This week we’re highlighting the importance of language surrounding 2SLGBTQIA+. Celebrating individuality, identity, and expression begins with understanding and compassion.
| Term | Definition Type | Definition |
|
2SLGBTQI+
|
Identity Term - Acronym |
An acronym that stands for Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Questioning, and Intersex. This acronym is often used as an umbrella term to encompass a much wider range of identities and experiences related to sex, gender, and attraction that fall outside the dominant norms of heterosexual and cisgender identities. It is often intended to capture terms beyond what the initials suggest. Many variations of this acronym exists. While there is not a single correct version, the choice of acronym should be used with intention depending on the context.
|
| Pronouns | Concepts Related to Gender and Gender Diversity |
Pronouns are words used to refer to a person other than their name. In English, conventional binary pronouns he/him/his, and she/her/hers imply information about the gender of the person being referred to and is a common way of communicating assumptions about a person’s gender. These assumptions are not always correct. Some people go by the non-binary, gender neutral pronoun set; they/ them/theirs. Over time, we have also seen the addition of other non-binary, gender neutral options such as xe/xem/xyrs, ey/em/eirs, and ze/hir/hirs.
|
| Gender | Concepts Related to Gender and Gender Diversity |
A system that operates in a social context to classify people, often based on their assigned sex. In many contexts this takes the form of a binary classification of either ‘man’ or ‘woman’; in other contexts, this includes a broader spectrum.
|
|
Assigned sex |
Components of Human Identity |
The biological classification of a person as female, male or intersex. It is usually assigned at birth based on a visual assessment of external anatomy.
|
|
Gender Identity |
Components of Human Identity |
A person’s internal and individual experience of gender. It is not necessarily visible to others and it may or may not align with what society expects based on assigned sex. A person’s relationship to their own gender is not always fixed and can change over time.
|
|
Gender Expression
|
Components of Human Identity |
The way gender is presented and communicated to the world through clothing, speech, body language, hairstyle, voice and/or the emphasis or de-emphasis of body characteristics and behaviours.
|
Source: www.egale.ca
For even more terminology and information, access Egale’s downloadable resources on 2SLGBTQI Terms and Concepts and The Genderbread Person and LGBTQI2S Glossary of Terms.