The following is a list of vocabulary words that are helpful to know in order to support transgender and nonbinary youth. Feel free to bookmark this page and reference it at your leisure.
Remember that language evolves over time and no single glossary will include all vocabulary or reflect all transgender and nonbinary identities. We recommend reviewing a reputable glossary once per year to see what new terms have been added and which words are being used differently since you last read about them. See the bottom of this page for a list of additional glossaries in English and in Spanish.
Remember that language evolves over time and no single glossary will include all vocabulary or reflect all transgender and nonbinary identities. We recommend reviewing a reputable glossary once per year to see what new terms have been added and which words are being used differently since you last read about them. See the bottom of this page for a list of additional glossaries in English and in Spanish.
Affirmed
Affirmed, as in affirmed name, affirmed gender, affirmed pronouns, and so on, is an adjective that refers to an individual’s true gender or identity, as opposed to the name or pronouns that they were assigned at birth. Use the word “affirmed” instead of “preferred,” “new,” or “chosen” because these features of a person’s identity are stronger than a preference. (Source)
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Examples: On the first day of school, a student requests their teacher to use her affirmed name, Allyson, and the pronouns ‘she/her.’ Allyson has not yet been able to get her name updated on her school ID, but she would like to. |
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Why it’s important to know this: Using transgender and nonbinary people’s affirmed name and pronouns is associated with lower depression, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior in transgender students (Source). Research shows that LGBTQ students at schools with many affirming adults are absent less often due to safety concerns, achieve higher GPAs, and have a stronger sense of belonging at school (compared to those with fewer affirming adults at school; source). |
Ally
“Ally” is a broad term for someone who supports marginalized groups. Relating to the LGBTQ+ community, allies include both heterosexual and cisgender people who support equality (Source).
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Examples: Mr. Yoshida put up a pride flag in his office to signal to his LGBTQ+ students that he is an ally who welcomes their identities.
Why it’s important to know this: Allyship is an ongoing learning process. Being an ally doesn’t mean being perfect or knowing everything. It just means being open to learning and advocating for equality alongside LGBTQ+ individuals.
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Anti-trans
“Anti-trans” is used to describe attitudes, practices, or bills that do not affirm transgender or nonbinary individuals’ genders. There is currently an unprecedented number of bills being introduced and passed to prevent transgender people from receiving gender-affirming healthcare, legal recognition, and the right to publicly exist. (Source)
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Examples: You can track updates on ongoing anti-trans bills on translegislation.com (click here). Why it’s important to know this: Many anti-trans bills directly affect transgender and nonbinary students’ experiences in schools. Additionally, it is important to check in with transgender and nonbinary students, as their mental health may be exacerbated by the coordinated attacks on their rights to be themselves (Source, source, source). |
Binary
In the context of sex and gender, the binary refers to the classification of people as either “male” or female, or man or woman. This binary was created to classify people into male or female based on the biological characteristics in most (but not all) humans. These two groups are associated with different social norms and expectations of masculinity and femininity. While the binary reflects most people’s experiences, there are and have always been people across cultures who do not fit within the sex and gender binaries (Source, source).
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Examples: Male and Female, Boys and Girls, Men and Women. |
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Why it’s important to know this: A lot of school practices reinforce the gender binary. For example, school staff commonly use language like “boys and girls” and practices such as lining students up by sex that reinforce a gender binary, which can cause distress or prompt bullying or social rejection.
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Binder
A “binder” is an undergarment that some transmasculine and nonbinary individuals wear to minimize the appearance of having breasts and decrease chest-related dysphoria. It is important that people follow safety guidelines, such as not wearing binders over 8-12 hours at a time, to avoid pain and health risks (Source, source).
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Examples: Leo has always wished for a flatter chest. The first time he saw his reflection while wearing a binder, he felt euphoric (Source). |
Cisgender
Cisgender (or “cis” for short) is an adjective that refers to individuals whose gender identity that align with their sex assigned at birth (Source).
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Example: Someone who was assigned female at birth (AFAB) and whose gender identity is woman.
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Why it’s important to know this: By having the language to describe cisgender, transgender, and nonbinary identities, we resist the assumption that everyone is cisgender, or the assumption that those who are not cisgender are “not normal.” |
Deadname
A deadname refers to an individual’s name from a prior time in their life. Deadnaming occurs when someone, whether intentionally or unintentionally, refers to a transgender and/or nonbinary person with their deadname (Source).
