The acronym “LGBTQIA2S+” is the current best option.įemale - An adjective denoting the biological sex that produces eggs. Additionally, we will sometimes refer to the community as the Queer and Trans community. In addition, we will sometimes use the acronym “LGBTQIA2S+” or “LGBTQIA+,” depending on context. This plus-sign signifies additional identity terms. The GSCC primarily uses the acronym “LGBTQIA2S+.” This acronym stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and trans, queer and questioning, intersex, asexual or agender, and two-spirit. Sexuality includes how and if we engage in sexual (and possibly romantic activity), what activities we enjoy, and with whom we engage. This includes one’s sexual identity and is sometimes related to one’s romantic identity. Sexuality - A person’s sexual feelings, thoughts, desires, identities, values, and behaviors. The key elements of an individual's gender are gender identity, gender attribution, and gender expression. Gender is framed by a society’s understanding of masculinity and femininity as related to roles, behaviors, expectations, activities, identities, and attributes. This term is often understood as a binary, however, historically and presently, gender is expansive and dynamic. Birth-assigned sex is often mistakenly confused with gender. “Assigned-at-birth” serves to imply that sex assignment is without the agency of the individual. One’s sex is typically assigned at birth and classified as either male or female. Understanding the distinctions and connections between these concepts is critical to understanding the definitions that follow.īirth-Assigned Sex - the designation that refers to a person’s biological, morphological, hormonal, and genetic composition. This is particularly true for “gender” and “sex.” Additionally, people’s conception of these terms is often quite limited and rooted in cisheteronormative and binary understandings of gender, sex, and sexuality. Their definitions are sometimes collapsed and the terms are used interchangeably. Gender, sex, and sexuality are often misunderstood terms that are distinct, but also connected. To understand LGBTQIA2S+ identities and communities we must first distinguish three important concepts (gender, sex, and sexuality) and discuss the version of the acronym we are using on this website and in our educational programs and resources. You can email and/or call the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center at or (517) 353-9520. If there is a term that you feel should be included here, please let us know. We understand that language around sexuality and gender is always changing and we will review these terms regularly. The definitions provided in this document reflect the current general understanding of these terms. Identity terms mean very particular things to different individuals. It is by no means a comprehensive list, but it is a good place for us to start. This is a list of carefully researched and thoughtfully discussed definitions for key gender and sexuality terms.