Nonbinary Wiki

Glossary of English gender and sex terminology

Revision as of 10:45, 12 March 2023 by imported>Candyde
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Glossaries in other languages

This glossary of English gender and sex terminology shows actual language use. Unless a word is marked with a specific country, assume all these words may be used internationally, in any country where English is spoken.

This glossary's selection of words has a focus on nonbinary identities, and closely related subjects of gender non-conformity. This glossary also collects words about gender and sexuality, especially words used by or in reference to LGBT+ identities as well as intersex conditions, as these provide essential context, and often have an overlap with the main subject. The glossary includes psychiatric terminology as well as subcultural slang, and obsolete historical terms as well as very new words (neologisms). The words cover identity labels, gender-neutral pronouns, diagnoses, and political issues.

If you put more words into this glossary, try to only put in words that you wouldn't find in the average pocket dictionary. Give sources to show that the word is really used in the way you say, or, if the wiki has an entry about that word, link to it. Keep glossary entries short, about three lines long at most. If they get too long, make a new wiki article for them.

Although it is useful to learn how to understand specialized jargon, you can be more helpful to your readers if you keep your own writing easy to understand. When writing for this wiki, please try to use plain English as much as possible, and use specialized jargon only sparingly, and as needed.

A

 
The most commonly used agender pride flag, created in 2014.
  • agender. A nonbinary identity. 1. Some who call themselves agender have no gender identity (genderless). 2. Some who call themselves agender have a gender identity, which isn't female or male, but neutral.
  • altersex. Describes people or fictional characters for whom "their actual body or their desired body does not conform to either binary sex standard in some way, but is not this way due to any variation of intersex. This can be due to sexual transitioning, being of a fictional/impossible sex, being able to shapeshift to change sex characteristics, or having an 'alien' sex that is not found in humans but may be found elsewhere, such as a species that has different sexes from our own." Coined by farorenightclaw.[2] Intended to replace problematic terms like "futanari", "herm", "dickgirl", etc.[3] Has been called transphobic by some[4] and should not be applied to real life people who do not identify themselves as such.[5]
  • AMAB. See AGAB.
 
Androgyne symbol. In 1996, self-identified androgyne Raphael Carter proposed adopting this ambiguous geometric shape, the Necker Cube, as a symbol for androgynes, "because it is either concave or convex depending on how you look at it."[6][7]
  • ambonec. A nonbinary "gender identity in which you identify as both male and female, yet you also identify as neither, at the same time."[8][9][10]
  • androgyne. This word is used for a wide variety of gender nonconforming and nonbinary gender identities and gender expressions.
  • androphilic. A romantic and sexual orientation in which a person feels attraction to men or masculinity.[11]
  • angenital or ANG. "an identity in which you feel uncomfortable (potentially dysphoric) with having any sort of genitalia (sex) at all but do not mind gendered pronouns or having a gender label. You have a desire to be sexless but not necessarily genderless." Coined by uchuulien.[12] See also genital nullification.
  • aporagender. Coined in 2014, from Greek apo, apor "separate" + "gender".[13] A nonbinary gender identity and umbrella term for "a gender separate from male, female, and anything in between while still having a very strong and specific gendered feeling" (that is, not an absence of gender).[14]
  • aromantic or aro. A romantic orientation in which a person doesn't feel romantic attraction to people of any gender.[15]
  • asexuality. A sexual orientation in which a person doesn't feel sexual attraction to people of any gender. Asexual people might still feel other types of attraction.[16]
  • a-spec or a-spectrum. The community of anyone who is in some way asexual or aromantic.

B

  • berdache. An old word used by European-American people and anthropologists for gender roles in Native American cultures that are now called two-spirit.
  • bi. Short for bisexual, which see.
  • bigender. Bigender individuals have two gender identities, at the same time, or at different times.[17]
  • bigenital. Describes a person who wishes to have genitalia of both binary sexes. Not exclusive to nonbinary people. Synonyms​: aphrodisian, salmacian[18]
  • binarism. Discrimination against ethnic groups and cultures that recognize nonbinary genders, based on the sexist belief that there are only two genders (nonbinary erasure).
  • binary gender. A gender identity that fits neatly into only one of the two genders in a gender binary system.
  • binder. An undergarment that a person can wear to make their chest look flat. Some transgender men and some nonbinary people wear these to flatten their breast tissue, if they haven't had top surgery.
  • biological boy. A less correct term for an AMAB person, which see.
  • biological girl. A less correct term for an AFAB person, which see.
  • bisexual. 1. (Obsolete) Intersex.[6] 2. A sexual orientation in which a person feels attraction to more than one gender (this can include nonbinary genders).[19][20]
  • boi. From "boy." A gender identity that is masculine and queer. Beyond that, the specific definition varies greatly across the LGBT+ community.[21]
  • bottom. A person who takes a submissive role in sexual activity.
  • bottom surgery. In the transgender community, euphemism for any gender-validating surgery on a transgender person's reproductive organs or genitals.
  • boydyke. An AFAB person with a masculine gender expression.[22]
  • boy mode. In transgender and nonbinary communities, this means using clothes and other gender cues in order to be read as a male. Example usage: "I had to go to the interview in boy mode" or "Today was my first day going boy mode in public."
  • butch. A masculine gender identity or expression, which some see as a nonbinary gender.

