The Official Web Site for The State of New Jersey



Appendix A:GLOSSARY OF TERMS RELATED TO SEXUAL ORIENTATION,GENDER IDENTITY, AND GENDER EXPRESSIONAFAB – Assigned Female at Birth. See “Assigned Sex”Agender – Describes a person who does not have an internal sense of gender, or chooses not to identify or express themself as a particular gender. (Compare “Genderfluid,” and see also “Genderless.” Ally – An “ally” to LGBTQI people is a person who believes that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex individuals are equal to heterosexual and cisgender individuals, rejects the idea that being heterosexual and/or cisgender is preferable to or more natural than being LGBTQI, and believes that bias and discrimination against LGBTQI individuals is wrong. An ally is a person who attempts to eliminate heterosexism and cisgenderism from their own life and from the lives of others. The term implies that the person is not LGBTQI themselves, but that their beliefs and behaviors affirm the value, worth, and rights of LGBTQI people.AMAB – Assigned Male at Birth. See “Assigned Sex”Ambisexual – The ability to be attracted to either men or women. See also Pansexual, and compare Bisexual.Androgynous – a form of gender expression that is not clearly identifiable as either masculine or feminine; a gender expression that is either gender neutral, or contains elements of both masculinity and femininity. Asexual – A term with several meanings, ranging from a person for whom sexuality is not part of their life, to someone who does not feel attracted to any gender, to someone who has chosen not to be sexual with other people.Assigned Gender – The gender a person is assigned at birth, based on the person’s assigned sex. If a child is determined to be female at birth, they are typically assigned the gender “girl,” and if a child is determined to be male at birth, they are typically assigned the gender “boy.” Intersex individuals are sometimes assigned a gender at birth, but an intersex individual might also be allowed to discover their gender identity for themselves as they grow up.Assigned Sex – The biological sex a person is determined to be at birth, based on observation of the person’s physical sex characteristics and, if prenatal testing was done, on knowledge of the person’s genetic sex. A person’s assigned sex might be male, female, or intersex. Bias-Based Bullying – refers to bullying behavior that is motivated by bias, or is directed toward an individual because of an actual or perceived personal characteristic of that individual, including but not limited to racial, ethnic, cultural, disability, gender, or sexual orientation characteristics.Binary Classification System – A classification system composed of two categories. In many cultures, sex, gender, and sexuality are conceptualized as binary. For example, Sex has two categories, “male” and “female;” Gender has two categories, “man” and “woman;” and Sexual orientation has two primary categories, “Gay/Lesbian” and “Straight.” Binary classification systems are inadequate to describe the complexity of human sex, gender, and sexuality; see “Intersex,” “Gender non-binary,” “Bisexual,” and “Pansexual” for examples.Bisexual – refers to a person who is attracted to, and may form sexual and romantic relationships with, either men or women. Bisexuality is a sexual orientation.Bullying – intentional, unprovoked attempts to cause physical or emotional harm to one or more targets. Typically characterized by an imbalance of physical and/or psychological power between target and perpetrator, bullying is a form of victimization.Cisgender – refers to a person whose gender identity and expression are aligned with the gender they were assigned at birth, in the manner expected by society. For example, a person born female who identifies as a girl/woman, and who conforms within socially accepted limits to the feminine gender role of her society, or a person born male who identifies as a boy/man, and who conforms within socially accepted limits to the masculine gender role of his society.Cisgender Assumption – The assumption that a person’s gender identity aligns with their sex in the way expected by society (i.e., that males will identify as boys/men, and that females will identify as girls/women) and that a person’s gender expression reflects their biological sex (i.e., that a person who looks “like a man” is male, and that a person who looks “like a woman” is female).Cisgenderism – A term referring to the privileging of individuals whose sex and gender align in the way expected by society (i.e., cisgender individuals), over those whose sex and gender align in other ways, including transgender ing Out – A process that includes both coming out to one’s self, i.e., recognizing one’s own sexual orientation and possibly developing an identity based on that sexual orientation, as well as the process of coming out to others, i.e., informing others about one’s sexual orientation. The term “coming out” can also be used to refer to the process of self-discovery and disclosure to others of