Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Language that describes gender and sexuality continues to change.

While it is important to recognize and learn respectful words and phrases that describe sexuality and gender, the topic itself is complex to understand and continues to evolve.

Here are some helpful distinctions and definitionsopens in new window related to sexuality and gender:

• Gender identity: Refers to one’s sense of self as male, female or something else.
• Gender expression: How someone presents themselves including physical appearance, clothing choice and behavior.
• Sexual orientation: Part of someone’s identity that includes their sexual and emotional attraction to another person and the behavior that results from this attraction.
• Asexual: A person who does not experience sexual attraction or has little interest in sexual activity.
• Cisgender: Individuals who have a match between the sex they were assigned at birth, their bodies and their gender identity.
• Transgender: Umbrella term that incorporates differences in gender identity where assigned biological sex doesn’t match a person’s felt identity.
• Queer: Umbrella term that individuals may use to describe sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression that does not conform to dominant societal norms.
• Pansexual: Sexual identity and sexual orientation term similar to “bisexual” but more inclusive of transgender (trans) people.

• School: At school, counselors and psychologists can listen and provide support.

• Local communityopens in new window: Counselors or mental health services can help in your community.

• If you or a friend experience distress bullying, you can Get Help Now.

Can you assign a percentage to how gay or straight you are? Wright is a photographer who captures the gray areas of gender and sexuality through a camera lens and speaks about life growing up as a teenager.