Department of Human Services

This page is dedicated to understanding and being able to use the correct terms when talking about the rainbow community from Māhū to LGBTQIA+ to QTPI+ to MVPFAFF+ and beyond. This list is not an exhaustive list and will be updated as appropriate.

 

Māhū – In Hawaiian cultural it refers to a third gender, a term for individuals who embody both male and female spirits. They are respected figures with traditional spiritual and social roles. Before Western contact, Māhū held important positions throughout society, acting as healers, caretakers, teachers of ancient traditions, and guardians of sacred knowledge.

 

LGBTQIA+/LGBTQ+ (Western Perspective)

 

L = Lesbian – A woman who is attracted to other women. This is used as both a personal identity and community identity. (SO)

G = Gay – A person who is attracted to the same gender. This is more widely used by men than women and can be both a personal and community identity. (SO)

B = Bisexual – A person who has romantic attraction, sexual attraction, and/or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity – see pansexual. (SO)

T = Transgender/Trans – This term describes a wide variety of people whose gender is different from the gender they were assigned at birth. Transgender people may be binary or non-binary. (GI)

Q = Queer – Used as an umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities who are not heterosexual or cisgender. (SOGIE)

I = Intersex – An umbrella term used to describe people born with physical or biological sex characteristics (including sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal patterns and/or chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions for male or female bodies. Like all people, intersex people may identify as male, female or non-binary and can have any sexual orientation. (GI)

A = Asexual – A person who either does not, or does not often, experience sexual attraction but may experience romantic attraction towards others. This can also be used as an umbrella term, like ‘ace’, that encompasses a range of other ace spectrum identities. (SO)

+ = Plus – Covers all of the following terms with regards to sexual orientation, gender identity/expression not listed above…

Ace – A colloquial abbreviation of asexual and/or aromantic. Often used as an umbrella term to cover the range of identities that fall under the ace spectrum, it is a term to refer to asexual people in a similar manner that ‘gay’ or ‘straight’ is used to refer to homosexual or heterosexual people. Ace also includes grey-asexual and demisexual people and recognizes that asexuality is a spectrum. (SO)

Agender – Someone who feels neutral towards their gender and rejects the influence of gender on their person. Sometimes the term non-gendered is used in a similar fashion. (GI)

Bigender – Having two genders, exhibiting characteristics of masculine and feminine roles. (GI)

Gender Diverse – A person who does not conform to their society or culture’s dominant gender roles. (GI)

Genderfluid – A non-binary gender that indicates shifting between different genders or presentations. (GI)

Gender Queer/Genderqueer – An identity term for people whose gender identity falls outside the traditional binary of male and female, encompassing a spectrum of experiences and identities that are not strictly masculine or feminine. (GI)

Gender Non-Conforming/GNC – Adjective for people who do not subscribe to societal expectations of typical gender expressions or roles. The term is more commonly used to refer to gender expression (how one behaves, acts, and presents themselves to others) as opposed to gender identity (one’s internal sense of self). (GE)

Nonbinary – An identity term for people whose gender identity that falls outside of the traditional male/female binary. It’s an umbrella term encompassing a variety of gender identities, including those who identify as both, neither, or somewhere in between these categories. (GI)

Omnigender – Possessing all genders. The term is used specifically to refute the concept of only two genders. (GI)

Pansexual/Omnisexual – Terms used to describe people who have romantic, sexual or affectional desire for people of all genders and sexes. A person who is attracted to people regardless of their gender. (SO)

Polygender/Pangender – Exhibiting characteristics of multiple genders, deliberately refuting the concept of only two (2) genders. (GI)

Questioning – A person who is exploring and discovering their own sexual orientation or gender identity or gender expression. (SOGIE)

SO = Sexual Orientation; GI = Gender Identity; GE – Gender Expression SOGIE = Sexual Orientation Gender Identity/Expression.

QTPI+

Is an acronym for Queer and Trans Pacific Islander plus, and includes other gender identities within the Pacific Islander community. It’s a term used to describe the intersection of LGBTQIA+ identities within Pacific Islander cultural heritage. It was coined during a gathering of Pacific Islander organizers from United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance (UTOPIA) WA, UTOPIA PDX, and UTOPIA Eastern WA at NQAPIA’s West Coast Summit in Fresno, CA.

MVPFAFF+

Fakafifine activist Phylesha Brown-Acton coined the acronym MVPFAFF to recognize & honor identities that don’t align with the LGBTQIA+ acronym as that is from a Western perspective & are specific to Pasifika communities. With each having their own different and unique meanings along with cultural roles and responsibilities.  Prior to contact these identities were honored and embraced by their own communities. We encourage you to learn more about each one.

M – Māhū  from Hawai‘i & Tahiti
V – Vaka sa lewa lewa from Fiji
P – Palopa from Papua New Guinea
F – Fa‘afafine from Samoa
A – Akava‘ine from Rarotonga
F – Fakaleitī from Tonga
F – Fakafifine from Niue
+ – Fakaleiti, Rae rae, & Fafafine & more

Two-Spirit (2S) – An umbrella Indigenous term used by some Native American and First Nations people to describe individuals who embody both masculine and feminine spirits, often holding a unique and respected social and spiritual role within their communities.