one’s gender identity.Cross-dresser – A person who lives their life primarily as a member of the gender they were assigned at birth, but who, at certain times or in certain circumstances, prefers to express their gender differently. For example, a man who lives primarily as a man, but who also occasionally cross-dresses as a woman, e.g., to express a “feminine side.” Cross-dressers are encompassed by the broader transgender umbrella, although they might not consider themselves to be part of the transgender community, and a person should only be referred to as a cross-dresser if they refer to themself in this way. To call a transman or transwoman a “cross-dresser” would be offensive, because of the implication that their gender expression does not reflect their real gender.Differences in Sex Development (DSD) – Known medically as “Disorders in Sex Development,” but “Differences in Sex Development” is preferred as less pejorative. DSD refers to several conditions in which individuals are born with a combination of chromosomes, gonads, hormones, internal reproductive organs, external genitalia, and secondary sex characteristics that include some characteristics that are typically considered biologically “male” and some characteristics that are typically considered biologically “female,” or in which an individual naturally develops a combination of male and female characteristics during the course of development, without medical intervention. The term “hermaphrodite” is an outdated and offensive term for individuals with DSDs, who are also known as “intersex” individuals.Gay – generally refers to a person who is emotionally, romantically, and sexually attracted to people of the same gender. Sometimes, the term is used to refer exclusively to men/boys who are attracted to their own gender, whereas “lesbian” is used to refer exclusively to women/girls who are attracted to their own gender, and sometimes the term “gay” is used as an inclusive term for both gay men and lesbians. It is preferred over the term “homosexual,” which is often considered offensive because of the history of “homosexuality” as a psychiatric diagnosis. “Gay” is a sexual orientation.Gender Confirmation Surgery – Surgery performed to alter a person’s physical appearance and/or function to promote the person’s successful gender self-expression, e.g., by aligning physical appearance and/or function more closely with expectations based on the person’s gender identity. The term encompasses surgery to alter secondary sex characteristics, enhance or eliminate breast tissue, genital surgery, e.g., vaginoplasty and penoplasty, and/or removal of internal organs; an individual might undergo none, some, or all such procedures.Gender Diversity – A reference to the fact that gender identity and gender expression are human characteristics that are very complex and which vary greatly among individuals; specifically, the fact that human gender diversity is not adequately reflected by binary classification systems of gender.Gender Dysphoria – a psychiatric diagnosis for a person whose expressed/experienced gender differs markedly from the gender assigned to the individual based on their birth sex, and for whom this causes significant distress or impairment in functioning. Not all transgender people are gender dysphoric; a transgender individual who is comfortable with the alignment of their biological sex with their gender identity and expression, is not gender dysphoric. Replaced the older diagnosis of “Gender Identity Disorder.”Gender Etiquette – Refers to the respectful practice of using the pronoun and name that a person has asked you to use, or the gender pronoun that matches their current gender expression. Compare: Misgendering.Gender Expansive – A term referring to a gender identity or gender expression that is not limited by traditional binary notions of gender, and which is often used as a self-description to reflect rejection of the applicability of the gender binary to one’s own experience of gender. Individuals might identify as gender expansive, or describe themselves as gender expansive. In contrast, the term “gender non-conforming,” refers to a gender expression that does not fit within the gender binary by referring to the gender binary (and casting the non-conformity as a deviation from binary expectations) rather than by rejecting it.Gender Expression – The manner in which a person represents or expresses their gender to others through gender markers including clothing, hairstyle, behavior, activities, interests, attitudes, voice inflection, mannerisms, etc. (See Gender identity)Gender Fluidity – Gender fluidity conveys a wider, more flexible range of gender expression, in which a person’s gender expression includes both feminine and masculine elements as perceived by their society, and might vary from day to day. In other words, a person may appear to others to be more feminine on some days and more masculine on others, and might feel that neither term describes them accurately. Gender fluid people do not conform to stereotypical expectations