Learn more about the definitions surrounding various concepts and terminology in the LGBTIQ+ movement.
Lesbian: A woman who is sexually and romantically attracted to other women.
Gay: A man who is sexually and romantically attracted to other men.
Bisexual: A person who is sexually and romantically attracted to both men and women.
Transgender: : A person whose gender identity and expression differs from their sex assigned at birth.
Transgender man : In short, “transman”, A person who was assigned female at birth and whose gender identity as well as expression is male. Transmen are men who were categorized as female at birth.
Transgender woman : In short, “transwoman”, A person who was assigned male at birth and whose gender identity as well as expression is female. Transwomen are women who were categorized as male at birth.
Transsexual: A transgender person who has treatments to alter the sex of his or her body. Many transsexual people report feeling “trapped in the wrong body” such that their internal feelings and emotions do not match their external biological sex.
Intersex: A person who is born with sex characteristics (including genitals, gonads and chromosome patterns) that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies. Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of bodily variations. Being intersex relates to biological sex characteristics, and is distinct from a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. This means that an intersex person may be straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or asexual, and may identify as female, male, both or neither.
Queer: Queer is an umbrella term that encompasses the diversity of gender identity, sexual orientation and sex characteristics beyond being endosex (which means ‘not intersex’), cisgender (when your gender identity is the same as your sex assigned at birth) and heterosexual (being attracted to a person of a different gender). In English speaking societies, this word was used as a slur until 19th century. However the community reclaimed and destigmatized this word and is now used as a respectful vocabulary.
Third gender : Third gender is a traditional concept prominent in South Asia (apart from Sri Lanka). The term refers to people who are neither man nor woman. The concept of third gender is primarily based on Hindu culture, also Islamic culture. Third gender people also have traditional communities with their own lifestyle, culture, rituals, traditions and sometimes a different language. The definition of “non-binary” and “third gender” sounds similar, however these two concepts originate in a different way. The concept of third gender is traditional. While many people choose to identify themselves as ‘third gender’ based on their traditional concept, many people feel that traditional concepts are outdated or not precise enough to explain their gender identity.
Some third gender communities in Nepal are : Madhesh : Hijra, Hijada, Kothi, Maugiyah (in Maithili), Mehru, Natuwa, Launda; Hills : Metti, Tepki, Maruni, Maibabu (in Newa), Ghaade (in Dotyali); Mountains : Fululumu (in Eastern Himalayan), Folok Molok (in Western Himalayan region such as Dolpo and Mustang), etc.
Sex: A person’s sex refers to an individual’s anatomy and reproductive organs as male, female, or intersex. In simpler words, what is between your legs is your sex. ‘Sex’ and ‘gender’ are not the same, although used interchangeably in the past.
Gender: Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between, masculinity and femininity.
Gender identity: An individual’s internal sense and personal experience of their gender, the way they express and present themselves and the terminology they choose to describe themselves.
Gender expression: A person’s behaviour, mannerisms, and appearance that are associated with gender in a particular cultural context, specifically with the categories of femininity or masculinity.
Sexual orientation: a person’s sexual identity in relation to the gender to which they are attracted
Heterosexual / Straight : An individual who is sexually and romantically attracted to person of a different gender
Homosexual : An individual who is sexually and romantically attracted to person of the same gender
The definitions of heterosexuality and homosexuality includes transgender individuals too. Which means heterosexuality isn’t just about cis men and women being attracted to each other. It also encompasses cis men – trans women, trans men – cis women and trans men – trans women attractions. Similarly, homosexuality not just refers to attraction between cis men – cis men and cis women – cis women, but also encompasses attractions between cis men – trans men, trans men – trans men, cis women – trans women and trans women – transwomen.
Endosex : Opposite of ‘intersex’, A collective word for male and female, people who fit into definitions of male and female anatomy.
Sex assigned at birth means the social norm where a person is categorized as male or female based on having a penis or vagina
Cisgender : A person whose gender identity and expression matches of aligns their sex assigned at birth. This is a word that is used to describe what our society has been considering as “the normal gender”, or “by default gender”. The use of the term “cisgender” mitigates othering of gender identities beyond the social narratives and nullifies the assumption that you’re normal only when your sex and gender identity matches
Non-binary : Non-binary is a term that describes a range of gender identities that do not fit in typical man and woman binary. It describes a spectrum of gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine—identities that are outside the gender binary. “Genderqueer” is a synonym to “non-binary”.
Pansexual : A person who is sexually and romantically attracted to people of all genders.
Asexual : A person who does not experience any sexual attraction.
Gender minorities: Minority population based on their gender identity; Diversity of gender identities that do not align with people’s sex assigned at birth; gender identities apart from cisgender; transgender, third gender, intersex and non-binary individuals.
Sexual minorities : Minority population based on their sexual orientation; Diversity of sexual identities beyond heterosexuality
Questioning: A person who is still exploring and yet unsure of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Gender Pronouns: Asking and correctly using someone’s gender pronouns is one of the most basic ways to show respect for a person’s gender identity. Traditional gender pronouns in English are “she/her/hers” for women and “he/him/his” for men. Non-gendered or nonbinary pronouns are not gender specific and are most often used by people who identify outside of a gender binary. Examples include “they/theirs/them” or “ze/zir/zirs.”
Misgendering : Refering to (someone, especially a transgender or a non-binary person) using a word, pronoun or form of address that does not correctly reflect the gender with which they identify. Misgendering is a form of abuse and harassment against transgender and non-binary persons.