It’s important to note that “Two-Spirit” is not a direct translation of Western concepts of gender identity or sexual orientation. Each Tribe having their own unique word, cultural roles and responsibilities, just like across Pasifika communities. The term emerged in 1990 at the Third Annual Intertribal Native American/First Nations Gay and Lesbian American Conference in Winnipeg, Canada, as a way to describe Indigenous people who fulfill a traditional third-gender social role.

GENERAL DEFINITIONS OF WORDS AND PHRASES (Western perspective)

Ally/Allyship – A person or group of people that is actively working to end oppression through support of, and as an advocate for, a group other than one’s own.

Bear Community – A part of the queer community composed of queer cisgender, transgender, or gender variant men similar in physical looks and interests, most of them large, hairy, and on the masculine side of presentation. The community aims to provide spaces where one feels wanted, desired, and liked. It nourishes and values an individual’s process of making friends and learning self-care and self-love through the unity and support of the community.  Bears, Cubs, Otters, Wolves, Chasers, Admirers and other wildlife comprise what has come to be known as the Brotherhood of Bears and/or the Bear community.

Biphobia – Oppression, discrimination and hatred toward those who identify as bisexual, pansexual, and omnisexual. Biphobia can be present in both the LGBTQ+ and broader community. 

Cisgender – A person whose gender aligns with their gender assigned at birth. (GI)

Cisnormativity – Attitudes and behaviors that incorrectly assume gender is binary, ignoring genders besides women and men, and that people should and will align with conventional expectations of society for gender identity and gender expression. Cisnormativity often combines with heteronormativity to create societal expectations of behavior.

Coming Out – Coming out is the process of voluntarily sharing one’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity with others. This process is unique for each individual and there is no right or wrong way to come out. The term “coming out” has also been broadened to include other pieces of potentially stigmatized personal information. Terms also used that correlate with this action are: “Being out” which means not concealing one’s sexual orientation or gender identity, and “Outing“, a term used for making public the sexual orientation or gender identity of another who would prefer to keep this information secret. Not sharing one’s LGBTQIA+ identity publicly is sometimes referred to as being “in the closet” or “closeted”.

Cross Dresser – A word to describe a person who dresses, at least partially, as a member of a gender other than their assigned gender; carries no implications of sexual orientation or gender identity. Has replaced “Transvestite.”

Deadname/Deadnaming – A deadname is a name that a trans+/nonbinary person no longer uses. Usually it is the name assigned at birth. When someone uses this name, whether intentionally or not, it is referred to as deadnaming. Deadnaming, especially on purpose, is offensive, disrespectful, and hurtful.

Drag/Drag King/Drag Queen: The theatrical performance of one or multiple genders via dressing in the clothing of a different gender, or in a manner different from how one would usually dress. Drag queens perform in distinctly feminine attire. Drag kings perform in distinctly masculine attire. Drag is an art and a form of gender expression and is not an indication of gender identity. Individuals who dress in drag may or may not consider themselves to be transgender. They may identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight or some other sexual orientation.

Gay Ghetto – A term referring to areas where LGBTQIA+ people congregate, has evolved from a stigmatized term to a more neutral, and sometimes even positive, descriptor for LGBTQIA+ neighborhoods, often referred to as “gay villages” or “gayborhoods”.

Gender – An individual’s internal sense of being a woman, a man, neither of these, both or somewhere along a spectrum.  It is also a social construct used to classify a person as a man, woman, or some other identity.  Gender is not fixed or unable to be changed. (GI)

Gender Affirming – A broad term encompassing actions, language, medical care, and more, that affirms someone’s gender identity or expression. For example, using someone’s identified pronouns even if they do match their gender assigned at birth.

Gender Affirming Care – A term encompasses a range of social, psychological, behavioral, and medical interventions “designed to support and affirm an individual’s gender identity” when it conflicts with the gender they were assigned at birth. The interventions help transgender, nonbinary, intersex and other gender nonconforming people align various aspects of their lives — emotional, interpersonal, and biological — with their gender identity.

Gender Expression – A person’s presentation of their gender through physical appearance (including dress, hairstyles, accessories, cosmetics), mannerisms, speech, behavioral patterns, names, and personal references. Gender expression may or may not conform to a person’s gender identity.

Gender Identity – Which is an individual’s sense of being a woman, a man, neither of these, both or somewhere along a spectrum.

Genderism/Cissexism – The false belief that there are, and should be, only two (2) genders & that one’s gender or most aspects of it, are inevitably tied to assigned gender at birth. In a genderist/cissexist construct, cisgender people are the dominant/agent group and trans/ gender non-conforming people are the oppressed/target group.

