GenderGender Reference Guide

A never-complete, plain-language reference to sexual, romantic & gender identities. Here to help you understand, not to point you anywhere.

This guide covers definitions, flags, history and context for dozens of sexual orientations, romantic orientations and gender identities, plus the language, science and community context behind them. Nothing here is meant to steer you toward a label, only to help you understand the ones that already exist.

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A-to-Z Identity Index - browse every identity alphabetically, or filter by category.

Foundations

The core concepts and language behind orientation and gender identity.

Community, History & Context

Mental health, coming out, culture, law and the lived realities behind the labels.

Technical Reference

Flags, symbols and terminology in one place.

More identities in this guide

Every identity in the guide, beyond the ones in the menu, grouped by where it belongs.

Orientations

Who people are drawn to, and the words for it.

See all terms, A to Z

Gender identities

How people understand and describe their own gender.

See all terms, A to Z

Expression, performance & relationships

Presentation, performance, and the shapes relationships take.

Cultural & Indigenous identities

Terms rooted in specific cultures. Each page says whose they are.

Community & solidarity

Flags and communities built around shared experience rather than identity.

Commonly confused

Pairs of terms that get used interchangeably and should not be.