terminos_english

Developed Terminology
GENDER
IDENTITY
GENDER
EXPRESSION
SEXUAL
ORIENTATION
ASSIGNED
SEX

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Developed terminology
1
Cisgender people
-
Those whose gender identity coincides with their biological sex.
2
Intersex people:
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Intersex is the condition of a person who simultaneously shows both male and female sexual characteristics in
different levels or a lack of definition of the genitals, making it impossible to define them according to the dichotomous
classifications. The person may have a vaginal opening that may be partially joined or fits into the vaginal
fornix to an erectile organ (penis or clitoris) that can be more or less developed and testicles, which tend to be
internal.
3
Transgender people*:
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Those whose gender identity is different from their assigned sex. Usually, trans people begin their transition process
in order to make their body be in line with the sex they feel they are. It was not until recently that talking about
transsexual and transgender children was taboo, but this has become a reality in the present. Trans people don’t
become trans in their adulthood, as, in many cases, it can start when they are a child. It is essential to respect their
gender expression and identity from a very young age to guarantee their physical and mental health.
4
Biological sex:
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A combination of sexed elements in the body, which is mainly defined upon birth by the chromosomal sex: XX in
the case of females and XY in the case of males. The biological sex can also be identified through the primary
sexual characteristics (penis/vulva, testicles/ovaries) or the secondary characteristics during puberty (voice
change, growing breasts, menstruation, etc.)
5
Asigned Sex:
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The sex that is established on a newborn by identifying its external genitals, considering that if you are born with
a vulva you are a girl and with a penis you are a boy.

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Developed terminology
6
Sexual Orientation:
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The American Psychological Association (APA) defines it as a romantic, sexual and/or lasting emotional attraction
towards others. It becomes noticeable during puberty/adolescence, which is a much later age compared
to gender identity. It does not necessarily have to be linked to either gender identity or gender roles.
7
Gender Identity:
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The perception an individual may have on him/herself regarding if they feel like a man, a woman or a combination
of both or none. In other words, granting oneself with a sex and an identity. The gender identity can coincide
or not with the sex assigned at birth. Although most people develop a gender identity that coincides with their
biological sex, for some it is different from their biological or assigned sex. Many writers have shown that children
are able to identify their physiological differences with other genders as early as when they are two years old,
and when they are three year old any child knows how to differentiate their gender from others. Such identity, as a
young child, is built based on the comparison of their individual characteristics with cultural rules or stereotypes
associated to a specific gender within their society.
8
Gender Expression / Gender Roles:
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A set of social and behavior standards that society establishes as appropriate or inappropriate according to the
gender each person has related to a conventional gender system. In other words, an attitude, behavior or game
that we believe to be “for boys or for girls” according to our upbringing. For example, it is believed that a female
gender role plays with dolls or that a male gender role is physically strong.
9
Gender Diversity:
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This includes the wide range of identities and experiences of a gender, including those that follow traditional stereotypes
and those that lay far from them or are not attached at all. The term is considered to be more inclusive
in regards to other expressions for the same definition.

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Developed terminology
10
Niños con una expresión de género diverso:
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Children whose gender expression and role fail to meet society’s traditional gender expectations. In other words,
children who to do not follow the traditional gender behaviors believed to be masculine or feminine. Having a
diverse gender expression does not necessarily imply that the child is homosexual, bisexual or transsexual, as it
only states that their roles do not adjust to the standard patterns.
11
Trans* (T*) children and teenagers:
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Children who maintain a persistent and firm feeling or belief that they do not belong to the sex they have been
assigned and that they should have the other sex. It is likely for a child with diverse gender expression to feel discomfort
and upset with their genitals, to prefer clothing, toys and games associated to the sex they feel identified
with and to prefer playing with other children of the opposite sex. Some also show deep unhappiness with their
biological sex, even from a very young age. It is important to highlight that such description could vary from one
age to another regarding its strength or agitation.
12
Homofobia
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A behavior of rejection and dislike towards homosexuality and homosexuals. Nonetheless, the terms is also used
in its general sense to talk about an attitude towards lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals (LGBTphobia), which
would be incorrect as it makes the diversity within the LGBT group invisible. Should we be making reference to
the rejection and dislike towards lesbian women, the correct term would be lesbophobia, biphobia when talking
about bisexuals, or transphobia when talking about transsexuals.
It’s important to understand that LGBTphobia is based on the stigma associated to those who belong to this
group and the social preconceptions attached. Many writers have confirmed that the more visible it is that a
person belongs to a stigmatized community, the more discrimination they will feel. That is to say, the more obvious
it is that you are LGBT, the higher the risk of feeling excluded.
Gays, lesbians and bisexuals can choose, whether it be harder or easier, to make their sexual orientation obvious
or not, while a transsexual is physical proof of their transition process. This visibility that they have not chosen and
often times faced by transsexuals leads to believe that such a community suffers most discrimination in Europe,
beyond that suffered by Romanian Gypsies, who used to be first on the list.
This proves that, presently, transphobia is considered to be one of the main problems that our society must deal
with in order to achieve a fair and equal society for everyone.

