Gender
Gender is part of a person’s personal and social identity. It refers to a way a person feels and sees themselves. It can be about differences in identity, expression and experience as a woman, man or gender diverse person.
Gender diverse
Gender diverse is an umbrella term for a range of different genders. There are many terms gender diverse people may use to describe themselves. Language in this area is dynamic and always changing, particularly among young people. Some examples include genderfluid, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, agender, bi-gender and non-binary.
Non-binary
Non-binary is a term for people whose gender sits outside of the spectrum of man or woman or male and female. A person who is non-binary might feel like they have a mix of genders, or like they have no gender at all.
A person might identify solely as non-binary or relate to non-binary as an umbrella term. They might consider themselves as genderfluid, genderqueer, trans masculine, trans feminine, agender or bigender.
Trans or transgender
Transgender refers to someone whose gender does not exclusively align with their sex recorded at birth. Not all trans people will use this term to describe themselves.
Cis or cisgender
(pronounced ‘sis’)
Cisgender refers to a person whose gender is the same as their sex recorded at birth. Not all cisgender people will be aware of this term or use it to describe themselves.
Sistergirl and Brotherboy
Sistergirl and brotherboy are terms used in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to describe transgender people. Using these terms can validate and strengthen their gender identities and relationships. Sistergirls and Brotherboys might be non-binary, female or male.
Sistergirl describes gender diverse people that have a female spirit and take on female roles within the community, including looking after children and family. Brotherboy describes gender diverse people that have a male spirit and take on male roles within the community.
Other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may also use these words. For example, lesbian and heterosexual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women may refer to themselves as ‘sistagirls’, ‘sistas’ or ‘tiddas’, which has the meaning of the word ‘sisters’. Gay Aboriginal men may also refer to themselves as sistas.
In broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the terms ‘sistagirl’ and ‘brothaboy’ are used as terms of endearment for women and men with no reference to gender diversity.
It is important to note that not all First Nations people who are transgender use these terms.
Sex
Sex refers to a person’s biological sex characteristics. This includes their sex chromosomes, hormones and reproductive organs.
Sex recorded at birth
Data collection often refers to sex recorded at birth. This is based upon a person’s sex characteristics and reproductive organs observed at, or soon after, birth.
Variations of sex characteristics
Some people are born with a variation to physical or biological sex characteristics including chromosomes, hormones or anatomy. These are often called intersex variations. There are many different intersex variations that can be identified prenatally, at birth, puberty or adulthood.
People with intersex variations use a range of different terminology to name their bodies and experiences. Some use the term ‘intersex’, which is signified by the ‘I’ in LGBTIQA+ communities. Others do not connect to the term ‘intersex’ or with the acronym LGBTIQA+.
People with variations of sex characteristics are usually assigned male or female at birth or infancy, just like everyone else. Intersex people can have any gender identity or sexuality.
You can read more about the diversity and health needs of the intersex population at (i) Am Equal. It outlines the future directions for Victoria’s Intersex community. You can also learn more at the Intersex Human Rights Australia website.[1]
Endosex
Endosex refers to people whose sex characteristics meet medical and social norms for typically ‘male’ or ‘female’ bodies. Not all endosex people will be aware of this term or use it to describe themselves.
Sexuality or sexual orientation
Sexuality or sexual orientation describe a person’s intimate, romantic and/or sexual attractions to others. It can include sexual identity (how a person thinks of their sexuality and the terms they identify with).
It can also include attraction (romantic or sexual interest in another person) and behaviour or relationships.
These attractions may be towards someone of the same gender or sex, another gender, all genders, no gender or a combination.
There are many different terms used to sexuality. Some people may choose to describe their sexuality in terms of feelings, behaviours or experiences such as ‘same sex’ or ‘gender attracted’. Others may choose to use no term at all. Sexuality may be fluid for some people and change over time. For others it can be the same throughout their life.
Asexual
Asexual refers to a person who does not experience sexual attraction but may or may not experience romantic attraction towards others. Asexual people can be any gender or sexual orientation.
Lesbian
Lesbian refers to a woman (cis or trans) or gender diverse person who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to women.
Gay
A gay person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of the same sex and/or gender as themselves. This term is often used to describe men who are attracted to other men, but some women and gender diverse people may describe themselves as gay.
Bisexual
A bisexual person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of their own gender and other genders. The term 'bi+' or multi-gender attracted (MGA) are sometimes used to describe communities of people who are attracted to multiple genders.
Pansexual
A pansexual person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of all genders and regardless of gender.
Queer
Queer is often used as an umbrella term for diverse genders or sexualities. Some people use queer to describe their own gender or sexuality, as an identity that does not correspond to heterosexual norms. For some people, especially older people, ‘queer’ has negative connotations, because in the past it was used as a discriminatory term.
Questioning
Questioning refers to people who are exploring or questioning their gender or sexual orientation. People may not wish to have one of the other labels applied to them yet, for a variety of reasons. It is important these people feel welcome and included in LGBTIQA+ communities.
Heterosexual
Heterosexual is another word for ‘straight’. It generally refers to men who are attracted to women, or women who are attracted to men.
Rainbow families
Rainbow families come in all shapes and sizes. They can have LGBTIQA+ people who are:
- parents or a sole parent
- soon-to-be parents
- co-parents
- carers.
A rainbow family may include donors and surrogates.
Rainbow family members may live in one or more homes. They can also be of diverse sex, gender, ability, race, culture and spirituality.
Children in rainbow families can come from:
- donor insemination (known or unknown donors)
- surrogacy (altruistic or commercial)
- foster care
- fostering to adoption
- adoption (domestic or international)
- opposite sex relationships
- co-parenting or other means.
Intersectionality
Intersectionality describes how a person’s attributes and circumstances combine to shape their life. This can include their privilege and experiences of discrimination or disadvantage.
Intersectionality helps us to better understand inequality. It highlights how different forms of inequality can combine and compound each other. This can include inequality related to sexuality, gender, age, class, or race.
Taking an intersectional approach to policy analysis means that government services better account for the specific and varied needs of the community. It supports more effective services that respond to interconnected and overlapping forms of discrimination and inequality for the whole community.
Take the example of employment discrimination experienced in the trans community. Traditional policy approaches would tend to make generalised observations about trans people. These observations often fail to account for the significant diversity within the community. An intersectional approach would look at differences in employment discrimination that are experienced by different kinds of trans people – such as trans people of colour, trans people with a disability, and trans people of different genders.
Taking an intersectional approach in Australia requires a recognition of the ongoing impacts of colonisation. Non-Aboriginal people have benefitted from the colonisation and dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait people, and Australia’s laws, policies, systems and structures have and continue to omit Aboriginal people, resulting in and entrenching systemic racism. Despite this, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities remain strong and resilient.
[1] Victorian Government, (i) Am Equal, 2023, https://www.health.vic.gov.au/publications/i-am-equal;
Intersex Human Rights Australia, https://ihra.org.au/
Updated