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Examples: Jamie has been using this name for the past two months and finds it fits with her self-image; when someone intentionally uses her deadname that she was assigned at birth, it makes her feel like they do not respect who she is. |
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Why it’s important to know this: Using a student’s deadname, no matter whether intentionally or not, is a microaggression that can cause harm to the student and weaken trust (Source). If it happens, it is important to correct yourself, apologize, and try to do better.
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Gender-affirming Care
Gender-affirming care (also known as gender-affirmative or trans-affirming/affirmative care) encompasses a wide range of social, psychological, behavioral, and medical interventions designed to support and affirm an individual's gender identity (Source).
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Examples: Social, psychological and behavioral methods for providing gender-affirming care include supporting youth in expressing their affirmed gender via clothes, affirmed name, and affirmed pronouns and helping their caregivers understand their child’s gender and act supportively. Examples of gender-affirming medical interventions include puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or gender-affirming surgery (e.g., Facial feminization surgery, masculinizing chest surgery AKA "top" surgery; Source).
Why it’s important to know this: Gender-affirming surgery can be an important part of medically necessary treatment to alleviate gender dysphoria (Source). However, not all youth want gender-affirming medical treatments. Every person’s care should be tailored to their individual needs. Of note, terms such as “sex-change operation,” “pre-operative,” or “post-operative,” are considered outdated because they suggest that all transgender people have surgeries in order to transition (which is not true; (Source). |
Gender dysphoria
Gender dysphoria is a clinical term referring to psychological distress experienced by some transgender and/or nonbinary people. It occurs when someone’s sex assigned at birth differs from their gender identity, and that causes significant distress or impairment in social, school, or other important areas of life (Source).
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Examples: Rani is transmasc and feels gender dysphoria whenever somebody uses “she/her” pronouns to refer to him. He often wears baggy clothes and slouches because seeing his breasts makes him feel dysphoric. Rani’s parents are hoping that receiving affirming mental health care will alleviate some of his dysphoria and help him get his grades back up at school.
Why it’s important to know this: Not all transgender and nonbinary individuals experience gender dysphoria. However, a diagnosis of gender dysphoria is often required in order for insurance agencies to approve gender-affirming medical procedures and youth may find it helpful for adults to validate the complexity of this diagnosis. One way to do this is to advocate for removing gendered language where it is not necessary (e.g., in dress codes, restroom policies, and gendered health curricula; Source). |
Gender euphoria
Gender euphoria refers to the powerfully positive emotions that can result from living in one’s affirmed gender (Source, source).
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Examples: When Max first cut his hair short, he felt so happy he wanted to cry. Since then, he has felt more confident as a trans guy (Source).
Why it’s important to know this: Oftentimes schools impose dress codes that may require students to wear certain clothing based on their sex assigned at birth. Changing these practices allows students to express themselves freely, and may help students avoid gender dysphoria and experience gender euphoria.
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Gender expression
Gender expression refers to characteristics in personality, appearance, and behavior that are designated as masculine or feminine, in a given culture and historical period (Source). Gender expression does not necessarily “match” gender identity. For example, someone could wear a dress and not identify as a woman even if others may assume otherwise based on their appearance.
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Example: Wearing a dress, playing with dolls, and speaking more quietly are typical examples of feminine gender expression in the United States in the 21st century. However, beliefs about what is feminine or masculine vary between cultures and can change over time. Heels, which are associated with feminine fashion today, were originally designed for men (Source)! |
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Why it’s important to know this: It is important to understand the variation in individuals’ gender expression and think about the ways that school policy, such as dress codes, may influence student behavior and cause gender dysphoria.
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Genderfluid
Genderfluid is an adjective that refers to individuals who do not identify with a single fixed gender (Source). A student may be genderfluid in their expression but not identity, or in identity but not expression - or both expression and identity might be fluid. Some students may be genderfluid while exploring their identity while others may continue to be genderfluid throughout their lives (Source, source). It’s important to remember that gender fluidity and gender diversity has always existed throughout history and across the world (Source). Some students and families may use other terms such as “gender expansive,” “gender creative,” or “gender exploring” to refer to themselves.
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Example: Javier considers himself genderfluid. He says sometimes he moves through feeling like a boy, a girl, somewhere in between, and even both at the same time. He plays around with his gender expression by dressing up in clothes that make him feel most comfortable, whether it’s a dress or a suit. |
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Why it’s important to know this: Some genderfluid students may change their presentation periodically, so it’s okay to confirm their pronouns with them from time to time. This lets them know you validate their identity. |
Gender identity
Gender identity refers to a person’s own view of their gender. Gender has three primary components:
(1) physical, (2) social/cultural, and (3) internal/sensate (Source).
