Military History and the LGBTQ+ Community: Index of Terms/Language

The following list of terms and language may be helpful for students (and educators!) when reviewing and analyzing documents in the "Military History and the LGBTQ+ Community" Collection

LGBTQ+: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer; this initialism is used as an umbrella term to refer to

Lesbian: A homosexual woman; a woman who experiences attraction to other women

Gay: A homosexual man; a man who experiences attraction to other men

Bisexual: A person who experiences attraction to more than one gender

Transgender: A person whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth

Cisgender: A person whose gender identity aligns with their assigned sex at birth

Assigned sex at birth: The identification of a baby’s sex, usually by a medical professional before or at birth

Homosexuality: Attraction to people of the same gender

Heterosexuality: Attraction to people of a different gender

Queer: A term used to refer broadly to LGBTQ+ people or communities. This word was first used

Dyke: Originally a slur used to insult masculine-looking lesbians; reclaimed by the lesbian community in the 1970s as a positive way to identify women who felt sexually attracted to other women.

Homophile: An outdated word for homosexuality, popular in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s; gradually replaced by modern terms like “homosexual” and “gay” in the 1970s

Drag: A type of entertainment in which individuals perform masculinity or femininity; originally used to refer to men dressing in women’s clothes for theater performances.