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Developed terminology
13
LGBTIQ:
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Acronym that includes: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, intersex and questioning individuals.
14
Gender Dysphoria:
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The DSM V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) defines gender dysphoria as the inconsistency
between the felt gender and the assigned gender. The term gender dysphoria had been used in the past as
a synonym for transsexualism, but in the present day it would be incorrect as it is a pathological term. Dysphoria
is the opposite of euphoria, meaning disgust, misalignment or discomfort. Gender dysphoria is, therefore, related
to the discomfort and psychological consequences caused by living in a body different from its gender identity
or the social difficulties that can be caused by social transphobia. Not all transsexual children suffer from gender
dysphoria, as it may not present itself depending on the environment they have created or the relationship they
have with their body.
15
Transition Process:
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The transition process is known as the process that some transsexuals wish to endure in order to match their gender
expression with their gender identity. Said process must begin whenever each individual person believes they
must do so and when they are ready to take that step.
Those who do the transition usually begin by expressing their preferred gender in situations where they feel safe
to do so. Generally, there are many gradual changes before they live fully as members of the preferred gender
community. There is no “right” or “full” way of doing a transition from one gender to the other. There are some common
social changes experimented by transsexuals that can include one or more of the following: adopting the
physical appearance of the desired gender by means of changing the way they dress, adopting a new name,
changing the designated sex on personal ID documents (if possible), applying hormone treatment or undergoing
medical procedures that change physical characteristics corresponding to the gender identity.
Luckily, our present society has learnt more about transsexualism and such processes take place at an earlier
stage. A few years ago, to talk about trans identities in children was taboo, but nowadays many boys and girls can
start their transition process to their true gender identities at an earlier stage.
A single pattern cannot be defined during such transition as each individual does it in their own time when they
feel ready and up to the point they wish.

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Developed terminology
16
Transsexual Man:
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Those who were assigned a female gender when they were born but identify with a male gender. They are also
known with the acronym F+M.
17
Transsexual Woman:
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Those who were assigned a male gender when they were born but identify with a female gender. They are also
known with the acronym M+F.
18
Hormone Inhibitors / Puberty Blockers:
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A drug treatment which aims at stopping the development of secondary sexual characteristics during puberty
and adolescence. It is not an irreversible treatment as it continues the normal pubertal development when you
stop taking the treatment. This treatment is given to trans (*) children to avoid their bodies from developing characteristics
that differ from their gender identity.
19
Hormone Treatment:
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The treatment transsexuals undergo in order to make their bodies develop secondary sexual characteristics corresponding
to their sexual identity.
20
Masculinization of the chest:
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The surgical technique by which the glandular breast tissue is removed. The surgery aims to make the chest flat
and symmetric, giving it an anatomic and masculine appearance.

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Developed terminology
21
Hysterectomy and Adnexectomy:
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The surgical technique by which the womb and the ovaries are removed. This intervention aims to avoid the effect
feminine hormones have on ovaries, as well as any possible disorder that may take place in the internal feminine
genitals, which seem to be strengthened when taking masculine hormones. It is the previous step to the sex
reassignment (SRS).
22
Sex Reassignment Surgery
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The objective of this surgery is to adapt the external genitals of transsexuals to their gender identity.
23
Queer:
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A term used by some who identify their gender outside the gender binary of “man” and “woman”. They may
define their gender within a scale between man and woman or define it as something completely different from
these terms. They may also wish to be named or called upon with neutral pronouns that are neither masculine
nor feminine, such as “it” instead of “him” or “her”. Some queer-gender people don’t identify themselves as transgender
or transsexual.