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nlgja: the association of lgbtq journalists stylestylebook onLGBTQterminology book NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists is a journalist-led association working within the news media to advance fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ communities and issues. We promote diverse and inclusive workplaces by holding the industry accountable and providing education, professional development and mentoring. Since its founding in 1990, the organization has grown to include more than 800 members and 25 chapter organizations, including 10 student chapters, in the United States. The NLGJA Stylebook on LGBTQ Terminology is intended to complement the prose stylebooks of individual publications, as well as The Associated Press Stylebook, the leading stylebook in U.S. newsrooms. It reflects the association’s mission of inclusive coverage of LGBTQ people, includes entries on words and phrases that have become common and features greater detail for earlier entries. The Stylebook will be continually updated and the latest version will always be available at www.nlgja.org/stylebook. 2120 L Street NW | Suite 850 | Washington, DC 20037 www.nlgja.org | [email protected] nlgja: the association of lgbtq journalists stylebook on LGBTQ terminology updated December 2020 stylebook Editors: Jeff McMillan and Sarah Blazucki Introduction This stylebook seeks to be a guide on language and terminology to help journalists cover LGBTQ subjects and issues with sensitivity and fairness, without bias or judgment. Because language is always changing, this guide is not definitive or fully inclusive. When covering the LGBTQ community, we encourage you to use the language and terminology your subjects use. They are the best source for how they would like to be identified. acting, appearing closeted, in the closet In general, avoid this term that Refers to people who wish to keep assumes someone’s sexual their sexual orientation or gender orientation or gender identity is identity secret. deceptive, incongruous or ingenuine. See coming out. Example: He was straight-acting. coming out AIDS Shorthand for coming out of the See HIV/AIDS. closet. Accepting and letting others know of one’s previously hidden agender sexual orientation or gender identity. See transgender. See closeted, outing. ally commitment ceremony A person who is not LGBTQ and A ceremony that is like a wedding who actively supports LGBTQ but is not legally binding. communities. See marriage and relationships. See LGBT, LGBTQ. “conversion therapy” asexual The discredited practice of using See LGBT, LGBTQ. psychological interventions to change sexual orientation. Proponents may bathroom bill also call it reparative therapy or Avoid. sexual reorientation therapy. Always See transgender. use quotation marks, and always include the context that the practice bisexual has been opposed by the American See LGBT, LGBTQ. Psychological Association and other groups of medical and mental health breeder professionals, as well as banned by Avoid this often-pejorative slang that several states. refers to heterosexuals. See “ex-gay”. cisgender cross-dresser Refers to people whose gender Preferred term for people who wear identity aligns with the sex and clothing most often associated with gender assigned to them at birth. a different gender, and who describe See transgender. themselves as such. Do not use the obsolete term transvestite. Not civil union synonymous with transgender or See marriage and relationships. drag performer. 2 | Stylebook on LGBTQ Terminology cruising drag queen, female impersonator Visiting places where opportunities Drag is the practice of dressing exist to meet potential sex partners. and acting in styles typically Not exclusively a gay practice. associated with another gender, usually exaggeratedly so and for DL entertainment value. Drag queens Abbreviation for down low, which portray women and drag kings refers to men who secretly have sex portray men. Drag performer is the with men. Men on the down low or gender-neutral term. on the DL may be in relationships with women and not identify as gay Drag and impersonation are more or bisexual. The term originated strongly determined by the nature of among black men but has attained the costume and performance than wider use. People usually won’t by the performer’s gender identity or describe themselves as DL or down sex. low, so use only in quotations or in broad references. Drag is not synonymous with but See MSM. is sometimes considered a type of male or female impersonation, in domestic partner which performances may be spoofs See marriage and relationships. of a specific person or character or may be more subdued than a drag Don’t ask, don’t tell performance. Shorthand for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue, Don’t Harass, Not synonymous with transgender, the military’s former policy on gay though some drag performers may men, lesbians and bisexuals. Under identify as such, or with cross-dresser. the policy, instituted in 1993 and See cross-dresser. lifted in 2011, the military was not to ask service