1. Glossary of Terms
Sex: Assigned at birth (usually male or female, although variation in between is actually
quite common*). Determined by the sum of structural and functional difference in an
individual’s reproductive organs.
Sex also refers to one’s sexual identity, which is one’s sense of being male/female,
regardless of assigned birth sex, genital configuration, or karyotype.
*Intersex (see page 2)
Female ←→Male
Gender: Refers to the socially/culturally constructed roles, behaviors, appearances, and
activities that are expected, assumed expressions of one’s perceived sex. Gender refers to
one’s femininity/masculinity and/or sense of being man/woman and everything in
between.
For our purposes and understanding, we will break gender down to two major
components:
1) Gender Identity: Regardless of one’s physical appearance, sexual
orientation, assigned birth sex, or sexual identity, gender identity refers to
where one places themselves on the gender spectrum.
2) Gender Expression/Presentation: Refers to the way in which we “act our
gender”. For example: choice of clothing, manner of speech, hair style, body
language, social interactions, etc.
Masculine ←(look at all this neat in-between space)→ Feminine
Cissexual: A person whose assigned sex and sexual identity are congruent
Cisgender: A person whose gender identity corresponds to their sex
Transsexual: A person whose psychological sense of sex (of being male or female) is
incongruous with their assigned sex at birth. Transsexuals often wish to alter (transition)
their bodies with hormones and/or surgery to make their bodies more accurately reflect
their inner sense of sex.
Some consider this term to be outdated or “medicalized.”
Transgender: A person whose gender does not correspond to or is incompletely or
inaccurately described by their sex. This is a broad blanket term that encompasses a wide
variety identities, which can include transsexuals, as well as many other people who do
not conform to traditional understandings of male/female/ man/woman.
*** It is important to note that transsexual and transgender are adjectives, not nouns. The use of
trans as noun implies that trans persons aren’t Real Men/Women ™.***
Intersex: A person whose sex is neither male nor female, but some combination of male
and female physiological and genetic features. (For example, having one ovary and one
2. testis, or having an XXY chromosomal make-up, etc..)
Intersexual births account for 1.7% of all births in the U.S. Our campus has roughly
4,200 students, which means there are approximately 71.5 intersex students at Purchase.
FtM: Stands for “female to male”. Refers to trans men.**
MtF: Stands for “male to female”. Refers to trans women.**
**I find these terms problematic because it implies that, necessarily, all trans women were at some point
males and that all trans men were at some point females. I prefer just to stick to the terms trans women and
trans men because they are more inclusive terms.
FAAB/MAAB: Stands for Female Assigned At Birth or Male Assigned At Birth,
respectively.
Genderqueer: A person whose gender identity is variant in an individually defined way.
The gender identity/presentation of a genderqueer individual may be neither male or
female, between or beyond genders, or some combination of genders. This identity is
usually related or in reaction to the social construction of gender roles and stereotypes, or
the gender binary system. It acknowledges an infinity of possible genders. It may be
personal, political (a purposeful rejection of the binary system), or both.
Gender Fluid: Describes someone whose gender is variable over time, be it from day to
day or over a much longer period of time. Gender fluid individuals may or may not I.D.
as genderqueer.
Gender Binary (for those of you who need Feminism 101): A constructed idea or system
of gender that allows for only two genders, man and woman. This system is strictly
“either/or” --- it does not acknowledge identities between or outside of man/woman.
Transphobia (Cissexism): Acts or language which other and oppress trans and gender
non-conforming people.
Transmisogyny: Cissexist words and acts that specifically target trans women.
For example, the word “tranny,” which is used, generally, to mean “failing at femininity”.
Pansexual: Sexual orientation that is inclusive of non-binary or genderqueer persons,
meaning attracted to all or many genders. As opposed to bisexual, meaning attracted only
to two genders/sexes, typically the binary ones.
Queer (In contemporary/academic usage): May be used as an inclusive umbrella term for
people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, transsexual,
intersexed, genderqueer, or any other non-heteronormative sexuality or gender identity.
Closet: Device invented by Liberace as a subversive mode of public/private living. This is also where we
keep our clothes.
