Positive Space - Words Matter

Source: My personal notes from a positive space training program.

Best way to determine words for a person is ask them to give them dignity and respect.

Biological sex

Biology, makeup, hormones

• Often assigned at birth
• Males = XY chromosomes
• Females = XX chromosomes
• Intersex
  • Often assigned binary and surgeries performed later

Gender identity

How they wants to see and engage

• Feminine, androgynous, masculine, agender, non-binary
• Gender in social context
• What they identify with: boy, girl, man, woman, genderqueer (somewhere in between and subject to change or non-binary)
• Continuum of gender identity
• Pronouns - refers to person
  • Important for some to be recognized as their identity
    • If mistake is made, apologize and try again
  • Examples
    • He/him/his
    • She/her/hers
    • They/them/theirs
    • Ze/zir/zirs
  • Referring to person as “it”, “that” is offensive and harassment under Ontario’s Human Rights Code

Combination words

Cisgender - biological sex and gender identity match like male/man and female/women, not transgender

Transgender - sex and gender identity differ like male/girl, female/man; (trans = across)

Sexual orientation

What they desire and who they want to desire them

Mostly, refers to gender you are attracted to

• Straight : opposite gender attraction
• Gay : same gender attraction, usually applied to men
• Lesbian : same gender attraction, applied to women
• Bisexual : multiple gender attraction
• Pansexual : attracted to personality or spirit
• Asexual : no sexual attraction
• Queer : non-straight attractions

LGBTIQQ2SA acronym

Combines gender identity and sexual orientation

• Intersex
• Questioning
• Allies

Gender Expression

All ways we present ourselves to people, social interactions, clothing, speech

• Masculine
• Feminine
• Androgynous