(1) physical, (2) social/cultural, and (3) internal/sensate (Source).
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Examples: Sheila’s birth-assigned sex was “female” and her gender identity is “woman.” Gus’s sex assigned at birth was also “female,” but his gender identity is “transmasculine” and “man.” Other examples of gender identities: Nonbinary, genderfluid, transfemme. |
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Why it’s important to know this: Our gender identity can shape the way we experience the world, including our sense of belonging and inclusion in certain spaces. By understanding different gender identities, we can create a space where everybody feels included and valuable.
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gsa
Gender and Sexuality Alliances (or GSAs) are student-led clubs that often focus on creating safe and LGBTQ-inclusive schools. Note that "GSA" used to stand for "Gay-Straight Alliance," but the name has been updated to explicitly include "gender," reflecting the inclusion of transgender and nonbinary students. These clubs provide space for students of all genders and sexualities to receive support, socialize, find community, and organize together. Not all transgender and/or nonbinary students may want to join. Some may not be ready to be out in a group, can’t stay late to attend meetings, or may simply be uninterested in clubs broadly.
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Examples: Rose started a GSA at her school and asked Mr. Yoshida to supervise. GSA is a place where Rose and their friends can be together and be themselves without fear of being judged. Why it’s important to know this: LGBTQ+ students who attend schools with GSAs experience less bullying and an increased sense of safety at school. These students miss fewer days of school due to safety concerns and have a greater sense of belonging at school (Source, source, source, source). The positive impact that GSAs have on student attendance may be even higher for trans gender students than that of their LGB cisgender peers (Source). Research has also shown that greater student engagement in GSAs predicts greater student empowerment, including increased perceived peer validation, self-efficacy to promote social justice, and hope. Greater engagement, through the increase in hope, also predicts a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms (Source).
GLSEN offers guidance for starting and supporting a GSA (click here). |
hrt
“HRT” stands for “hormone replacement therapy,” a gender-affirming treatment that allows transgender or nonbinary individuals medically transition to feel more at home in their bodies. Those taking testosterone (or “T”) may grow more facial or body hair and deepen their voice. Those taking estrogen may experience breast growth.
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Examples: Max has been on “T” for 6 months. Noticing the changes in his voice and body fat redistribution makes him feel euphoric.
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intersex
Intersex is an adjective and umbrella term referring to individuals with chromosomes, genitalia, or reproductive organs that do not fit into a male/female sex binary. About 1%, or 1 in 100 of the human population has intersex traits (Source). Intersex people may have a range of gender identities.
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Example: Being intersex may mean having a mix of chromosomes like XXY instead of XY or XX. Intersex people may also have genitals that are associated with being AMAB (“assigned male at birth”), and hormone levels associated with being AFAB (“assigned female at birth”), or vice versa.
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Why it’s important to know this: Staff, especially those who teach Health and Science classes, should be mindful of their language and avoid talking about sex as a binary of only male and female - just as gender identity is not black and white, neither is sex. In a school of 3,000 students, there may be roughly 30 intersex students. That’s about the size of a classroom!
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lgbtq+
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“LGBTQ+” is an umbrella acronym that encompasses the spectrum of sexual orientation and gender identities. It stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer* and/or questioning, plus.”
At times the LGBTQ+ acronym may include other letters to include other identities, but the plus sign is often used to represent the numerous sexual orientations and gender identities that cannot be accurately captured in a single acronym (Source, source). *Queer is also an umbrella term that encompasses a range of marginalized sexual orientations and gender identities. Queer can be used to describe people who are not cisgender, not straight, or neither cisgender nor straight. Historically the word “queer” was used as a slur, so some people may find it offensive. Others have embraced the word “queer” to describe their gender identity or sexual orientation (Source, source, source, source). |
misgender
“Misgendering”, whether intentionally or unintentionally, means referring to a transgender or nonbinary person with pronouns or honorifics that do not align with their gender identity (Source).
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Examples: Ms. Williams misgendered Jess, who uses “she/her” pronouns, by referring to her with “he/him” pronouns while telling another student, “he is your labmate.”
