A Guide to Reviewing GLBTQ Books: Part I, Definining Terms

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Sex: Biology “The classification of people as male or female. At birth, infants are assigned a sex based on a combination of bodily characteristics including: chromosomes, hormones, internal reproductive organs, and genitals.” (Source)
Gender Identity: Mentality This is a person’s internal sense of being a man or woman (or something else).
Gender expression: Visually “External manifestation of one’s gender identity, usually expressed through “masculine,” “feminine” or gender variant behavior, clothing, haircut, voice or body characteristics.” (Source)
Sexual Orientation: “Describes an individual’s enduring physical, romantic, emotional and/or spiritual attraction to another person.” (Source) Therefore, a person who was assigned male at birth but identifies as a woman who is attracted to other women could identify as a lesbian (or bisexual or queer).

GLBTQQIA – The Alphabet Soup

• Gay
• Lesbian
• Bisexual
• Transgender
• Queer: “Preferred by those who are activists, by those who strongly reject traditional gender identities, by those who reject distinct sexual identities such as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and straight, and by those who see themselves as oppressed by the heteronormativity of the larger culture. In this usage it retains the historical connotation of “outside the bounds of normal society” and can be construed as “breaking the rules for sex and gender”. It can be preferred because of its ambiguity, which allows “queer”-identifying people to avoid the sometimes strict boundaries that surround other labels. In this context, “queer” is not a synonym for LGBT as it creates a space for “queer” heterosexuals as well as “non-queer” homosexuals.” (Source) [ETA: I will have a seperate post further explaining 'queer' because I have been asked about it the most.]
• Questioning
• Intersex
• Ally

Words to Avoid

• Transvestite: Outdated. Use cross-dresser.
• Transgendered (also transgenders, transgendereds): Transgender or trans should be used,  e.g. “She is a transgender woman” or “They are trans women” or “They identify as transgender.”
• Homosexual: Outdated. Use “gay men and lesbians” or “GLBTQ”

Note: If you are quoting from something or the author writes that the person identifies with one of the words I’ve listed as “to avoid,” you do not have to change it. I.e. If you were quoting from “Sweet Transvestite” from Rocky Horror Picture Show, you would not be expected to change “transvestite” to “cross-dresser.”

Have further questions regarding definitions (or anything else) that you’d rather ask anonymously? Ask me on Formspring.