of women and men, and might reject the cultural distinction between “masculine” and “feminine” altogether. Some gender fluid individuals do not identify as “men” or as “women,” and might adopt “genderfluid” as their gender identity. See also “Gender Non-binary.” Gender Identity – An individual’s internal view of their gender; one’s own innermost sense of being a man or a woman, or of having another gender, e.g., being “genderfluid.” This often influences name and pronoun preferences.Gender Identity Disorder – a medical diagnostic category that no longer exists; GID was replaced by “Gender Dysphoria.”Gender Neutral Language – Language that avoids specifying masculine or feminine gender by using gender-neutral pronouns and words, e.g., saying “spouse” instead of “wife” or “husband.”Gender Non-Binary – Rejection of the cultural classification of people into “boy/man” or “girl/woman” social categories, or a person or idea that does not fit into the gender binary. A gender non-binary person might not identify as a boy/man or a girl/woman, and might adopt an alternate gender identity, e.g., “genderfluid.”Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) – Refers to a person whose gender identity or gender expression does not conform to traditional or societal expectations. This includes androgynous individuals, gender-blending individuals, and individuals whose gender expressions do not conform to stereotypes of men or women, as defined by their culture. Although transgender individuals might be gender non-conforming, the descriptor “gender non-conforming” is a broader term, and does not imply that an individual is transgender. Compare “gender diverse” and “gender expansive.”Gender Pronoun – In English, traditional pronouns include “he/his/him/himself” for men, and “she/hers/her/herself” for women. Transgender, including genderfluid, gender non-binary, and GNC individuals sometimes feel that neither the masculine nor the feminine pronouns available in English are appropriate for them. Some individuals prefer other pronouns, e.g., “they/theirs/them/themself,” or “ze/zirs/zir/zirself.”Genderless – A term used by some individuals, usually to indicate a rejection not only of the cultural assumption that all people fit into either one of two gender categories (boy/man or girl/woman), but also the idea that a person should have a gender identity of any type.Genderqueer – A term used by some individuals to describe a style or identity that rejects traditional binary concepts of gender identity and/or gender expression.Hermaphrodite – An outdated term for “Intersex.” The term is considered offensive because it is associated with the attitude that DSDs are birth defects that should be fixed, and that intersex children should therefore be assigned one sex or the other, and given medical intervention (e.g., surgery) to support that assignment, before they are old enough to make that decision themselves.Heterosexual – A person who is emotionally, romantically, and sexually attracted to people of the other binary gender. In other words, a man attracted to women, or a woman attracted to men. Also referred to as “Straight.” “Heterosexual” is a sexual orientation.Heterosexual Assumption – The cultural assumption that people are heterosexual. It is the assumption that people are heterosexual that makes the process of “coming out” for LGB-identified people necessary. Heterosexism – The term “heterosexism” is analogous to “racism,” “sexism,” etc., and is the correct term to use when referring to the marginalization or oppression of LGB people (Compare “homophobia”). Like racism and sexism, heterosexism refers to all aspects, both personal and social, that disadvantage the disempowered group (in this case, LGB) and privilege the more socially powerful group (in this case, heterosexuals).Homophobia - refers specifically to “fear of homosexuals,” and is only one aspect of heterosexism. The term probably originated from the theory that people who are prejudiced against LGB are really gay themselves but are unable to admit it, i.e., it is fear of the gayness in themselves that causes them to fear or hate other gay people. Prejudice against LGB has many sources, and takes many forms, and the implication that everyone who is anti-LGB is really a closeted gay person is inaccurate, misleading, and dangerous because it limits understanding of the real roots and forms of all types of heterosexism. The term “homophobia” is often used, incorrectly, to refer to heterosexism.Homosexual – An outdated term for “gay” or “lesbian,” or for sexual attractions toward a member of one’s own gender. The term is associated with outdated beliefs that homosexuality is a mental illness.Implicit Biases – Biases that impact how a person sees others, usually without the conscious awareness of the person with the bias. Implicit biases are perceptual biases, and they impact our perceptions, evaluations, assessments, and reactions to other people. Implicit biases can cause discriminatory behavior and discriminatory outcomes.Internalized prejudice – When a member of