Welcome to TeenHelp's Queer Dictionary! The list is organized by "Gender", "Sexuality" and "Other terms".
Disclaimer: The Queer Dictionary is meant to serve as a helpful guide. Terms and people do change and evolve over time which means that the following information is not absolute. Identity is a personal thing and ultimately a person can identify with what feels best for them.
* Denotes a word that is considered outdated.
Gender:
Androgynous – A term used to describe an individual whose appearance is not immediately indicative of their gender identity or biological sex—that is, a person who, at first glance, cannot be determined to be male or female. Androgynous is also a self-identity, for an individual who does not identify as male or female, or identifies as both.
Assigned Gender at Birth - The gender one is given at birth based on genitals. While most people can be easily assigned either male or female, some cases may not be as clear (see: intersex). This designation may or may not correspond with the individual's gender identity later in life.
Bigender – A gender identity which includes people who do not identify as male or female, but as both.
Binder – A binder is a shirt which compresses a person’s chest and alleviates feminine curves.
Cisgender – Sometimes used in trans discussions to mean an individual whose gender and sex match.
Trans man – A trans identity claimed by many female-bodied, male-identified people. A common alternative is female to male (FtM).
Hermaphrodite – A term once used to describe intersex individuals, this word is now considered antiquated and offensive.
Gaff – A garment used to mask the presence of a penis.
Gender – Largely a social construct, gender is used to classify people. The most common, and most widely used, genders are male and female, but more include bigender, transgender, gender neutral, gender queer, and others.
Gender Binary – Most people’s understanding of gender is binary. That is, that there are two (bi) genders—male and female—and nothing else (nary). See gender spectrum.
Gender confirming surgery/Gender affirming surgery – The process of surgically altering one’s body to agree with one’s gender identity. This process legally changes the definition of the individual's sex in many places. Previously known as Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS), but this term is considered outdated.
Genderfluid - Someone whose gender identity fluctuates continuously over time. The person may identify as male one day, androgynous the next, female another day, and so forth. Genderfluid may or may not be embraced as a gender identity in and of itself.
Gender identity – A person’s innate sense of gender, often male or female, but the options are limitless. Gender identity does not always match biological sex or the gender a person is assigned at birth by doctors.
Gender neutral – A gender identity used to describe a person who does not identify with any gender, male, female, or otherwise.
Gender non-conforming – A phrase used to describe all individuals who do not conform to social expectations of gender—that is, a male-bodied person with “feminine” tendencies, or a female-bodied person with “masculine” tendencies. A gender non-conforming person is not always trans identified, or queer in any sense.
Gender spectrum – A more accurate depiction of gender than the binary, the gender spectrum suggests that gender can be represented by a continuous line on which people fall, somewhere between, and even outside, of masculine and feminine.
Genderqueer – A trans identity, often considered an umbrella term, used by individuals who do not identity as male or female, but as a “third” or “other” gender, as both, a mix of genders, or no gender.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – The process of replacing the hormones naturally produced by one's body to achieve a desired gender presentation, such as taking estrogen for a more feminine appearance or testosterone for a more masculine appearance.
Intersex – An individual whose sexual or reproductive characteristics do not fit the traditional definitions of male or female. This may be identifiable at birth or may become apparent later on in life. In cases where it is identified at birth, medical procedures may be performed so that the child can be assigned a binary gender (either male or female).
Trans woman – A trans identity claimed by many male-bodied, female-identified people. A common alternative is male to female (MtF).
Neutrois - Someone who identifies as neither male or female and seek to lose the physical characteristics that cause them to be seen as male or female.
Packer/Packie – A phallus shaped object worn to give the appearance of a penis. Some packers are also stand-and-pee devices, allowing the individual to pee standing.
Read/Pass - When a trans person is seen as a cisgender member of their identified gender by others. To be read as a member of one gender is to be seen as a member of that gender, whether it is correct or not. Many prefer to use this term rather than 'pass', as it puts emphasis and responsibility upon the 'person who is reading', rather than on the person being read to conform to gender stereotypes.
Sex – The biological system of classification for a person, based solely on genitalia. Sex is often confused with gender. Currently only two sexes exist by medical definition—these are male (penis) and female (vagina).
Stealth - To live as one's identified gender without anyone knowing that it is not consistent with one's sex assigned at birth.
Trans Feminine – Used to describe a trans person who may not identify with a gender, but instead leans more towards the feminine side of the gender spectrum.
Transgender – An all-inclusive umbrella term to include all people whose innate sense of gender does not match their assigned gender at birth, or biological sex. Also known as Trans.
Transition – The process of changing one’s behavior, appearance, and sometimes body, to more accurately represent their gender identity, creating a shift in outsider’s perception of their gender and, often, sex. Not everyone chooses to transition.
Trans Masculine – Used to describe a trans person who may not identify with a gender, but instead leans more towards the masculine side of the gender spectrum.
Transsexual – A trans person that is usually pre- or post-
op, but also may be non-
op, that desires gender confirmation surgery or has already undergone the procedures.
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