Definitions & Symbols (Pdf)

Wheaton College Norton, Massachusetts DEFINITIONS LGBT: An acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. At times, a “Q” will be added for “Queer” and/or “Questioning”, an “A” for “Ally”, and/or a “TS” for “Two Spirit”. Ally: A person who supports and honors sexual diversity, acts accordingly to challenge homophobic and heterosexist remarks and behaviors, and is willing to explore and understand these forms of bias within him or herself. Bisexual: A person (male or female) who is physically, emotionally, psychologically, and/or spiritually attracted to both men and women or someone who identifies as a member of the bisexual community. Butch: Masculine dress or behavior, regardless of sex or gender identity. Closet: Used as slang for the state of not publicizing one’s sexual identity, keeping it private, living an outwardly heterosexual life while identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, or not being forthcoming about one’s identity. At times, being “in the closet” also means not wanting to admit one’s sexual identity to oneself. Coming Out: To disclose one’s own sexual identity or gender identity. It can mean telling others or it can refer to the time when a person comes out to him/herself by discovering or admitting that their sexual or gender identity is not what was previously assumed. Some people think of coming out as a larger system of oppression of LGBTQ people - that an LGBTQ person needs to come out at all shows that everyone is presumed heterosexual until demonstrated otherwise. But this word need not apply only to the LGBTQ community; in some situations, a heterosexual may feel the need to come out about their identity as well. Cross Dresser: A person of one sex that occasionally will wear the clothing of the opposite sex. Reasons for dressing are usually out of a need to express an inner, inherent femininity. Most are comfortable with their body and do not go beyond clothing. Dyke: A derogatory slur for lesbians. Reclaimed by some as a term of pride Fag (got): A derogatory slur for gay men. Reclaimed by some as a term of pride. Derived from the word faggot (literally “small bundle of sticks”), an allusion to the Inquisition-era practice of burning people at the stake for suspected homosexual practices. Femme: Feminine or effeminate dress or behavior, regardless of sex or gender identity. Gay: A man who is physically, emotionally, psychologically, and/or spiritually attracted to other men, or who identifies as a member of the gay community. At times, “gay” is used to refer to all people, regardless of gender, who are physically, emotionally, psychologically, and/or spiritually attracted to people of the same gender. Lesbians and bisexuals may feel excluded by this word. Gender: The mental image of what you are (i.e. gender roles) in terms of masculinity and femininity. It is how people perceive themselves and how they expect others to behave and therefore is largely culturally determined. Gender Identity: The concept of identifying as a certain gender, be it in alignment with your body or not - the core concept to transgender. Heterosexism: The individual person, group, or institutional norms and behaviors that result from the assumption that all people are heterosexual. The system of oppression, which assumes that heterosexuality is inherently normal and superior, negates LBGTQ peoples’ lives and relationships. Heterosexual: A person (male or female) who is physically, emotionally, psychologically, and/or spiritually attracted to members of the opposite gender. Also known as “straight”. Homophobia: The fear and hatred of, or the discomfort with, people who love and sexually desire members of the same gender. Homophobic reactions often lead to intolerance, bigotry, and violence against anyone not acting within heterosexual norms. Because most LGBTQ people are raised in the same society as heterosexuals, they learn the same beliefs and stereotypes prevalent in the dominant society, leading to a phenomenon known as “internalized homophobia.” Homosexual: A person (male or female) who is physically, emotionally, psychologically, and/or spiritually attracted to members of the same gender. It is the formal or clinical term that was coined in the field of psychology in 1869; the word is often associated with the proposition that same sex attractions are a mental disorder and is consequently distasteful to some people. Intersex: One who is born with genitalia and/or secondary sex characteristics determined as neither exclusively male nor female, or which combine features of the male and female sexes. Lesbian: A woman who is physically, emotionally, psychologically, and/or spiritually attracted to other women, or who identifies as a member of the lesbian community. Bisexual women may feel excluded by this term. Lifestyle: This is a word that is often used outside the LGBTQ community to describe living life as an LGBTQ person (i.e. the “gay lifestyle”). Many people do not find this word particularly appropriate or positive because it seems to trivialize personal identity, as well as not make space for the large variety of lifestyles that lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender people live. Queer: Originally a derogatory slur that traditionally meant "strange" or "unusual." Currently, it is used in reference to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex communities. Its usage is controversial and underwent substantial changes over the course of the 20th century, but the term is still considered by some to be offensive and derisive, and by others simply as a re-appropriated term used to describe a sexual orientation and/or gender identity or gender expression that does not conform to heteronormative society. Questioning: A person who is in the process of questioning their sexual and/or gender identity. Sexual Orientation: Refers to the physical, emotional, psychological, and/or spiritual attraction felt for another usually based on gender and sex characteristics. Stonewall: A bar in the West Village of New York City, Stonewall Inn, was the site of one of the first and biggest rebellions of the LGBTQ community against repressive police restrictions and homophobia. Details about how the riot started vary. According to one account, a latina transgendered woman named Sylvia Rivera threw a bottle at a police officer after being prodded by his nightstick. Another account states that a lesbian, being brought to a patrol car through the crowd put up a struggle that encouraged the crowd to do the same. Whatever the case may be, mêlée broke out across the crowd - which quickly overtook the police. The clash was a defining moment for the worldwide Gay Rights Movement of the late 1970s, as gay and transgendered people had never before acted together in such large numbers to forcibly resist police harassment directed towards their community. Transgender: An umbrella term for those individuals whose gender identity transcends the conventional definitions of “man” and “woman” which can include transsexuals, both operative & non-operative, bigendered people, intersexed, & transgenderists. Some individuals of this identity consider themselves part of the queer community while others feel they have no connection.

