct quotes that clearly reveal the bias of the
person quoted.

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