• Questioning

    The process of considering or exploring one's sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

  • Rainbow Flag

    A recognized symbol of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Use of the rainbow flag began in the 1970s primarily on the West Coast of the United States, where it could be seen waving in the wind during Gay Pride marches. Today, it is recognized throughout the world as a symbol of gay and lesbian pride. The colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple are used to symbolise equality and diversity among all people.

  • Self-Identify

    Refers to the process of people choosing with which identifying terms/groups they identify (E.g. Someone could self-identify as male, female or bigendered, multi-racial, etc.)

  • Sex Identity

    The sex that a person sees themselves as. This can include refusing to label oneself with a sex.

  • Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS)

    A term for surgical alteration, which is only one small part of transition. A preferred term to "sex change operation." Not all transgender people choose to or can afford to have SRS.

  • Sexual Diversity

    A term that refers to the full range of sexuality which includes all aspects of sexual attraction, behavior, identity, expression, orientation, relationships and response. It refers to all aspects of humans as sexual beings. The concept of sexual diversity does not position some groups as ‘normal’ and others as ‘abnormal’ or ‘other’, but rather reflects the reality that people have a variety of dif-ferent kinds of sex, thus challenging the idea of heteronormativity.

  • Sexual Minority

    1) Refers to members of sexual orientations or who engage in sexual activities that are not part of the mainstream. 2). Refers to members of sex groups that do not fall into the majority categories of male or female, such as intersexuals and transsexuals.

  • Sexual Orientation

    A term that refers to the direction of one’s sexual attraction toward the same sex (homosexual), other sex (heterosexual) or both sexes (bisexual). A person's sexual orientation can change often or infrequently over the course of a person's lifetime.

  • Sexual Preference

    A term often used improperly instead of sexual orientation. It incorrectly implies that sexuality is something casually chosen rather than a crucial aspect of one's identity.

  • Stealth

    A term used to describe people who are not open about their trans history or status in some or all aspects of life. Some do not tell their medical providers about their trans history or status and some even have two separate medical providers, one who knows and whom they see without using insurance, and another from whom they choose to withhold this information. This term is not identical to or interchangeable with the concept of being closeted.

  • Stereotype

    An exaggerated oversimplified belief about an entire group of people without regard for individual differences.

  • Straight

    See heterosexual.