ABCLGBTQIA+ | Glossary of words and expressions - ABCLGBTQIA+

Ally

Non-LGBTI+ person who defends LGBTI+ rights, supporting the cause and/or actively promoting equality and non-discrimination.

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Asexual

A person who is not sexually attracted to other people. Nevertheless, asexual people can have intimate relationships with other people.

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Binding

Process used to compress the breast in order to flatten it. It requires some specific care to avoid harmful health effects.

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Biphobia

Discrimination, disdain, prejudice or aversion towards bisexual people, based on their real or perceived sexual orientation.

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Bisexual

A person who is sexually, romantically and affectively attracted to people of two or more genders.

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Cis or cisgender

A cis or cisgender person is a person who identifies with the gender assigned to them at birth. The word Cis[gender] is used as opposed to trans[gender].

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Coming Out

Process of affirmation of the LGBTI+ identity that must be done by the person, when and how they want to do it and for whomever they want to do it. In practice this may mean that not all people know about it or that the person is only out in some contexts. You can also say “come out of the closet”.

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Deadnaming

Expression to identify situations in which the name given at birth of a trans person is used instead of the name by which they identify themselves – and which may only be socially recognized or already be legally recognized. This is a form of violence against trans and non-binary people.

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Demisexual

Person who only feels sexually attracted to another person if there is a strong emotional connection between them.

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Drag

Term associated with an artistic performance of expression and gender roles. Men who adopt feminine elements are Drag Queens and women who adopt masculine elements are Drag Kings.

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Gay

Man who is sexually, romantically and affectively attracted to people of the same gender. A synonym for homosexual.

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Gender Affirmation

Term that encompasses actions of affirmation and recognition of gender identity and/or expression of trans people. It can be a social statement or include clinical intervention or legal recognition of identity. It is a more correct term than “gender transitioning”.

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Gender Expression

A set of characteristics visible to other people (way of dressing, gestures, tone of voice, etc.) that suggest belonging to a certain gender.

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Gender Identity

Individual and intimate experience of gender, which all people go through and which is related to who we are. Our identity may or may not correspond to the gender assigned at birth, the adopted gender expression and the way we feel our body.

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Heteronormativity

Social and institutional process in which heterosexuality is the norm, ignoring and alienating the diversity of sexual orientations, identities, gender expressions and sexual characteristics existing in society.

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Homophobia

Discrimination, disdain, prejudice or aversion towards gay and/or lesbian people, based on their real or perceived sexual orientation.

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Identity Questioning

An expression to refer to people who are questioning how they identify – either their gender identity or sexual orientation.

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Inclusive Language

Method of writing and speaking through specification to include female, male and non-binary identities. That is, the masculine plural is not used to include everyone and the various pronouns are specified.

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Intersex

Intersex people have variations in sexual characteristics (e.g. genitals or hormonal patterns) that are clinically referred to as male and female at the same time. These variations may be observable at birth or identified throughout life.

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Legal Sex

Corresponds to the gender marker that is assigned to us at birth and that appears on identification documents.

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Lesbian

A woman who is sexually, romantically and affectively attracted to people of the same gender.

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LGBTI-Phobia

Fear, hatred or aversion to LGBTI+ people. It can be specified according to its victims: homophobia, in relation to homosexual people; biphobia, in relation to bisexual people; transphobia, in relation to trans people; or, interphobia, towards intersex people.

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Misgendering

An expression to refer to people who are questioning how they identify – either their gender identity or sexual orientation.

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Neutral Language

Method of writing and speaking through abstraction, that is, without specifying identities and pronouns. It is considered an inclusive method as it encompasses more identities and does not cause accessibility difficulties in reading/understanding.

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Non-binary

Person whose gender identity and/or expression goes beyond the masculine/feminine binomial, and may even identify with both or neither.

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Outing

Expression to identify situations in which a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity and/or sexual characteristics are revealed to other people without their consent.

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Packing

Process of using prostheses or other objects that generate volume to give the appearance of having a penis.

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Pansexual

A person who is sexually, romantically and affectively attracted to other people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

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Polyamory

Person who has more than one relationship at the same time and where all people are aware of the various relationships. When we talk about polyamorous relationships, we talk about non-monogamous consented relationships.

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Pronouns

The correct use of pronouns is a form of affirmation (one’s own) and recognition (by other people) of identities. Pronouns assume special importance in trans and non-binary identities.

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Queer

An identity term that can be used as a synonym for the LGBTI+ acronym or as an identity claim that does not yet have a specific nomenclature. In many contexts, it is based on some political activism, inspired by Queer Theory and the thinking of Judith Butler.

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Rainbow Family

An expression used to define families made up of LGBTI+ couples with or without children.

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Romantic Orientation

Refers to the pattern of affectional attraction based on a person’s gender. Some asexual people use this orientation to choose partner(s), although they may also not feel any romantic attraction, in which case they identify as aromantic. Aromantic people can identify on the LGBTI+ spectrum if they choose to do so.

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Sexual characteristics

There are primary sexual characteristics, such as: chromosomes, anatomy, hormonal structure or genitals; and secondary sexual characteristics that become (more) apparent at puberty such as: breasts, hairiness, Adam’s apple,

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Sexual Orientation

Who we like and who we are sexually, affectively and romantically attracted to. Anyone can be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, among other lesser-known orientations.

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Social Name

The name by which the trans or non-binary person identify themselves and which may not match their legal name.

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Trans

Person whose gender identity and/or expression does not match the gender assigned at birth. The terms transsexual or transgender, although valid, have become obsolete. It is also common to use trans to encompass other gender-diverse identities.

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Transfake

Transfake is a term that refers to the representation of a trans character by a cis artist, which promotes stereotypes and the invisibility of trans people themselves.

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Transphobia

Discrimination, disdain, prejudice or aversion towards trans people, based on their real or perceived identity and/or gender expression.

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Tucking

Process undergone to hide the penis and make it less visible. It requires some specific care to avoid harmful health effects.

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[Celebrations of] Pride

Expression to encompass dates/parades/events/activities related to LGBTI+ issues. We can talk about pride in being who you are, in those you love and in celebrating yourself against the stigma, discrimination and violence that persist in most societies.

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Project +

The ABCLGBTQIA+ project, a collaboration between FOX Life and the ILGA Portugal Association, makes the meaning of 36 words available for free download in various formats (static, audio and video) so that they can be used for the most diverse purposes, by any person or institution, anywhere in the world. The goal is to give the project as wide a scope as possible and thus inform as many people as possible around the world. Because learning is part of it.

This project is under construction. All words and expressions, in all formats, will be available soon.

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Infos

For more info on LGBTI+ issues please check:  https://www.ilga-portugal.pt/

Associação ILGA Portugal is the oldest organisation promoting and protecting the Human Rights of LGBTI+ persons and their families in Portugal. It is a community based organisation, with political and social intervention and a specialised service provider to the community. ILGA Portugal runs the LGBTI Centre – a community centre in Lisboa.

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