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Terminology Within the LGBT + Community

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

A condition caused by the advanced stage of HIV infection, characterized by a severely weakened immune system, making individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and certain cancers.

Ace and Aro/Ace and Aro Spectrum

Umbrella terms used to describe the wide group of people who experience a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of romantic and/or sexual attraction, including a lack of attraction. People who identify under these umbrella terms may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, asexual, ace, aromantic, aro, demi, grey, and abro. People may also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight, and queer in conjunction with ace and aro to explain the direction of romantic or sexual attraction if and when they experience it.

Ally

A person who supports and advocates for the rights of LGBTQ+ people, but is not themselves part of the community.

Aromantic

A person who does not experience romantic attraction. Some aromantic people experience sexual attraction, while others do not. Aromantic people who experience sexual attraction or occasional romantic attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight, and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their attraction.

Bear

A gay man with a large, stocky physique, often with facial hair also refers to the subculture of this group.

Biphobia

The fear or dislike of someone who identifies as bi based on prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs, or views about bi people. Biphobic bullying may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be, bi.

CD4 Count

A measure of the number of CD4 cells in the blood, used to monitor the health of the immune system in people living with HIV. A lower count indicates a weakened immune system, making the person more vulnerable to infections.

Cisgender or Cis

Someone whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. Non trans is also used by some people.

ComingOut

The process of revealing one's sexual orientation or gender identity to others.

Demisexual

A person who experiences sexual attraction only after forming a deep emotional connection.

Drag King

A person, typically a woman, who dresses in men's clothing and often acts with exaggerated masculinity for performance or entertainment.

GLBT

An alternative order of the acronym LGBT.

Gender

Often expressed in terms of masculinity and femininity, gender is largely culturally determined and is assumed from the sex assigned at birth.

Gender expression

How a person chooses to outwardly express their gender, within the context of societal expectations of gender.

Genderfluid

A person whose gender identity shifts between different genders over time.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)

A virus that attacks the immune system, specifically targeting CD4 cells (T cells), which are crucial for the body’s immune response. HIV can lead to AIDS if not treated, but people living with HIV can manage the virus with proper medical care.

HIV related dementia

A condition that can occur in people with advanced HIV infection, characterized by memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and impaired motor skills. It is associated with damage to the brain caused by HIV.

Heteronormative

The assumption that heterosexuality is the default or "normal" sexual orientation.

Homophobia

The fear or dislike of someone, based on prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs, or views about lesbian, gay, or bi people.

LGBT+

Acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender.

Lesbian

Refers to a woman who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards women. Some non binary people may also identify with this term.

Nonbinary

An umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’. Non binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities, while others reject them entirely.

Out

A person who has openly identified their sexual orientation or gender identity.

PEP (Post exposure prophylaxis)

A short term treatment with HIV medications taken within 72 hours after potential exposure to HIV. It can prevent the virus from establishing an infection in the body, but it must be taken as soon as possible after exposure.

Pansexual

A person who is attracted to people regardless of their gender or gender identity.

Platonic partnerships

People who are on the ace and/or aro spectrum may have platonic partnerships. These are relationships where there is a high level of mutual commitment, including shared life decisions, shared living arrangements, and co parenting of children.

PrEP (Pre exposure prophylaxis)

A medication taken by HIV negative individuals to prevent HIV infection. When taken consistently, PrEP can significantly reduce the risk of acquiring HIV through sex or injection drug use.

Queerplatonic

A relationship that is not romantic but is closer than a typical friendship, often involving deep emotional intimacy.

Seroconversion

The period during which HIV antibodies develop and become detectable in the blood following infection. This typically occurs within 2 4 weeks after exposure to the virus and is often accompanied by flu like symptoms.

Spectrum

A term used to cover a variety of identities that have a root commonality or shared experience, often used in the context of identities like gender, sexuality, and romantic attraction.

