Sexual Orientation

Our identity based on our own gender and the gender(s) of the people we are attracted to romantically, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically. Terms used to name this identity include but not limited to same-gender loving, lesbian, bisexual, gay, queer, straight, etc.

Gender Identity

The inner sense of 'being' man/male, woman/female, butch, femme, trans, both, all, multi, or neither. This usually matches with one's physical anatomy, but sometimes does not.

Gender Expression/Gender Presentation

The way a person expresses their gender through gestures, movement, dress, and grooming.

LGBTQ

An umbrella term that stands for "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning/queer".

Questioning

A term used to describe a person who is not certain of their sexual orientation/gender identity.

Queer

Someone who doesn't conform to society's expectation of whom they are. Today, queer is increasingly being used as an umbrella term for LGBTQ individuals. Queer was formerly a slur, and not everyone is comfortable with this term as an umbrella term (typically it is the younger generations that are more comfortable).