Inclusive Terms
For those wishing to support and embrace the LGBTQIA community, here is our guidance for using inclusive language correctly and respectfully.
Cisgender
A person who identifies with the same gender as the sex that they were assigned at birth.
‘’I am a cisgender man’’
‘’I am a cisgender woman’’
Woman
People who identify as a woman could be a transgender woman or cisgender woman.
‘’I am a woman’’
Gender Fluid
A person who feels that they do not have a fixed gender, their gender is fluid and can sometimes change or stay the same.
‘’They are genderfluid, they would like to be known as ___ and use ___ pronouns’’
Genderqueer
A person who does not feel that they align with gender binaries such as male or female. Some people might use other labels such as genderqueer, bigender, multigender, or polygender.
‘’ How can we make sure people who are genderqueer feel comfortable to use our spaces?’’
Intersex / Differences in Sex Development
A person who is born with both characteristics of the male and female sex, this can include genitalia, hormones, chromosomes, and reproductive organs.
‘’How can we make sure people who are intersex feel comfortable to use our spaces?’’
Man
People who identify themselves to be a man could be transgender man or cisgender man.
‘’I am a man’
Transgender woman / Trans Woman / Transgender Girl / Trans Girl
A person who is transgender female was born as a male and has transitioned to be/identifies as female.
‘’How can we make sure trans women feel comfortable to use our spaces?’’
Transgender man / Trans man / Transgender Boy / Trans Boy
A person who is transgender male was born as a female and has transitioned to be/identifies as male.
‘’How can we make sure trans men feel comfortable to use our spaces?’’
Transgender
A person who has transitioned their gender from their identity at birth to a different gender.
‘’people who are transgender should be supported to access the facilities that they identify with’’
She / Her / Hers
Typically associated with people who identify as female.
‘’She went sailing yesterday’’
‘’Her boat is green’’
‘’That boat is hers’’
She / They
These pronouns are used by people for a wide variety of reasons. As an example, people who use these pronouns may present as feminine but feel that they don’t fit into the binary of female behaviours/traditions.
You can use she or they when referring to people who use these pronouns.
‘’She went sailing yesterday’’
‘’Her boat is green’’
‘’They went sailing yesterday’’
‘’Their boat is green’’
He / Him / His
Typically associated with people who identify as male.
‘’He went sailing yesterday’’
‘’His boat is green’
‘’That boat belongs to him’’
He / They
These pronouns are used by people for a wide variety of reasons. As an example, people who use these pronouns may present as masculine but feel that they don’t fit into the binary of male behaviours/traditions.
You can use he or they when referring to people who use these pronouns.
‘’He went sailing yesterday’’
‘’His boat is green’’
‘’They went sailing yesterday’’
‘’Their boat is green’’
They / Them/ Theirs
People who identify as non-binary, agender, genderqueer (and more) may use these pronouns.
‘’They went sailing yesterday’’
‘’Their boat is green’’
‘’That boat is theirs’’
Ze / Zem / Zir
People who identify as non-binary, agender, genderqueer (and more) may use these pronouns.
‘’Ze went sailing yesterday’’
‘’Zir boat is green’’
‘’That boat belongs to zem’’
Aromantic
A person who does not feel a romantic/emotional attraction to others and instead, their attraction is based on how they are attracted to a person sexually.
Asexual
A person who does not feel sexual attraction to other people. They could experience other forms of attraction, such as romantic, sensual, or aesthetic.
Bisexual / Biromantic
A person who is romantically or sexually attracted to more than one gender. This does not have to be cisgender male and cisgender female attraction.
Heterosexual
A person who is romantically or sexually attracted to somebody of the opposite sex or gender.
Homosexual / Homoromantic
A person who is attracted romantically or sexually to somebody who is the same sex or gender as them.
LGBTQIA+
Stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual or Aromantic, plus more.
Pansexual / Panromantic
A person who is attracted to somebody else based on their spiritual, emotional and romantic connection with another person regardless of another person’s sex or gender.
Polyamorous
A person who is in a romantic or sexual relationship with more than one person, with consent from all who are involved in the relationship.
Queer
The term Queer should not be used unless the person in question has already self-described themselves using the term.
Queer to describe their individual sexual orientation or gender identity – this is because it has previously been used as a derogatory and discriminative term and has since been reclaimed by the LGBTQIA+ community.
A term that is sometimes used by people who feel that their gender identity or sexual orientation does not fit neatly into any other identity.
Any person who describes themselves as queer may have different definitions of their gender identity or sexual orientation.
Questioning
A person who is currently unsure of their sexuality or gender identity and are currently exploring this.
Romantic attraction
Having a deep, emotional attraction or bond with another person
Sexual attraction
The feeling of being attracted to somebody physically, being attracted to a person because of the way that they look.