Just a few terms that will get used
Bisexual The term “bisexual” is use for men and women who are physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually attracted to both sexes. Sexuality is a continuum, and how one places themselves on the continuum is unique to each individual.
ButchA term used to describe masculine identities, often refering to lesbian women.
CampExaggerated ‘over-the-top’ gestures, styles and emotions.
Closet Not revealing one's sexual orientation to anyone. “He’s in the closet” = nobody knows he is gay.
Coming-Out The acts of telling someone (or admitting to yourself) that you are queer. Coming-out is a never-ending process because we are always meeting new people.
Cross dresser (CD): A person who wears the clothing and/or accessories that are considered by society to correspond to the opposite gender. Cross-dressers are generally happy with their assigned birth gender and usually do not wish to change their physical sex or genitalia.
Cross-Dressers A person who dresses in the clothing of the opposite sex. Many people describe themselves as cross-dressers rather than transvestite as they do not derive sexual satisfaction from the dressing. They carry out activity usually to express their femininity.
Drag King The term is used to describe women who dress up as men purely for entertainment purposes.
Drag Queen Men who dress up as women purely for entertainment purposes. Often accompany by “high-camp” attitudes and outrageous but glamourous dresses, these ladies are no doubt some of the most colourful beings in the queer community.
Fa’afafineA Samoan term which literally means “like a woman”. The term is uses by MTF (male-to-female) transgender women, especially in Pasifika.
Fa’afafine, Fakeleiti, Akava’ine, Mahu, Vaka sa lewa lewa, Rae rae, Fafafine: Terms that Pasifika trans and ‘third sex’ people use to describe themselves and that have wider meanings that are best understood within their cultural context.
FamilyA queer person. "Is she family?" in this context “Is she queer?”. The queer community as an alternative family.
FemmeA man or woman, acting (more or less) within ‘traditional’ female gender norms. Sometimes used for feminine gay man.
FlamingFlamboyantly effeminate, busy.
Gay BashersPeople who assault (verbally or physically) others because they are queer. See ‘Homophobia’.
GayBeing gay means being physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually attracted to the person of the same sex. The word gay”was thought to have originated from the first-ever recorded gay rights action known as the Stonewall riots. The word gay is a shorter version named after a banner “Good As You” during the protest! The term is used for both men and women.
GaydarA modification of the word ‘radar’, - the ability to sense that an individual is queer. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Instinct can be a powerful tool, it can also get you in trouble, use with caution!
GenderA set of cultural interpretations based on the biological differences between male and female.
Gender Identity: A person’s internal, deeply felt sense of being male or female (or something other or in between). A person’s gender identity may or may not correspond with their sex.
Gender variance or gender dysphoria: Clinical terms for people who have issues of gender identity. There are no tests that can provide an absolute diagnosis. It can only be diagnosed through understanding of the lives of the individuals who experience gender variance.
HeterosexualA person who is attracted to people of the opposite sex: men who are attracted to women, and women who are attracted to men.
Homophobia A term used to describe extreme, irrational negative attitudes, feelings, and beliefs about homosexuality. Ranging from uncomfortable feelings towards someone who is queer to outright hatred and violence. The Human Rights Act, 1993 protects queer people and the associates of queer people from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Intersex (IS): A general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not seem to fit the typical biological definitions of female or male. Some people now call themselves ‘intersex’.
Just Other:Some gender variant people reject just defining themselves by the binary terms of male or female. Some may call themselves just other, genderqueer, androgyne or polygender.
LesbianThe term “lesbian” is used to describe a woman who is physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually attracted to other women.
Queer A reclaimed word that represents sexuality and gender diversity. We use it to encompass lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, fa'afafine, and takataapui identities, as well as everyone in between and not sure. This word is used by many people, but it is also appreciated that it is not the preferred term for everybody.
Sexual orientation: Not to be confused with gender identity. Sexual orientation can be heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual or asexual. Transgender people have the same variety of sexual orientations as any other group of people.
Takataapui A Maori term that translates to: “intimate friends of the same sex”. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, takataapui, fa’afafine and transgender people who are Maori uses the term with pride.
Takatapui: An intimate companion of the same sex. Today used to describe Maori gay, bisexual and trans people.
Tangata ira tane: A Maori term describing someone born with a female body who has a male gender identity.
Transgender (TG): A person whose gender identity is different from their physical sex at birth. Transgender people can be male to female (MtF) or female to male (FtM).
Transgender The term transgender is an umbrella term for gender diversity. It encompasses individuals who were born in a physical body of the opposite sex to the feelings, emotions, mental and spiritual state that they are. Some individuals use the terms MTF (male-to-female) and FTM (female-to-male) to describe this. They may go through a transition, deciding to change their physical body to match their inner beings. Gender identity should not be confused with sexual orientation, as anyone of any gender identity may identify as any sexual orientation.
Transphobia:The irrational prejudice and/or fear of some people towards transgender people. Transphobia can take a wide variety of forms including the belief that trans people are homosexual people in denial and/or that they are sick perverts or deviants.
Transsexual (TS):A person who has changed, or is in the process of changing, their physical sex to conform to their gender identity.
TransvestiteA term used to describe behaviour of a straight man who dresses in women’s garments for their personal pleasure. This sometimes involves sexual expression.
