Monash uses the acronym LGBTIQA+ to be as inclusive as possible. We acknowledge that other variations of this acronym exist and are also valid.

By its very nature, language is fluid, dynamic, subjective and contested and its meaning has the potential to change over time. This list is not exhaustive or definitive but provided as a guide.

Amatonormativity

A term that includes a set of societal assumptions that everyone prospers with an exclusive romantic relationship. e.g. all human beings pursue love or romance or a monogamous long-term relationship.

Societal issues

Aromantic (Aro)

A term describing people who experience little to no romantic attraction and/or a lack of interest in romantic pursuits. Some identities in this area include: gray aromantic, demiromantic

Sexual orientation

Asexual (Ace)

A sexual orientation describing people who experience little to no sexual attraction and/or have a lack of interest in engaging in sexual behaviours. Some identities in this area include: gray ace, demisexual

Sexual orientation

Bierasure (Bisexual erasure)

Questioning or denying the existence or legitimacy of bisexuality. e.g. assuming a bisexual person is heterosexual if they are in a straight-passing relationship, believing that someone is too gay to be bi , assuming that bi people are 'experimenting', minimising the bi experience by implying that everyone is a little bi.

Societal issues

Biphobia

The range of negative attitudes and misconceptions someone may have about bisexuality and toward bisexual people. Including bierasure.

Societal issues

Bisexual (Bi)

A sexual orientation describing an individual whose primary attraction is to people of multiple genders.

Sexual orientation

Brotherboy

The term used for trans and gender diverse men within some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

Gender

Cisgender (Cis)

A term used to describe people whose gender identity corresponds to the gender they were assigned at birth. The majority of people fall within this category and is seen as the 'norm' within society.

Gender

Coming out (Out of the closet.)

The process through which an individual comes to recognise and acknowledge (both to self and to others) their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.

Societal issues

Deadnaming

Using a name that someone no longer uses or feels uncomfortable being used. This can directly make worse feelings of gender dysphoria and result in significant distress.

Gender

Drag (Drag king/ Drag queen)

A performance art that is historically significant to the LGBTIQA+ community. It is important to remember that not all performers are trans nor do all trans people perform drag. The gender identity of the performer is irrespective of their drag persona.

Gender

Endosex

A term describing people born with physical, hormonal or genetic characteristics that fall within the expected combinations associated with male and female sexes. The majority of people fall within this category and is seen as the 'norm' within society.

Sex

Female-to-male (FTM)

A term that may be used to refer to a transgender man. Some trans people may not like this term as it can touch on transmedicalist ideology.

Gender

Gay

A sexual orientation describing an individual, often a man, who is sexually, romantically and/or emotionally attracted to those of the same gender, sometimes used as an umbrella term for the LGBTIQA+ community.

Sexual orientation

Gender

A system of social categorisation forming part of a person's social identity. Gender categories are socially constructed sets of characteristics such as expression, behaviour and roles that are culturally associated with sex

Gender

Gender affirmation (Gender transition)

The process of affirming one's gender identity and expression with self and/or others. There is no one way to go through this process and everyone's gender affirmation process will be unique to them.

Gender

Gender Binary

A system of gender classification in which a person is categorized to either be a man or a woman. This rudimentary understanding of gender identities leaves no room for those who don't fit into the one of the two boxes.

Theory

Gender diverse

A range of gender identities that sit outside the binary of woman and man. This includes trans and nonbinary identities.

Gender

Gender dysphoria

The distress that is caused by an incongruence between a person's gender identity and their sex assigned at birth. Can induce discomfort in everyone aspect of someone's life from identity to self worth and social interaction. It is important to remember not all gender diverse people experience gender dysphoria and it is not a criteria for being trans.

Gender

Gender Euphoria

The feeling of joy at having internal gender identity reflected externally by themselves or others. The act of being seen and acknowledged by yourself or someone else.

Gender

Gender expression

Refers to the way in which a person communicates their gender identity to others; such as their clothing, grooming, mannerisms or role.

Gender

Gender identity

A person's concept of themself as fitting into or outside of the socially constructed system of gender. This may include labels such as man, woman, nonbinary etc.

Gender

Gender incongruence

A marked and persistent incongruence between a person's experienced gender and assigned sex at birth.

Gender

Gender neutral language

Language that does not associate a gender with the person who is being discussed. This includes: using gender neutral pronouns e.g. (they/them), avoiding gendered familial titles like (sister, father, aunt) and avoiding words with gendered application like (beautiful, handsome).

Gender

Gender non conforming

An identity, behaviour or expression that does not fit into what is expected in a binary gender system.

Gender

Gender reassignment (Transitioning)

The process of altering ones self to conform to an individuals understanding of their own gender. This may involve hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and/or surgery. It is immensely important to understand that there is no one way to be trans and the belief that trans people must medically transition is harmful and is known as transmedicalism.

Gender

Genderfluid

A term describing people whose gender identity changes over time or may shift between different identities at different times.

Gender

Genderqueer

A term describing someone whose gender identity doesn't fit rigidly within the binary expectations of being a man or woman.

Gender

Heteronormativity (cisnormativity)

The belief and normalisation of an alignment between sex, gender and sexuality leading to the evaluation that being endosex, cisgender and heterosexual is a bundled set of essential characteristics and together this is the 'good' and 'permissible' way of being within society

Societal issues

Heterosexual (Straight)

A sexual orientation describing an individual whose primary attraction is to a gender different to their own. The majority of people fall within this category and is seen as the 'norm' within society.