Trans

An umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

Transgender man

A term used to describe someone who is assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man. This may be shortened to trans man or FTM (female to male).

Transitioning

The process a trans person may go through to live as their authentic gender. This may include physical, social, legal, or medical changes, such as hormone therapy, surgeries, changing name or pronouns, or altering presentation.

Transsexual

A term used by some trans people to refer to those who have undergone medical treatment to transition, including hormone therapy or surgery. This term is less commonly used today, as "transgender" is more widely accepted.

ART adherence

The act of consistently following a prescribed regimen of antiretroviral medications. Non adherence can lead to treatment failure and drug resistance.

Agender

A person who identifies as having no gender or as gender neutral.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART)

A combination of HIV medicines used to treat HIV infection. ART helps reduce the viral load, maintaining the immune system and preventing progression to AIDS. People on ART can live long, healthy lives.

Asexual

A person who experiences little or no sexual attraction to others.

Bi

Bi is an umbrella term used to describe a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards more than one gender. Bi people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, bisexual, pan, queer, and some other non monosexual and non monoromantic identities.

Bisexual

A person who is attracted to both men and women.

Camp

Exaggeratedly effeminate or flamboyant mannerisms, often used in gay culture.

Cisgender(Cis)

A person whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth.

Deadnaming

Calling someone by their birth name after they have changed their name. This term is often associated with trans people who have changed their name as part of their transition.

Doomer

A person who expresses pessimism about the future, often in relation to society and the environment.

Drag Queen

A person, typically a man, who dresses in women's clothing and often acts with exaggerated femininity for performance or entertainment.

GSA

Gay Straight Alliance, a student organization aimed at creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC)

This enables trans people to be legally recognised in their affirmed gender and to be issued with a new birth certificate.

Gender identity

A person’s innate sense of their own gender, whether male, female, or something else, which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.

Genderqueer

An umbrella term for people whose gender identity is outside of the mainstream gender binary.

HIV Negative (HIV-)

A person who does not have HIV. This term is used to describe someone who has tested negative for the virus.

HIV stigma

The negative attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes associated with people living with HIV, often leading to discrimination, marginalisation, and social isolation.

Heterosexual(Straight)

A person who is attracted to individuals of the opposite gender.

Homosexual (Gay/Lesbian)

This might be considered a more medical term used to describe someone who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards someone of the same gender. The term ‘gay’ is now more generally used.

LGBTQ+

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or Questioning), with the "+" representing other identities, such as Intersex, Asexual, Pansexual, etc.

Lesbophobia

The fear or dislike of someone because they are or are perceived to be a lesbian.

Opportunistic infections (OIs)

Infections that take advantage of a weakened immune system, common in people with HIV or AIDS. Examples include tuberculosis, pneumonia, and certain types of cancers such as Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Outed

When a lesbian, gay, bi or trans person’s sexual orientation or gender identity is disclosed to someone else without their consent.

PFLAG

Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

Passing

If someone is regarded, at a glance, to be a cisgender man or cisgender woman.

Polyamorous

A person who has romantic relationships with multiple partners, with consent and knowledge of everyone involved.

Pronoun

Words we use to refer to people’s gender in conversation for example, ‘he’ or ‘she’. Some people may prefer others to refer to them in gender neutral language and use pronouns such as they/their and ze/zir.

Romantic orientation

A person’s romantic attraction to other people, or lack thereof. Along with sexual orientation, this forms a person’s orientation identity.

Sex

Assigned to a person on the basis of primary sex characteristics (genitalia) and reproductive functions. Sometimes the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are interchanged to mean ‘male’ or ‘female’.

Straight

A person who is attracted to someone of the opposite gender. This term is often used interchangeably with heterosexual.

TransMan

A person who was assigned female at birth but identifies as male.

Transgender woman

A term used to describe someone who is assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman. This may be shortened to trans woman or MTF (male to female).

