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LGBTQ+ terms
Whether you’re not sure what something means, or you want help describing your feelings, it can help to find out more about different definitions or sexual and gender identities.
Describing gender and sexuality
There are lots of types of sexuality and its okay if you don’t fit into just one. For some people, their sexuality is fluid and can change over time.
It’s important to remember that nobody can define your sexuality except you. Even when you use the same word as someone else, it might not always mean the same thing, and that’s okay.
Gender and Sexuality definitions
Aromantic or aro
Someone who has little or no romantic attraction to other people, or who doesn’t have the desire to have a romantic relationship.
Ace or asexual
Someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction to other people.
Bicurious
People who don’t see themselves as either heterosexual or gay, but may also sometimes be curious about the gender they're not normally attracted to.
Bi or bisexual
Someone who is emotionally and physically attracted to more than one gender.
Cisgender or cis
This is a way of describing someone who’s gender identity is the same as the sex that was recorded on their birth certificate. For example someone might be cis-female.
Demiromantic
Someone who doesn’t feel any romantic attraction unless they have a strong emotional connection with someone first.
Demisexual
Someone who doesn’t have any sexual attraction unless they have a strong emotional connection with someone first.
Gay
Someone who is romantically and sexually attracted to people of the same gender.
Gender fluid
Being gender fluid is when someone’s gender identity changes over time. Even if someone’s gender identity changes, the way they express their gender might not.
A gender fluid person’s gender identity might change a lot, or it might change over a long period of time.
Greyromantic
Someone who doesn’t experience feel romantic attraction very often, or doesn’t experience strong romantic attraction to other people.
Greysexual
Someone who doesn’t experience sexual attraction very often, or who doesn’t have strong feelings of sexual attraction.
Heterosexual or straight
Feeling emotionally and physically attracted to people of the opposite gender.
Homosexual
Feeling emotionally and physically attracted to someone of the same gender.
Homoflexible
Someone who mostly identifies as gay or homosexual, but who is sometimes attracted to someone of a different gender.
Lesbian
Girls who are emotionally and physically attracted to someone of the same gender.
LGBTQ+
LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer/questioning and more. Even though people refer to them together, gender identity isn’t the same as sexuality.
Mixed orientation
People who experience a romantic or emotional attraction that is different from their sexual attraction. For example, someone may feel emotionally attracted to girls but sexually attracted to boys.
Non-binary
Being non-binary is when someone’s gender identity doesn’t match being only male or female.
Someone who’s non-binary can identify with parts of being male, female or both. Or they might not identify with either.
Omni or omnisexual
Someone who is sexually attracted towards people of any gender.
Omniromantic
Someone who experiences romantic attraction towards people of any gender.
Pansexual
Someone who is sexually attracted to someone else regardless of their gender.
Panromantic
Someone who experiences romantic attraction towards someone else regardless of their gender.
Polyamory (or poly)
Someone who can have multiple romantic relationships at the same time. People in polyamorous relationships are all aware of each other and consent to any new relationships that start.
Polysexual
Someone who is romantically and sexually attracted to some genders, but not all.
Queer
Some LGBTQ+ people use queer to describe not fitting into other labels or sexualities, or feel more comfortable using it to describe themselves. Some LGBTQ+ people also use it to describe the community as a whole.
Queer has been used as an insult or slur against LGBTQ+ people, which is a form of bullying and discrimination. Because of this, some people don’t like to use the term at all.
Questioning
This describes someone who is going through the process of understanding their sexuality, or who’s unsure about it.
This can also describe someone who is questioning their gender because it doesn’t sit comfortably with the sex that was recorded at birth.
Romantic orientation
This includes whether you’d want to have a romantic or intimate relationship with someone.
Sexual orientation
This is how physically attracted to someone you are, and whether you want to have sexual contact with someone.
Trans or transgender
This is a way of describing someone who’s gender identity is different from the sex that was recorded at birth.
