Media Reporting and Reference Guide on LGBT Issues

Abusive/offensive terms <strong>and</strong> phrases
Term Refers to Description/Analysis
“fag”, “faggot”, Gay/Bisexual/ Very common abusive <strong>and</strong> insulting terms – with a sexist
“homo”, “fairy”
Pansexual men
(but sometimes
to LGBT people in
general)
background - mainly used against gay/bisexual/
pansexual men.
“immoral”,
“sinners”,
“lustful”,
“salacious”
LGBT people
Terms referring to all LGBT people. There is
usually a religious background behind the use
of such terms. Although many representatives
of religions <strong>and</strong> religious people have used their
religious beliefs to support anti-LGBT opinions,
don’t forget that millions of LGBT people around
the world are religious themselves <strong>and</strong> that many
religions <strong>and</strong> doctrines <strong>and</strong> Churches, as well as
modern theologists, embrace LGBT people <strong>and</strong>
diversity. If you want to learn more about LGBT
people <strong>and</strong> their relationship with religion (<strong>and</strong>
vice versa), visit the topic “Religion & Faith” of
the Human Rights Campaign Foundation at www.
hrc.org/explore/topic/religion-faith
“deviant”,
“disordered”,
“dysfunctional”,
“diseased”,
“perverted”,
“destructive”.
“deceptive”,
“fooling”,
“pretending”,
“posing”, “trap”,
“masquerading”
LGBT people Such terms as “deviant,” “diseased” <strong>and</strong>
“disordered” are used to portray LGBT people as
less than human, mentally ill, or as a danger to
society. The notion that being LGBT is a mental
disorder has been discredited by scientific
research - learn more in section “11 + 1 most
common negative stereotypes, prejudices <strong>and</strong>
myths” (GLAAD 2016).
Trans people Gender identity is an integral part of a person’s
identity. Such descriptions are inaccurate, defamatory
<strong>and</strong> insulting (GLAAD 2016). Such descriptions
stem from the belief that a trans person’s gender
identity is not “true” or that trans people are
trying to “deceive” others (mostly used for trans
women, by cis-straight men). Such descriptions
are inaccurate, defamatory <strong>and</strong> insulting.
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