bisexual - As a noun, an individual who may be attracted to either sex. As an
adjective, of or relating to sexual and affection attraction to either sex.
closeted - Refers to a person who wishes to keep secret his or her sexual orientation
or gender identity.
coming out - Short term for "coming out of the cloest." Accepting and letting other's know
of one's prviously hidden sexual orientation or gender identity.
cross-dresser - Preferred term for person who wears clothing most often associated
with members of the opposite sex. Not necessarily connected to sexual orientation.
drag/drag performers - Attire of the opposite sex. Entertainers who dress and act in styles
associated with the opposite sex (drag queen for men, drag king for women). Not synonymous
with transgender or cross-dressing.
dyke - Originally a term for a pejorative term for a lesbian, it is now being reclaimed
by some lesbians but still can be offensive.
fag, faggot - Originally an offensive term term for a gay male, it is now being reclaimed
by some men, but can still be offensive.
gay - Men who are sexually and affectionally attracted to other men.
gender identity - An individual's emotional and psychological sense of being male or female.
Not necessarily the same as an individual's biological identity.
heterosexism - Presumption that heterosexuality is universal and/or superior to homosexuality.
homophobia - Fear, hatred or dislike of homosexuality, gay men and lesbians.
homosexual - A person who is attracted to members of the same sex.
intersex - People born with sex chromosomes, external genitalia or an internal
reproductive system that is not considered standard for either male or female.
lesbian - Preferred term, both as a noun and as an adjective, for women who are
sexually and affectionally attracted to other women.
LGBT - Acronym for "lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender."
queer - Originally an offensive term for an efferminate gay man. Still considered offensive to some.
rainbow flag - A flag of six equal horizontal stripes (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and
violet) signifying the diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
sexual orientation - Sexual attraction.
Sexual preference - Type of person whom one is attracted to.
straight - Heterosexual; a person whose sexual and affectional attraction is to
someone of the opposite sex.
transgender - An "umbrella" term that refers to to people whose biological and gender
identity or expression may not be the same.
transsexual - An individual who identifies himself or herself as a member of the opposite
sex and who acquires the physical chracteristics of the opposite sex.