LGBTIQ INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

DON’T ASSUME A PERSON IS HETEROSEXUAL.

Don’t assume that everyone is heterosexual (straight), or that this is the norm. Avoid using language such as ‘wife’ or ‘husband’ that assumes all relationships are heterosexual, as this excludes non-heterosexual people and devalues their relationships. Words and phrases such as ‘partner’, ‘parents’, ‘relationship’, ‘in a relationship’ are examples of LGBTIQ inclusive language.

GENDER, SEX AND SEXUALITY ARE ALL SEPARATE CONCEPTS.

Gender is part of how you understand who you are and how you interact with other people. Many people understand their gender as being female or male. Some people understand their gender as a combination of these or neither. Gender can be expressed in different ways, such as through behaviour or physical appearance. Sex refers to a person’s biological sex characteristics. This has historically been understood as either female or male. However, we now know that some people are born with natural variations to sex characteristics. Sexuality or sexual orientation describes a person’s romantic and/or sexual attraction to others. A person’s gender does not necessarily mean they have particular sex characteristics or a particular sexuality, or vice versa.

LGBTIQ TERMINOLOGY IS DIVERSE AND CONSTANTLY EVOLVING.

Language used to describe different LGBTIQ people and by different parts of LGBTIQ communities changes over time and can differ across cultures and generations. There will also be differences in how people individually use or define particular terms. You may also encounter outdated or even offensive terms in medical, psychological or legal contexts. For example, from June 2018 the World Health Organization (WHO) declassified being transgender as a mental illness. The term ‘gender dysphoria’ has been replaced with ‘gender incongruence’ and has been placed under the broader platform of sexual health. This guide gives general advice based on current thinking, however, it’s always best to ask someone how they describe themselves, and use these terms

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, SO KEEP TRYING.

No one will get the language right 100 percent of the time for 100 per cent of people. The important thing is to keep trying and if you make a mistake, quickly apologise and continue the conversation.