Heteronormativity – Attitudes and behaviors that incorrectly assume everyone is straight, or that being heterosexual is “normal”.  Hetereornormativity also assumes people should and will align with conventional expectations of society for sexual and romantic attraction. Heteronormativity often combines with cisnormativity to create societal expectations of behavior.

Heterosexual – A person who is sexually attracted to people of the other binary gender. Straight is an alternative term. (SO)

Homophobia – Oppression, discrimination, and hatred directed toward members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Homosexual – A person who is sexually attracted to people of the same gender. Alternative terms used are gay and lesbian. (SO)

Intersectionality – A term coined by law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in the 1980s to describe the way that multiple systems of oppression interact in the lives of those with multiple marginalized identities. Intersectionality looks at the relationships between multiple marginalized identities and allows us to analyze social problems more fully, shape more effective interventions, and promote more inclusive advocacy amongst communities.

Kinsey scale – The scale developed by Alfred Kinsey in the 1940s, which was used for measuring sexual attraction and behavior along a continuum. Instead of assigning people to two (2) categories—heterosexual and homosexual—Kinsey used a spectrum ranging from 0 (exclusively heterosexual) to 6 (exclusively homosexual). The scale is an early recognition of varying sexual attractions and behaviors and is credited with challenging the heterosexual/homosexual binary.

Misgendering – Attributing a gender to someone that is incorrect/does not align with their gender identity.  Can occur when using pronouns, gendered language, or assigning genders to people without knowing how they identify. Misgendering, especially on purpose, is offensive, disrespectful, and hurtful.

MSM – An abbreviation for men who have sex with men; they may or may not identify as gay.

Neopronouns – Gender-neutral pronouns such as ze/zir or ey/em that are used instead of more traditional ones such as they/them.

Polyamory/Poly – Denotes consensually being in/open to multiple loving relationships at the same time. Some polyamorists (polyamorous people) consider “polyam” to be a relationship orientation.

Pride Marches, Parades &/or Festivals (aka LGBTQ Pride, LGBTQIA Pride, LGBT Pride, Queer Pride, Gay Pride, and Gay and Lesbian Pride) – These events are for the promotion of the rights, self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of LGBTQIA+ people as a social group. Pride marches often take place during Pride Month (June), commemorating the Stonewall Riots (Uprising), a pivotal moment in the LGBTQIA+ rights movement.

Pronouns – Linguistic tools used to refer to someone in the third person.  Examples are they/them/theirs, ze/zir/zirs, she/her/hers, he/him/his.  In English and some other languages, pronouns have been tied to gender and are a common area of misgendering.

QPOC/QTPOC/QTBIPOC – Queer People of Color; Queer Trans People of Color; Queer Trans Black Indigenous People of Color. Often used to discuss the ways in which intersectional identities can result in multifaceted systems and experiences of oppression.

Rainbow Ghetto – A term coined by the LGBTQIA+ community to describe an individual (usually a political candidate) that only talks about supporting justice and equality for the LGBTQIA+ community when they are in front of members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Then never follows through on the support the talked about with real world actions.

Rainbow Washing – A term coined by the LGBTQIA+ community to describe companies and individuals (usually politicians) that use the rainbow symbol superficially and for marketing purposes only, without any real commitment to LGBTQIA+ equality or inclusion. Often done during events like Pride Month, Trans Day of Visibility and/or campaigning for office.

Same Gender Loving – A term used by some African American people who love, date, have attraction to people of the same gender. (SO)

Sapphic – Used to describe any female-identifying person who is attracted to other female-identifying people. This broad term includes lesbians, bisexuals, omnisexuals, pansexuals, romantic asexuals, and other orientations, as well as nonbinary folks. Often sapphic is used as a more inclusive term instead of “women who like women (WLW)” or lesbian.

Sexual Orientation – A term that covers three key aspects: sexual attraction, sexual behavior and sexual identity on the spectrum. These are related – sexual orientation is generally based on sexual attraction; sexual attraction can result in different sexual behaviors and sexual identities.

Stonewall/Stonewall Riots (Uprising) – They were a series of spontaneous demonstrations that erupted in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. The raid began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, and the unrest continued for six (6) days. While not the first instance of LGBTQIA+ resistance to government-sanctioned discrimination, the Stonewall Uprising became a pivotal turning point. It ignited a new era in the fight for equal rights for the LGBTQIA+ community in the United States and inspired movements for justice around the world.

Straight – A romantic and/or sexual orientation in which a person feels attracted to people of a gender other than their own. Usually used to describe a man attracted to women and vice-versa. (SO)

Transitioning – The process a transgender person may take to affirm their gender. It may involve social, legal, and/or medical steps.

Transphobia – When people have deeply rooted negative beliefs about what it means to be transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming. Their beliefs affect the way they, the government, organizations, the media, and society generally treat people whose identities don’t fit into typical gender roles.

WLW – Abbreviation for Women who like Women. This term can include lesbians, bisexual/pansexual/omnisexual women, as well as other identities. Some prefer the term “sapphic”, as it is more inclusive of non-binary folks. (SO)