The terminology can be found on the Rainbow Youth site and the Agender site. Please look in the Links tab for further information
ButchA term used to describe masculine identities, often refering to lesbian women.
CampExaggerated ‘over-the-top’ gestures, styles and emotions.
Closet Not revealing one's sexual orientation to anyone. “He’s in the closet” = nobody knows he is gay.
Coming-Out The acts of telling someone (or admitting to yourself) that you are queer. Coming-out is a never-ending process because we are always meeting new people.
Cross dresser (CD): A person who wears the clothing and/or accessories that are considered by society to correspond to the opposite gender. Cross-dressers are generally happy with their assigned birth gender and usually do not wish to change their physical sex or genitalia.
Cross-Dressers A person who dresses in the clothing of the opposite sex. Many people describe themselves as cross-dressers rather than transvestite as they do not derive sexual satisfaction from the dressing. They carry out activity usually to express their femininity.
Drag King The term is used to describe women who dress up as men purely for entertainment purposes.
Drag Queen Men who dress up as women purely for entertainment purposes. Often accompany by “high-camp” attitudes and outrageous but glamourous dresses, these ladies are no doubt some of the most colourful beings in the queer community.
Fa’afafineA Samoan term which literally means “like a woman”. The term is uses by MTF (male-to-female) transgender women, especially in Pasifika.
Fa’afafine, Fakeleiti, Akava’ine, Mahu, Vaka sa lewa lewa, Rae rae, Fafafine: Terms that Pasifika trans and ‘third sex’ people use to describe themselves and that have wider meanings that are best understood within their cultural context.
FamilyA queer person. "Is she family?" in this context “Is she queer?”. The queer community as an alternative family.
FemmeA man or woman, acting (more or less) within ‘traditional’ female gender norms. Sometimes used for feminine gay man.
FlamingFlamboyantly effeminate, busy.
Gay BashersPeople who assault (verbally or physically) others because they are queer. See ‘Homophobia’.
GayBeing gay means being physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually attracted to the person of the same sex. The word gay”was thought to have originated from the first-ever recorded gay rights action known as the Stonewall riots. The word gay is a shorter version named after a banner “Good As You” during the protest! The term is used for both men and women.
GaydarA modification of the word ‘radar’, - the ability to sense that an individual is queer. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Instinct can be a powerful tool, it can also get you in trouble, use with caution!
GenderA set of cultural interpretations based on the biological differences between male and female.
Gender Identity: A person’s internal, deeply felt sense of being male or female (or something other or in between). A person’s gender identity may or may not correspond with their sex.
Gender variance or gender dysphoria: Clinical terms for people who have issues of gender identity. There are no tests that can provide an absolute diagnosis. It can only be diagnosed through understanding of the lives of the individuals who experience gender variance.
HeterosexualA person who is attracted to people of the opposite sex: men who are attracted to women, and women who are attracted to men.
Homophobia A term used to describe extreme, irrational negative attitudes, feelings, and beliefs about homosexuality. Ranging from uncomfortable feelings towards someone who is queer to outright hatred and violence. The Human Rights Act, 1993 protects queer people and the associates of queer people from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Intersex (IS): A general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not seem to fit the typical biological definitions of female or male. Some people now call themselves ‘intersex’.
Just Other:Some gender variant people reject just defining themselves by the binary terms of male or female. Some may call themselves just other, genderqueer, androgyne or polygender.
LesbianThe term “lesbian” is used to describe a woman who is physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually attracted to other women.
Queer A reclaimed word that represents sexuality and gender diversity. We use it to encompass lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, fa'afafine, and takataapui identities, as well as everyone in between and not sure. This word is used by many people, but it is also appreciated that it is not the preferred term for everybody.
Sexual orientation: Not to be confused with gender identity. Sexual orientation can be heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual or asexual. Transgender people have the same variety of sexual orientations as any other group of people.
Takataapui A Maori term that translates to: “intimate friends of the same sex”. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, takataapui, fa’afafine and transgender people who are Maori uses the term with pride.
Takatapui: An intimate companion of the same sex. Today used to describe Maori gay, bisexual and trans people.
Tangata ira tane: A Maori term describing someone born with a female body who has a male gender identity.
Transgender (TG): A person whose gender identity is different from their physical sex at birth. Transgender people can be male to female (MtF) or female to male (FtM).
Transgender The term transgender is an umbrella term for gender diversity. It encompasses individuals who were born in a physical body of the opposite sex to the feelings, emotions, mental and spiritual state that they are. Some individuals use the terms MTF (male-to-female) and FTM (female-to-male) to describe this. They may go through a transition, deciding to change their physical body to match their inner beings. Gender identity should not be confused with sexual orientation, as anyone of any gender identity may identify as any sexual orientation.
Transphobia:The irrational prejudice and/or fear of some people towards transgender people. Transphobia can take a wide variety of forms including the belief that trans people are homosexual people in denial and/or that they are sick perverts or deviants.
Transsexual (TS):A person who has changed, or is in the process of changing, their physical sex to conform to their gender identity.
TransvestiteA term used to describe behaviour of a straight man who dresses in women’s garments for their personal pleasure. This sometimes involves sexual expression.
The terminology can be found on the Rainbow Youth site and the Agender site. Please look in the Links tab for further information