members about their dressed as sexual orientation; service members Avoid this phrase, which can assume were not to tell others about their a person’s gender identity or be orientation; and the military was not sensationalistic. to pursue rumors about members’ sexual orientation. Sometimes dyke abbreviated as DADT. Originally a pejorative term for a lesbian, some lesbians have down low reclaimed it. Offensive when used See DL. as an epithet. Use only if the subject uses it or in a quotation if there is a compelling reason to do so. See slurs. NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists | 3 “ex-gay” relevant, such as in stories about Describes the movement or adoption or in-vitro fertilization. adherents of a movement, mostly Mother and father are generally the rooted in conservative religions, that proper terms for LGBTQ parents, aims to change the sexual orientation but because of the blended nature of gay, lesbian or bisexual people to of many families led by such parents, straight. Use only in quotation marks, ask story subjects how they wish to and always include the context that be identified. the practice is widely discredited in See marriage and relationships. scientific circles. gay fag, faggot See LGBT, LGBTQ; openly gay. A pejorative term for a gay male. Extremely offensive when used as an gay agenda epithet. Use only in a quotation and if Politically charged term used by there is a compelling reason. opponents that suggests LGBTQ See slurs. activists have a unified, conspiratorial, ulterior political motive. Best false balance confined to quotations. Including opposing views in a story even when doing so is unnecessary GLAAD or insensitive or would perpetuate An advocacy group that monitors falsehoods, or assuming there are portrayals of LGBTQ people in the only two sides to a story. Sometimes news media and entertainment. Once called bothsidesism. Just as an acronym for the Gay & Lesbian journalists should not default to Alliance Against Defamation, it now giving doubters of the scientifically goes only by its initials, pronounced established concept of climate “glad.” Do not confuse it with GLAD, change a platform, they shouldn’t a different organization. automatically give opponents of LGBTQ rights a voice unless it GLAD furthers the understanding of the Shorthand for the advocacy issue or story. For instance, a story group GLBTQ Legal Advocates & about LGBTQ-related legislation Defenders. GLAD is acceptable should quote supporters, opponents on subsequent references. Do not and possibly the indifferent. A story confuse with GLAAD, a different about an LGBTQ awards ceremony, a organization. hate crime or a person’s coming out usually does not require opposing hermaphrodite comment. Avoid this obsolete term. See intersex. families, parents Differentiate families led by LGBTQ heterosexism parents, and identify the parents’ Presumption that heterosexuality sexual orientation or gender identity, is universal and/or superior to only when relevant. Do not use gay homosexuality. Also, prejudice, bias families or similar because it implies or discrimination based on such all members of the family are LGBTQ. presumptions. Mention genetic relationships or conception techniques only when 4 | Stylebook on LGBTQ Terminology HIV Acceptable in all references for HIV/AIDS human immunodeficiency virus, the Since AIDS emerged in gay men virus that causes AIDS. HIV virus is in the early 1980s, coverage of the redundant. HIV-positive means being LGBTQ community has often been infected with HIV but not necessarily intertwined with it and therefore is having AIDS; include the hyphen in included in this style guide. all instances for HIV-positive and HIV- negative. Men who have sex with men remain among the communities HIV/AIDS most affected by HIV/AIDS, but Acceptable in all references to refer many other demographics are collectively to HIV and AIDS and the also disproportionately affected. conditions that can arise from them. Moreover, HIV infection is now considered a manageable condition, HIV disease not the oft-repeated “death A term used by some HIV/ sentence” it once was. Coverage and AIDS doctors because there are word choice should take these factors other types of acquired immune into account. deficiencies caused by toxins or by other diseases. Some guidance on commonly used terms in HIV/AIDS coverage follows: PEP Shorthand for post-exposure AIDS prophylaxis, a regimen of medication Acceptable in all references for prescribed to HIV-negative people acquired immune deficiency immediately after their exposure to syndrome, a medical condition that HIV to stop infection. compromises the human immune system and makes the body PrEP vulnerable to infections. Always Shorthand for pre-exposure uppercase the S, which stands for prophylaxis, a regimen of medication syndrome. It is caused by HIV, the prescribed to some HIV-negative human immunodeficiency virus. gay men and other high-risk people People may be HIV-positive but not to help prevent HIV infection if they have AIDS. Do not use the term full- are exposed to the virus.

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