Why it’s important to know this: When a transgender or nonbinary person is misgendered, they feel invalidated and unseen. Over time, this can become a burden that negatively impacts their mental health and school performance (Source). If or when you misgender someone, it is important to apologize, correct yourself, and move on. |
nonbinary
A nonbinary individual’s gender identity is not exclusively man or woman. In other words, their identity is outside of the two ‘binary’ genders (Source). About 1 in 3 nonbinary individuals are also transgender (Source). Although Western societies typically sort people into male and female genders, nonbinary people have existed for centuries (Source).
Please note that you should not use ‘NB’ as an acronym in place of nonbinary, as that is often shorthand for ‘non-Black' (Source). For this reason, some nonbinary people use the phonetic pronunciation “enby” as an abbreviation for nonbinary.
Please note that you should not use ‘NB’ as an acronym in place of nonbinary, as that is often shorthand for ‘non-Black' (Source). For this reason, some nonbinary people use the phonetic pronunciation “enby” as an abbreviation for nonbinary.
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Example: Kay is nonbinary, seeing themself as neither a man nor a woman, but fluctuates in between these identities. Kay does not identify with the word “transgender” - it just never quite felt right. Kay uses the title “Mx” (pronounced “mix” or “mux”; source) in place of gendered titles like Mr., Ms., Miss, and Mrs.
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.Why it’s important to know this: An estimated 1.2 million adults are nonbinary (source), so school staff should not be surprised when one of their students is nonbinary. By being familiar with the word and some of the history behind it, we can normalize the nonbinary experience and avoid needing to be educated by our students.
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out
In LGBTQ communities, “out” is used in a variety of ways. “Coming out” refers to a person’s process of disclosing their sexual orientation or gender identity with another person (Source, source). “Being outed” refers to a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity being disclosed with someone else either intentionally or accidentally. “Out” can also be used to describe oneself , indicating that they have disclosed their sexual identity and/or gender identity with others (e.g., “I am only out to my friends'').
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Examples: Leo shared that he “came out” to close friends over the summer, which means he shared with them that he is transgender. Leo sharing his affirmed name and pronouns on Ms. Aguilar’s welcome form was another way for Leo to “come out.” Leo did not want to be “outed” to his parents by Ms. Aguilar.
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Why it’s important to know this: When a student comes out to you, it is important to ask who else the student has disclosed this information with so that you do not unintentionally out them to individuals they don’t want to be out to (Source).
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pass
“Passing” occurs when a member of the LGBTQ+ community presents as cisgender or heterosexual by conforming to societal roles in their physical appearance and/or behaviors. Many people may try to pass in anti-LGBTQ environments to ensure their safety (Source).
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Example: Denise is a trans woman who worries she does not pass very well and fears for her safety in public. Her other transfemme friends reassure her that she is a woman, regardless of how others may view her. Why it’s important to know this: Transgender and nonbinary students do not need to “pass” or fit in to deserve respect. It is important to be inclusive of all identities, regardless of whether they outwardly fit into traditional roles of gender and sexual orientation. |
puberty blockers
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Puberty blockers block the hormones — testosterone and estrogen — that lead to puberty-related changes. They pause puberty for as long as the person is taking the medication; they cannot be taken after puberty or undo the effects of puberty that has already started. The effects of puberty blockers are fully reversible. If or when a youth stops taking them, their puberty resumes from where it left off (Source).
Examples: A 12-year old transgender girl who was assigned male at birth (AMAB) may want to take puberty blockers to minimize the effects of testosterone on her body. |
sex assigned at birth
Sex assigned at birth is the sex one is assigned by a doctor pre- or at birth based on the appearance of external genitalia (Source). Sex classifications include male, female, or intersex.
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Example: Max informs you that they were AFAB (“assigned female at birth”), but that their gender identity is nonbinary. Why it’s important to know this: ‘Sex’ and ‘gender’ are terms we often use interchangeably, but this is incorrect (Source, source). Since it does not impact their education, there are very few situations where sex assigned at birth would be relevant to a school staff. For example, a nurse providing menstrual care or a mental health clinician discussing gender dysphoria. |
sexual orientation
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Sexual orientation is a component of identity that describes one's romantic, sexual, and/or emotional attraction to other people (Source). Remember that sexual orientation is different from gender identity. Being a transgender and/or nonbinary person does not impact or correlate with sexual orientation.