Sexual orientation

Homophobia

Fear, hatred, intolerance of or discomfort with LGBTIQA+ people and behaviours outside the boundaries of the heteronormative binary.

Societal issues

Homosexual (Gay, Lesbian)

People who are sexually, romantically and/or emotionally attracted to people of the same gender as their own. Additionally, homosexual may also be used by some in the queer community as a synonym for queer.

Sexual orientation

Intersectionality

A term referring to the understanding that queer identities can interact with other forms of oppression and how multiple identities can be present with the LGBTIQA+

Theory

Intersex

A term describing people born with physical, hormonal or genetic characteristics that fall outside of the expected combinations associated with male and female sexes.

Sex

Lesbian

A sexual orientation often describing a woman whose primary attraction is to other women

Sexual orientation

LGBTIQA+ (LGBTQIA+, Queer)

An acronym for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and questioning, asexual and aromantic, plus other related identities; these letters may appear in a different order

Header

Male-to-female (MTF)

A term that may be used to refer to a transgender woman. Some trans people may not like this term as it can touch on transmedicalist ideology

Gender

Misgendering

Is an occurrence where a person is described or addressed using language that does not match their gender identity including: incorrect use of pronouns (she/he/they), familial titles (sister, father, aunt) and words with gendered application (beautiful, handsome). Misgendering someone can directly contribute to gender dysphoria and result in significant distress.

Societal issues

Mx or Mixter

Usually written in its abbreviated form Mx, is a gender-neutral title like Mr, Ms and Miss

Gender

Non-binary (Enby, nb, gender queer, gender diverse)

A gender identity outside the binary of woman and man, also sometimes called genderqueer and used as an umbrella term for gender diverse identities. Some identities in this include: agender, demi-boy, demi-girl

Gender

Outing

Involuntary or unwanted disclosure of another person's sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status. It is extremely important to never out someone who is not ready to come out as it is disregarding their autonomy and can often be unsafe.

Societal issues

Pansexual (Pan)

A sexual orientation describing an individual whose primary attraction is to people of any gender, or people regardless of their gender.

Sexual orientation

Passing (cis-passing, straight-passing)

Refers to when a gender diverse individual may be perceived as cisgender in the case of cis-passing. Or when a queer individual may be perceived as being in a queer relationship with a partner in the case of straight-passing.

Gender Societal issues

Performativity (gender performativity)

The understanding that gender is enacted, brought about by individuals repeatedly living in gendered ways based on the cultural norms of the society they belong to. The differences between genders is based on what is expected of, and socialised for, each group, rather than innate biological differences.

Gender

Polyamory (Ethical non-monogamy, polyamorous relationship)

Having multiple relationships, whether romantic or sexual, with the full knowledge and consent of all those involved.

Sexual practices

Pronouns

A way to refer to someone in place of using their name. Commonly used pronouns are (she/her, they/them, he/him). People may also use multiple sets of pronouns like (she/they or they/he) in which either she/her or they/them pronouns can be used interchangeably. Whilst this list is not exhaustive it is important to remember that we should always use whatever language wants us to use to describe them.

Theory

Queer

An umbrella term for people of diverse genders and sexualities. A reclaimed slur used by some people to describe their gender identity or sexual orientation. Can be used interchangeably with LGBTIQA+

Gender Sexual orientation

Questioning

A term used to describe people who may be unsure or are still exploring their sexual orientation and/or gender identity

Gender Sexual orientation

Sex

A term from biology dividing a species into the reproductive roles of male and female, usually based on physical characteristics

Sex

Sex Assigned At Birth (Gender Assigned at Birth - different but linked)

A term used to identify a person's assigned sex (not gender identity). Someone may be AFAB (Assigned Female At Birth) or AMAB (Assigned Male At Birth) depending on external sex characteristics. As sex and gender are wrongly assumed to be linked in our society a gender is also assigned at birth eg boy or girl.

Sex

Sex characteristics

The group of five biological features including chromosomes, hormones, gonads, genitalia and secondary sex characteristics.

Sex

Sexual orientation

A complex range of desires, including emotional, physical and erotic aspects, and who or what type of person those desires are directed towards

Sexual orientation

Sexuality

A combination of our sexual desires, behaviours and identity.

Sexual orientation

Sistergirl

The term used for trans and gender diverse women within some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

Gender

Split attraction model

A term referring to the understanding that sexual attraction and romantic attraction are not the same and two different forms of attraction. Someone can experience varying amounts or no sexual and/or romantic attraction in any combination.

Sexual orientation

The closet (Closeted, not out)

A term used by the queer community to describe someone who has not come out yet. Someone who is in the closet has not had their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status recognised and acknowledged by themselves and/or others.

Societal issues

Transgender (Trans)

A term describing people whose gender identity is different from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth

Gender

Transmedicalism

A harmful belief that being transgender is contingent upon experiencing gender dysphoria and/or having to receive medical treatment to transition and treat dysphoria.

Gender

Transphobia

The fear and hatred of, or discomfort with trans people and/or gender non-conforming individuals. This can include intentionally deadnaming or misgendering gender diverse people.

Societal issues

Umbrella term

A term that encompasses a range of more specific terms such as non-binary encompasing other gender identities like agender, demiboy, demigirl

Theory