A helpful place to start in learning more about gender and sexuality is to become more familiar with terminology used to describe diverse identities. Many well intended individuals are often hesitant to engage in conversations with others around gender and sexuality out of fear that they may use a term incorrectly and inadvertently offend someone.
In this conversation we define terms related to sexual orientation including gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, heterosexual, asexual, and demisexual. We also define terms related to gender including sex, gender identity, gender expression, cisgender, nonbinary, genderfluid, and transgender.
Individuals can be an ally or advocate by supporting others as they come out through simple actions such as using their pronouns, asking sincere questions, and providing a safe space for individuals to share their experiences.