a socially stigmatized group internalizes the negative attitudes, beliefs, and images of themself that exist in their society. For example, “internalized heterosexism,” which is often referred to as “internalized homophobia.”Intersex – A person who is born with (or develops naturally, not as a result of medical treatment) a combination of chromosomes, gonads, hormones, internal reproductive organs, external genitalia, and secondary sex characteristics that include some characteristics that are typically considered biologically “male” and some characteristics that are typically considered biologically “female,” or in which an individual naturally develops a combination of male and female characteristics during the course of development, without medical intervention. The term “hermaphrodite” is an outdated and offensive term for intersex individuals. Medically, intersex conditions are known as DSD, “Disorders of Sex Development,” or, more respectfully, as “Differences in Sex Development.”Latine – In some Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America, within the LGBTQI community, some people are adopting “Latine” as a gender neutral alternative to the traditional “Latina” and “Latino.” It is pronounced “Lah-teen-eh,” with a soft “e” at the end; it is not pronounced “Lateen.” Also, “Latinx.”Latinx – See “Latine”Lesbian –refers to a woman who is emotionally, romantically, and sexually attracted to other women. “Lesbian” is a sexual orientation.LGBTQI – an acronym commonly used to refer to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Intersex. Can be used to refer to individuals who are L, G, B, T, Q, or I, or to refer to the “LGBTQI community.” Various forms of the acronym exist, e.g., LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) and LGBTQQIAA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Ally). (Compare: “SOGIE”)Misgendering – Using the wrong pronoun for a person, or otherwise referring to their gender incorrectly, i.e., in a way that does not accurately reflect the person’s gender identity or gender expression, or that is different from the pronoun and name the person has requested. Misgendering is disrespectful. See “Gender Etiquette.”Non-Binary – A “Binary classification system” is a classification system with two categories. “Non-binary” refers to a rejection of binary classification, a system with more than two categories, or practices that reflect a rejection of binary classification. Non-gendered pronouns – Pronouns that do not indicate a binary gender. For example, “they” and “zie.” The traditional pronouns, “he” and “she,” are gendered, because they indicate that a person belongs to one of the two binary gendered categories, “boy/man” or “girl/woman.”“Out” – To be “out” to another person means that an LGBTQI person shares knowledge of their LGBTQI status with that other person. An individual might be out to some people, but not to others, and they might be out in some contexts (e.g., at home) but not in others (e.g., at school or work). To “out” someone is to share information about that person’s LGBTQI status with a third party without the permission of the LGBTQI individual. (Compare: “Passing”)Outing – is when someone reveals the LGB sexual orientation, or the transgender status, of another person. To “out” someone (verb) is to reveal to others that the person is LGB or T, and the term implies that the LGB/T person did not want others to know.Pangender – A term used by some individuals to identify their gender, or their gender expression, in a way that rejects the gender binary, i.e., the idea that people are either “boys/men” or “girls/women.”Pansexual – A term used by some individuals to identify their sexual orientation in a way that rejects the sexual orientation binary, i.e., the idea that people are either “gay/lesbian” or “heterosexual,” or, more fundamentally, the idea that sexual attractions to others should be described and classified in terms of the genders of those to whom one is attracted.Passing – Refers to a LGBTQI individual whose SOGIE status is unknown to others, i.e., who is perceived or assumed to be non-LGBTQI (i.e., heterosexual and/or cisgender). Passing might occur by default because of others’ assumptions, or it might be a choice made by the LGBTQI individual to conceal their LGBTQI identity. When a LGBTQI individual chooses not to be “out,” this is sometimes referred to as being “in the closet.”Queer – A historically derogatory term for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and gender non-conforming people. However, the term has now been widely reclaimed by younger LGBTQI people, for whom it has a very positive meaning as a social and political identity, and as an umbrella term encompassing everyone in the LGBTQI population.Questioning – generally refers to a person who is exploring or questioning issues of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in his/her/their life.Sex (Biological Sex) – Refers to a person’s physical characteristics that are related to biological sex, including their genetics, gonads, external