Seton Hall University Libraries: Inclusive Language: Sex, Gender, Gender Identity, & Sexual Orientation

Sex, Gender, Gender Identity, & Sexual Orientation

Identity	Explanation	Example
LGBTQIA+	Stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or sometimes questioning), intersex, asexual, and others. The "plus" represents other sexual identities, including pansexual and Two-Spirit.
Lesbian	Women who are primarily attracted to other women.	It is not appropriate to use the word “homosexual” or “WSW” (women who have sex with women)
Gay	Men who are attracted to other men.	It is not appropriate to use the word “homosexual” or “MSM” (men who have sex with men)
Transgender, trans	A transgender person is someone who identifies with a gender other than the one that was assigned to them at birth.	Use the term transgender or trans and not transgendered. Transgendered is a dated term that suggests a point in time when a person “became” transgender, which diverges from the lived experiences of most transgender people. Trans is an adjective that helps describe someone's gender identity, and it should be treated like other adjectives (e.g., trans man, trans woman). Merging the adjective and the noun risks suggesting that a trans man or woman is more (or less) than just a man or just a woman, which goes against how many trans people identify themselves.
Sexual orientation	Sexual orientation describes sexual attraction, behavior, and identity. Use sexual orientation rather than sexual preference.	Use sexual orientation rather than sexual preference. Preference suggests that non-heterosexuality is a choice, a concept often used to discriminate against the LGBTQI+ community. Preference also suggests a selection from two or more choices, excluding bisexual people and pansexual people, among others. If sexual orientation is a variable under investigation, the specific facet of sexual orientation under investigation should be explicitly named.
Pronouns	Use pronouns that correspond to a person’s gender identity.	Because gender identity is an internal characteristic that should not be assumed, asking for a person’s pronouns is the best practice. In addition to the binary English pronouns she/her and he/his, some people may use nonbinary pronouns, including the pronouns they/them used as singular terms, among others. When using the singular they, still conjugate the verb as a plural, as in, “they are gender nonbinary.”
Bisexual, bi+	Bisexual people have the potential to be emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to people of the same and different gender—not necessarily at the same time, in the same way, or to the same degree. Commonly referred to as bi.	Bi+ is an umbrella term that is intended to encompass non-monosexual identities, including but not limited to bisexual, pansexual, sexually fluid, and queer.