Transmission routes

HIV is most commonly transmitted through unprotected sex, sharing needles, and from mother to child during childbirth or breastfeeding. It is not spread through casual contact such as hugging, kissing, or sharing food.

Ace

An umbrella term used specifically to describe a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of sexual attraction. This encompasses asexual people as well as those who identify as demisexual and grey sexual. Ace people who experience romantic attraction or occasional sexual attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight, and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their romantic or sexual attraction.

Allo (sexual and romantic)

Allo people experience sexual and romantic attraction, and do not identify as on the ace or aro spectrum. Allo is to ace and aro spectrum identities as straight is to LGB+ spectrum identities.

Aro

An umbrella term used specifically to describe a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of romantic attraction. This encompasses aromantic people as well as those who identify as demiromantic and grey romantic. Aro people who experience sexual attraction or occasional romantic attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight, and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their attraction.

Asexual

A person who does not experience sexual attraction. Some asexual people experience romantic attraction, while others do not. Asexual people who experience romantic attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight, and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their romantic attraction.

Bigender

A person who identifies with two genders, either simultaneously or switching between them.

Butch

A person, often a lesbian, who expresses themselves in a traditionally masculine manner.

Catfishing

The act of pretending to be someone else online, often in a romantic context.

Closeted(IntheCloset)

A person who has not publicly revealed their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Demi (sexual and romantic)

An umbrella term used to describe people who may only feel sexually or romantically attracted to people with whom they have formed an emotional bond.

Drag

A form of entertainment where people dress in exaggerated gendered clothing, often for performance or humor.

Femme

A person, typically a lesbian, who expresses themselves in a traditionally feminine manner.

Gay

A person who is attracted to people of the same gender, typically used for men, but also applies to both genders.

Gender dysphoria

Used to describe when a person experiences discomfort or distress because there is a mismatch between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity.

Gender reassignment

Another way of describing a person’s transition. To undergo gender reassignment usually means to undergo some sort of medical intervention, but it can also mean changing names, pronouns, dressing differently, and living in their self identified gender.

Gillick competence

A term used in medical law to decide whether a child (under 16 years of age) is able to consent to their own medical treatment, without the need for parental permission or knowledge.

HIV Positive (HIV+)

A person who has tested positive for HIV. It means that the person is living with HIV and must manage the condition with medical treatment to prevent it from progressing to AIDS.

HIV testing

The process of checking for the presence of HIV in a person’s blood, usually through an antibody test or a combination antigen/antibody test.

Heterosexual/straight

Refers to a man who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards women or to a woman who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men.

Intersex

A term used to describe a person who may have the biological attributes of both sexes or whose biological attributes do not fit with societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female.

LGBTQIA+

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, plus other identities.

Neutrois

A person who identifies as neither male nor female, often used interchangeably with agender.

Orientation

Orientation is an umbrella term describing a person's attraction to other people. This attraction may be sexual (sexual orientation) and/or romantic (romantic orientation).

Outing

The act of revealing someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity without their consent.

Pan

Refers to a person whose romantic and/or sexual attraction towards others is not limited by sex or gender.

Person with a trans history

Someone who identifies as male or female or a man or woman, but was assigned the opposite sex at birth.

PrEP

Pre exposure prophylaxis a medication that reduces the risk of contracting HIV.

Queer

Queer is a term used by those wanting to reject specific labels of romantic orientation, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity. It can also be a way of rejecting the perceived norms of the LGBT community (racism, sizeism, ableism, etc.).

SaferSex

Practices that reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.

Sexual orientation

A person’s sexual attraction to other people, or lack thereof. Along with romantic orientation, this forms a person’s orientation identity.

Supportive/non

Supportive language Words or phrases that either support or do not support people’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Supportive language helps to affirm someone's identity, while non supportive language can be invalidating and harmful.

TransWoman

A person who was assigned male at birth but identifies as female.

Transgender(Trans)

A person whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

Transphobia

The fear, hatred, or prejudice against trans people, often resulting in discrimination or violence.

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