and internal sex organs, and secondary sex characteristics. Most people are classified at birth as “male,” or “female,” but some people are born with Differences in Sex Development (DSDs), which is also respectfully referred to as “intersex.”Sex Re-Assignment Surgery – An outdated term for “Gender Confirming Surgery”Sexual Orientation –refers to a person’s emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction to persons, usually in reference to whether those attractions are to other people of the same and/or a different, gender. For example, terms used to describe an individual’s sexual orientation include gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and heterosexual. A person’s sexual orientation should not be confused with their gender identity or their gender expression. SOGIE – Acronym for “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and/or Gender Expression.” For example, “SOGIE status” refers to information about a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression, and “SOGIE identity” refers to how a person identifies. Distinct from “LGBTQ,” which refers specifically to individuals whose SOGIE status is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning, or to the LGBTQ community. “SOGIE” is to “LGBTQ” as “Age” is to “young adult;” everyone has an age, but only some people’s ages classify them as “young adults.” Likewise, everyone has a SOGIE status, but only some people are LGBTQI.Stealth – A term used to refer to transgender individuals who are living consistent with their gender identity, and others do not know that they are transgender. Note: This is different from “passing,” because passing implies that others do not know the truth about who someone is; “stealth” implies that others do know the true gender of a person, they simply don’t know that this is not the gender the person was assigned at birth.Straight – A person who is emotionally, romantically, and sexually attracted to people of the other gender. For example, a man attracted to women, or a woman attracted to men. Also referred to as “Heterosexual.”Transgender or Trans* – used as an umbrella term to include all persons whose gender identity or gender expression does not align with their sex assigned at birth in the way expected by their society. For purposes of protection from discrimination and harassment, transgender refers to both self-described transgender individuals and individuals perceived as transgender or gender non-conforming without regard to whether they qualify for a diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria or identify themselves as GNC or transgender. The usage “Trans*” is popular among youth as a way of referring to the wide variety of gender identities and expressions of trans individuals who do not conform to traditional “man (boy)” or “woman (girl)” categories. The term “transgender” is sometimes used in a more specific sense, as a reference to only those individuals who have a traditional gender identity as a man/boy or as a woman/girl, but for whom this gender identity is not aligned in the socially expected way with their biological sex (male or female). Transphobia – Literally, “fear of transgender people.” Compare to “Cisgenderism.”Transition – The process by which a transgender person transitions from an expression of assigned gender to a gender expression that is aligned with their gender identity. For example, the process by which a person who was born male but identifies as a girl/woman transitions from living as a boy/man to living as a girl/woman. Transitioning often includes changes in pronouns and name, and changes in clothing and presentation. Transition might include legal changes, e.g., changes in the person’s “sex designation” on birth certificates, passports, and health insurance policies. For some transgender individuals, transition is medical as well as social, and might include taking hormones and/or surgery.Transman, Transboy – A “transman” is a person who identifies as a man, but was not born with male physical characteristics. Although a transgender man might describe himself as a “transman,” it is respectful to recognize that the person’s gender identity is “man,” and that “trans” is an adjective. The term “FTM” is sometimes used to refer to individuals who were assigned a female sex and “girl” gender at birth, but who identify as boys/men.Transsexual – An outdated term for a transman or transwoman. This term is considered offensive because it is associated with non-affirming attitudes; the term “transgender” is more respectful.Transwoman, Transgirl –A “transwoman” is a person who identifies as a woman, but was not born with female physical characteristics. Although a transgender woman might describe herself as a “transwoman,” it is respectful to recognize that the person’s gender identity is “woman,” and that “trans” is an adjective. The term “MTF” is sometimes used to refer to individuals who were assigned a male sex and “boy” gender at birth, but who identify as girls/women. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download