C

  • CAFAB. See CAGAB.
  • CAGAB. Coercively assigned gender at birth. Most people are either coercively assigned female at birth (CAFAB) or coercively assigned male at birth (CAMAB). Unlike AGAB and GAAB, CAGAB emphasizes that the gender was assigned against the person's will, and implies that the person was abused as a child.
  • CAMAB. See CAGAB.
  • cisgender. From Latin cis "on the same side of" + "gender," "coined in 1995 by a transsexual man named Carl Buijs."[23] A person who isn't transgender and isn't nonbinary. The Latin prefix cis ("on the same side of") is the opposite of the Latin prefix trans ("to the other side of").
  • cissexism. A form of sexism, specifically, a way of thought in which only cisgender people are seen as normal or right. Cissexism is harmful to all kinds of transgender people, including nonbinary people.
  • closet. To be "in the closet" means that a person is keeping their gender identity and/or sexual orientation a secret.
  • come out. "To recognize one's sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex identity, and to be open about it with oneself and with others."[24]
  • cross-dreamer. Coined by cross-dreamer Jack Molay.[25] Someone who feels sexually aroused by the thought of being a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth. They may or may not cross-dress or consider themselves transgender.[26]
  • cross-dresser. "Someone who wears clothes associated with another gender part of the time."[27] A cross-dresser may consider themself to be cisgender or transgender.

D

  • demigender. An umbrella term for nonbinary gender identities that have a partial connection to a certain gender, such as demiboy, demifluid, demiflux, demigirl, and deminonbinary. [28][29]
  • demiromantic. A romantic orientation in which a person feels romantic attraction only after getting to know someone.[15]
  • demisexual. An orientation in which a person feels sexual attraction only after forming a connection with them.[30]
  • DGAB. Short for Designated Gender At Birth. Most people are either Designated Female At Birth (DFAB) or Designated Male At Birth (DMAB).
  • drag. A gender expression that is exaggerated for theatrical performance. Although usually cross-gender, and associated with the gay and lesbian communities, drag of any kind can be done by a person of any gender identity or sexual orientation. Drag kings make a performance out of masculinity. Drag queens make a performance out of femininity.
  • DSD (short for Disorder of Sex Development or Difference of Sex Development)[31][32] ​Any kind of intersex condition. Note: "DSD" terminology is controversial in the intersex community.[33]
  • dyadic. A person whose body is not intersex. Synonyms: perisex, endosex.
  • dyadism. The sexist belief that humans have only two sexes, either female or male, resulting in discrimination against intersex people.

E

  • e, em, eir, eirs, eirself. A set of gender-neutral pronouns, made popular by writer Michael Spivak in the 1980s.[34] There are many similar sets with small differences.
  • effeminate. A feminine man. Some see this as an offensive word.[25]
  • emasculation. A surgery to take away the penis and testicles.
  • emoji pronouns. A type of pronoun set used in online communication.[35] For example "🌸/🌸s/🌸self" or "🔥/🔥s/🔥s/🔥self".
  • enban. Created in the "askanonbinary" blog in 2014, based on the word "enby", which see. A proper noun for a nonbinary adult person. A nonbinary equivalent of "man" or "woman". Another blogger, coderqueer, then offered the spelling variant "enbian."[36]
  • enbian. 1. An enban, which see. 2. Of or pertaining to nonbinary gender. 3. An orientation word for nonbinary people attracted to other nonbinary people, see Romantic and sexual orientation#Enbian.
  • enbies. See enby.
  • enby. Created in 2013 by a nonbinary person named vector (revolutionator).[37] Based on an initialism of "nonbinary," "NB". A proper noun for a person with a nonbinary gender identity. This is the nonbinary gender equivalent of the proper nouns "boy" or "girl." Plural: enbies.
  • enbyfan. equivalent of "fanboy" or "fangirl"
  • enbyfriend. Coined by Tumblr user Pansycub in 2013, based on the word "enby," which see. A nonbinary gender romantic partner. The nonbinary gender equivalent of a boyfriend or girlfriend.[38]
  • endosex. Adjective meaning "not intersex".[39][40] Synonyms: dyadic, perisex.
  • en femme. In cross-dressing communities, this means dressed as a woman.[41]
  • en homme. In cross-dressing communities, this means dressed as a man.
  • eonism. Term for an AMAB person dressing as a woman. Coined by sexologist Havelock Ellis, derived from the name of a historical figure, Chevalier d'Éon.[42]
  • eunuch. A person who was assigned male at birth and had some or all of their privat