Whats the difference between transgender and gay

Glossary of Terms

Many Americans refrain from talking about sexual orientation and gender identity or expression because it feels taboo, or because they’re anxious of saying the wrong thing. 

This glossary was written to help give people the words and meanings to assist make conversations easier and more pleasant. LGBTQ+ people apply a variety of terms to recognize themselves, not all of which are included in this glossary. Always attend for and respect a person’s self identified terminology.

Ally | A term used to describe someone who is actively supportive of Homosexual people. It encompasses straight and cisgender allies, as adequately as those within the LGBTQ+ group who support each other (e.g., a lesbian who is an ally to the bisexual community).

Asexual | Often called “ace” for brief, asexual refers to a complete or partial lack of sexual attraction or lack of interest in sexual action with others. Asexuality exists on a spectrum, and asexual people may life no, little or conditional sexual attraction.

Biphobia | The horror and hatred of, or discomfort with, people who adore and are sexually attracted to more than one gender.

Bisexual |

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Definitions

Sexual orientation

An essential or immutable enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people. Note: an individual’s sexual orientation is independent of their gender identity.

Gender identity

One's innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they notify themselves. One's gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.

Gender expression

External appearance of one's gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with organism either masculine or feminine.

Transgender

An umbrella legal title for people whose gender identity and/or expression is diverse from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, female homosexual, bisexual, etc.

Gender transition

The process by which some people struggle to more closely

The differences between the Transgender and the Gay/Lesbian experience.

While transgendered individuals are now often lumped in with gay folk under the “LGBT” umbrella (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender), there are certain differences in experience that are vital to understand. Historically the G&L community was accepting of gender non-conforming folk, and over the years became more inclusive of them, but there are important differences.

  • Transgendered Individuals (and I’m speaking of mostly, but not exclusively of transsexuals here) experience gender dysphoria, whereas gays and lesbians complete not.
  • Transgendered Individuals have to vault through many “hoops” in request to transition, whereas gay folk just “come out”. Coming out is also part of the T. experience, but there are many more steps involved to transition. Transgendered Individuals deal with body dysphoria, as well as social acceptance isues.
  • Transgendered Individuals employ medical services much more. Gender non-conforming folk need hormones, surgeries, voice, facial hair, therapy, etc..
  • The sexuality of a Transgendered Individual might be “straight”. If a transman is attracted to women, then he’s straight, if a transwoman is attracted

    Nope!

    It’s easy to get this confused, particularly because T is included in the LGBTQ+ acronym (T standing for “Transgender”). The key is to remember that transgender is referring to someone’s gender identity and not their sexuality orientation. Transgender people can be gay, straight, pansexual, gay, asexual, or any other sexual orientation (just love cisgender people!).

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    What about advanced workshops? Safe Zone 201 perhaps?

    Our Foundational Curriculum is a designed to create a Safe Zone 101 overview workshop. We recommend this workshop for all audiences – lgbtq+, straight, queer, allied, and anywhere in between (or outside) those categories. While some of it may be old information for some, we believe that everyone, no matter their knowledge level, will acquire something out of the experience.

    We do have exercises that can be used for more advanced/specific workshops. Just check out the explore activities tab and search under the “201” levels for more advanced activities!

    I have an activity I think you should add to the site. Do you yearn to see it?

    Yes! One of our goals for this project is to turn it into the go-to resou