A person who identifies as not having a gender; or, being without gender.

A balance of the feminine and the masculine that includes aspects of both. Androgynous individuals may identify as "gender-neutral", "genderqueer", or "non-binary"

A complex group of physical factors assigned to male, female, and intersex. The preferred term for this is “sex assigned at birth” because many people consider “biological sex” to be an offensive term.

A surgical procedure that changes a person’s genitals to align them with their gender identity. Some transgender people choose to have bottom surgery, and some choose not to. Many do not have the financial resources to have surgery even though they prefer or desire it. It is never polite to ask about a person’s genitals, regardless of gender identity.

*Note to medical staff - Sometimes in a medical context it will be necessary to ask if the patient has had any gender-affirming surgical procedures, as part of an overall medical and surgical history.

The assumption that cisgender people are "normal" and those who are gender minorities are not.

Treating cisgender people as though they have more rights and moral authority than people who are gender minorities.

This is commonly understood as the first time that someone discloses their sexual orientation or gender identity, coming out is actually something that sexual minorities do throughout their lifetimes. For example, for some LGBTQ+-identified people, sharing details of their social lives with new coworkers often discloses their sexual orientation.

The pronouns (she/her/hers, he/him/his, ze/zir/zirs, they/them/theirs, etc.) that a person feels most comfortable being referred to as. Using a person’s CGP is a critical part of being respectful. They may also be referred to as preferred gender pronouns (PGP); however, this should be avoided as it implies that a person’s pronouns are merely a preference rather than a personal truth.

A person who wears clothing typically assumed to belong to a different gender. In the past, this person might have been called a transvestite. This term is no longer appropriate to use, and is considered offensive.

The way some transgender people refer to the name they were given at birth. Deadnaming refers to calling trans, nonbinary, gender fluid, or other non-cis people by the name they were given at birth rather than their chosen name.

A naturally occurring steroid sex hormone produced by the ovaries and, in lesser amounts, by the adrenal cortex, placenta, and testes. Estrogen promotes female secondary sexual characteristics such as breasts and body shape and regulates menses; in males, estrogen promotes sperm maturation. Some transgender people choose to take this hormone so that their bodies will be more feminine.

A social construct often assumed to be aligned with aspects of biological sex, but that is far broader than biological sex. Different cultures have understood gender in dramatically different ways, with some incorporating an understanding of three or more genders.

A categorization of gender as either male or female rather than on a spectrum. This is a harmful understanding of gender for all people because it categorizes them in ways they might not feel comfortable with.

A group of medical procedures that changes a person’s body to align it with their gender identity. Also called sexual reassignment surgery; most people prefer the language gender confirmation surgery.

When a person’s gender identity directly conflicts with their physical body, causing mild to extreme psychological distress. “Gender dysphoria” is a classification of mental disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM IV).

A person who incorporates all genders into their identity and flows easily between them.

The indicators that a culture assigns to specific sex-related biology, primarily including aspects of a person unrelated to biology, such as hobbies, personality traits, and academic models of success.

A gender identity that describes a person who falls outside of the stereotypical “woman” or “man” binary system. This umbrella term also describes many gender identities outside of the gender binary. Genderqueer is sometimes shortened to queer. Historically, this term has been used in negative contexts. Many have reclaimed it because it is more descriptive of them and their communities and experiences than LGBTQ+ or GSRD.

An organism that has fully developed male and female reproductive tracts. While this term was historically used to describe intersex individuals, true hermaphroditism does not occur in humans (a human reproducing as both male and female). This term is inaccurate offensive.

A sex assigned at birth and sometimes discovered after birth that indicates attributes associated with typical males and females. Historically, some people used the word hermaphrodite to describe people who were intersex, but this is not an appropriate term and is offensive.

Visit interAct Advocates for Intersex Youth for more information.

When a person is transitioning, they often choose a new name. This can be an important part of the transitioning process and should be respected. Asking a transgender person for their “real” name (referring to the name they were given at birth) is offensive.

Also sometimes called a nibbling, this is a gender-neutral word to refer a sibling’s children.

When a trans person is accepted in public to be the sex that is in alignment with their gender identity rather than their sex assigned at birth. Sometimes this is a sought-after feature of transitioning, and sometimes it is not.

A period during which an individual develops secondary sexual characteristics and often becomes fertile.

Nonreproductive-related body parts or characteristics that may appear during puberty (or via medications or surgery) and are connected to sex and gender. Examples are axillary (underarm), facial, chest, and pubic hair, changes in breasts and vulva, hip size, shoulder and chest size, voice changes, and muscle mass.

Short for testosterone.

A naturally occurring steroid sex hormone produced by the testes and, in lesser amounts, by the adrenal cortex and ovaries. Testosterone promotes male secondary sexual characteristics such as facial hair, muscle mass, and voice depth, and influences erection frequency and libido. In females, testosterone primarily gets converted to estrogen. Some transgender people choose to take a synthetic form of testosterone so that their bodies will be more masculine.

A surgical procedure that changes a person’s chest to align it with their gender identity. Top surgery can be expensive. Some transgender people choose to have top surgery, and some choose not to. As with bottom surgery, many do not have the financial resources to have this surgery even though they may prefer or desire it.

A person whose gender identity is different than the culturally assumed gender identity assigned at birth. Historically the term transsexual was used, and is now considered offensive.