Examples: Straight, gay, lesbian, asexual, bisexual, queer. Why it’s important to know this: Understanding the distinction between gender and sexual orientation prevents school staff from making the incorrect (but common) assumption that they are the same or connected when speaking with students. |
title ix
“Title IX”, short for “Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972”, protects people from discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity in any education program receiving federal assistance (Source).
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Why it’s important to know this: Guidance on how Title IX protects transgender and nonbinary students have changed under different administrations. Consider reaching out to your state or district’s Title IX coordinator for the most updated information.
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transfeminine
“Transfeminine,” or “transfemme” for short, is an adjective that refers to individuals who were assigned male at birth or are intersex but consider their gender identity to be more feminine (Source). They may be a binary transgender woman, but not always. Some transfemme individuals take HRT or undergo surgery to affirm their gender and others do not.
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Example: Javier is transfeminine and uses any pronouns.
They would like to start taking estrogen to feminize some of her features and alleviate her dysphoria. |
transgender
Transgender (or 'trans' for short) is an adjective that refers to individuals whose gender identity differs from that associated with their sex assigned at birth (Source).
It is important to use the term 'transgender' as an adjective rather than a noun (such as 'a transgender') or a verb (such as 'transgendered') which is outdated and considered offensive. Other words to avoid include: 'biologically male/female,' 'born a woman/man,' 'real woman/man,' 'genetically male/female,' etc.
It is important to use the term 'transgender' as an adjective rather than a noun (such as 'a transgender') or a verb (such as 'transgendered') which is outdated and considered offensive. Other words to avoid include: 'biologically male/female,' 'born a woman/man,' 'real woman/man,' 'genetically male/female,' etc.
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Example: An individual who was assigned male at birth (AMAB), and whose gender identity is woman, might introduce themselves as a trans woman, transgender woman, or simply a woman.
Why it’s important to know this: By having the language to describe transgender identities, we avoid simply categorizing them as ‘other’ or ‘weird,’ and acknowledge these gender identities as a part of the range of human experiences. Additionally, the United States Department of Education, the National Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers, have all expressed a commitment to safe, supportive, and affirming schools for transgender and nonbinary students and provide guidance to school staff (Source, source, source). |
TRANSitioning
Transitioning refers to processes that some transgender and nonbinary people progress through when they shift toward a gender that differs from the one associated with their sex assigned at birth (Source). The length, scope, and process of transition are unique to each person’s life situation In fact, some students may not use the word "transition" but instead prefer phrases such as "living authentically" or "living my true gender" (Source).
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Examples: An individual may go through a social transition, which may include changes in gender expression, gender role, name, and/or pronoun, a legal transition, which may include a name change on a driver’s license and/or a gender marker change, and/or a medical transition which may include hormone therapy and/or surgery (Source).
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Why it’s important to know this: A transgender youth’s record within a school’s Student Information System or Electronic Medical Record system may still have a student’s deadname and their sex assigned at birth if they have not/do not plan on legally changing their name. So, it’s important not to rely solely on those systems. Instead, you could make a form where students can share their affirmed name and pronouns with you and notify substitutes when a name that appears on a roster is a deadname and what name should be used instead.
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TRANSmasculine
“Transmasculine,” or “transmasc” for short, is an adjective that refers to individuals who were assigned female at birth or are intersex but consider their gender identity to be more masculine (Source). They may be a binary transgender man, but not always. Some transmasculine individuals take HRT or undergo surgery to affirm their gender and others do not.
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Examples: Sam came out as transmasc and uses “he/they” pronouns. He is thinking of starting HRT and he has been saving up for top surgery. |
TRANSPHOBES
“Transphobes” refer to people who hold and act upon transphobic, or anti-trans beliefs. Transphobia is the dislike or strong prejudice against transgender and nonbinary people. Transphobes may engage in harassment or discrimination that actively harms transgender and nonbinary individuals’ physical or mental health (Source).
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Examples: River tries to avoid Yessi and Elena in the hallways at school because they often call them transphobic slurs like "shemale" and "tranny." Teachers at school do not always know what to say when they hear this, because they're not used to calling out transphobic terms like that.
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Websites with Updated Vocabulary
• PFLAG (click here) • Human Rights Campaign (click here) • Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (click here) • UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center (click here) |
Websites with Spanish Vocabulary
• The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center Glossary of Terms in Spanish (click here) • Glosario de la Diversidad Sexual, de Género, y Características Sexuale (click here) |
Tip: Click this link to add an event to your calendar reminding you to re-review these ever-evolving glossaries.