Two-Spirit: A term for third gender people (for example, woman-living-man) that are among many, if not most, Native American tribes. It usually implies a masculine spirit and a feminine spirit living in the same body. It is also used by gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex Native Americans to describe themselves. There are also native terms for these individuals in the various Native American languages.

SYMBOLS

Rainbow Flag: Sometimes called 'the freedom flag'. It has been used as a symbol of gay and lesbian pride since the 1970s. The different colors symbolize diversity in the LGBTQ community. It originated in the United States by artist Gilbert Baker and is now used around the world.

Pink Triangle: Rooted in World War II, it was one of the Nazi concentration camp badges, used to identify male prisoners in concentration camps who were sent there because of their homosexuality. Estimates of the number of gay men killed during the Nazi regime range from 50,000 to twice that figure. When the war was finally over, many homosexuals remained prisoners in the camps. In the 1970s, gay liberation groups resurrected the pink triangle as a popular symbol for the gay rights movement. Not only is the symbol easily recognized, but it draws attention to oppression and persecution — then and now.

Black Triangle: Rooted in Nazi Germany, the black triangle was used to designate prisoners with anti-social behavior. Although lesbians were not included in the prohibition of homosexuality there is evidence to indicate that they were placed in the anti-social behavior category. Considering that the Nazi idea of womanhood focused on children, kitchen, and church, black triangle prisoners may have included lesbians, prostitutes, women who refused to bear children, and women with other “anti-social” traits. The black triangle has been reclaimed by lesbians and feminists as a symbol of pride and solidarity.

Freedom Rings: Designed by David Spada with the Rainbow Flag in mind, are six colored aluminum rings. They have come to symbolize independence and tolerance of others. Freedom rings are frequently worn as necklaces, bracelets, rings, and key chains. Recently, Freedom Triangles have emerged as a popular alternative to the rings, though the meaning remains the same.

Human Rights Campaign Symbol: The largest national lesbian and gay political organization, envisions a United States where lesbian and gay people are ensured of their basic equal rights and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community. HRC has more than 360,000 members, both gay and non-gay; all committed to making this vision a reality.

Bi Pride Flag: Unveiled on Dec 5, 1998. The intent and purpose of the flag is to maximize bisexual pride and visibility. The pink color represents same sex attraction (gay and lesbian), the blue represents attraction to the opposite sex (straight) and the resultant overlap color purple represents sexual attraction to both (bi). The key to understanding the symbolism of the Bi Pride Flag is to know that the purple pixels of color blend unnoticeably into both the pink and blue just as in the “real world” where bi people blend unnoticeably into both the gay/lesbian and straight communities.

Transgender Symbol: It links the internationally accepted symbols for male and female together with a new entity, which is a combination of the two (transgender). Some say the transgendered are the missing link, whose destiny is to restore the connection between man and woman. The symbol simply represents the potential. The symbol includes everyone, excluding none. The circle is a symbol of wholeness, and represents the wholeness of a society which includes the transgender. The misdirection of a society that ridicules the transgender is implied.

Lambda: First chosen as a gay symbol when it was adopted in 1970 by the New York Gay Activists Alliance, it became the symbol of their growing movement of gay liberation. In 1974, the lambda was subsequently adopted by the International Gay Rights Congress held in Edinburgh, Scotland as their symbol for lesbian and gay rights - the lambda became internationally popular. Whatever the exact meaning and origin, the lambda originally embodied a fairly militant connotation. Today, the symbol generally denotes lesbian and gay men’s concerns together.

Labrys: A double-sided hatchet or axe commonly used in ancient European, African, and Asian matriarchal societies as both a weapon and a harvesting tool. Greek artwork depicts the Amazon armies of Europe wielding labrys weapons. Amazons ruled with a dual-queen system in which one queen was in charge of the army and battle, and the other queen stayed behind to administer the conquered cities. Amazons were known to be ferocious and merciless in battle, but once victorious they ruled with justice. In addition, the labrys also played a part in ancient mythology. Demeter, the goddess of the earth, used a labrys as her scepter. Rites associated with the worship of the Demeter, as well as Hecate (the goddess of the underworld), are believed to have involved lesbian sex. Today, the labrys is a lesbian and feminist symbol of strength and self-sufficiency.