People who are intersex are born with natural variations in their body that differ from what we might expect to be ‘typically’ male/female. Intersex: People are born with different kinds of bodies. Intersectionality: The mixed nature of social factors such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, often creating an overlap and susceptibility of discrimination or disadvantage. Homophobia can lead to discrimination or abuse, and can be as small or throwaway as using the phrase “that’s so gay.” Homophobia: Used to describe a whole range of negative feelings or behaviours towards anyone who is same sex attracted people and people who are attracted to more than one gender. Nowadays, it’s usually used as a bit of an insult, and shouldn’t be used to describe someone unless they use it to describe themselves first. Homosexual: This is an older word meaning attracted to the same gender. It’s also the assumption that you have to act a certain way because of your gender.
It’s pretty easy to do, especially when you don’t know many same sex attracted or gender diverse people. Heteronormativity & Cissexism: The assumption that everyone is straight and cisgender. Questioning how gender stereotypes relate to you is normal – and some people identify as genders other than male or female. For example, someone who is raised as a girl may feel as though the categories of female/feminine are restrictive or don’t apply to them. Gender Diverse: Describes a person who feels that their gender identity does not fit into the categories associated with their assigned sex. Discrimination due to sexuality or gender identity is nearly always illegal in Australia.
For instance, a school not allowing you to wear the uniform that aligns with your gender identity. Gay: Most commonly used to described someone who is attracted to someone of the same identified gender.ĭiscrimination: Treating someone like crap, or less than equal, because of something about their identity. Sometimes written as ‘cis’ for short, the term comes from Latin meaning ‘on the same side as’ and is used in contrast with ‘trans’ meaning ‘on the other side of’. Everyone's experience is a little different, and bi doesn't necessarily mean being attracted to only two genders.Ĭisgender: Someone who is not transgender or gender diverse, and who identifies with the sex they were assigned by doctors at birth. Brotherboy typically refers to masculine spirit people who may be assigned female at birth, Sistergirl typically refers to feminine spirit people who may be assigned male at birth.īisexual: Described as an attraction to someone of the same gender and other genders. Or perhaps someone you know has just come out and you're too embarrassed to actually ask about their identity.Īsexual / Ace: Someone who has little or no sexual attraction to other people.īrotherboy and Sistergirl: Terms used by some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to describe trans people.
So you've been staring the the LGBTQIA+ acronym and wondering what all those letters mean (not to mention that plus sign!).