LGBTQIA+ Communities and History

***PARTIAL DRAFT: IN DEVELOPMENT***

Term	Contextual note	Time/Region	References
ace	See "asexual"	2000s-
aerach	Irish term with neutral connotations. “Airy” meaning gay.	Ireland	Mosca de Colores – Gay Dictionary
A.F.A.B. and A.M.A.B. (sometimes C.A.F.A.B. and C.A.M.A.B.)	Acronyms meaning "assigned female at birth" or "assigned male at birth." When the "C" is added, it stands for "coercively," although this is used less widely. When it’s necessary to refer to the birth-assigned sex of a trans person, this is the best way to do it. However, always ask yourself whether it is necessary to refer to this at all. Often simply referring to their gender (for example "trans man" or "genderfluid person") is all the information needed to make them visible in descriptions. See also "assigned gender at birth"	2000s-	GenderMinorities.com – Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them
agender	One who feels neutral in their gender or who rejects the influence of gender on their person. Sometimes the term ‘nongendered’ is used similarly.	2000s-	GenderMinorities.com – Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them
neutrois
genderfree	Identifying as neutrois or agender is neither indicative of one’s anatomy, birth assignment, nor pronoun use. They can be used in conjunction with another gender signifier, for example neutrois woman.
AIDS	See "HIV."
allosexual	Term describes someone who regularly experiences sexual attraction to others. Opposite of "asexual." Not generally used to describe sexual identity - instead, this is a respectful term to use when distinguishing between asexual and non-asexual people.	2000s-	"LGBT+ Terminology," National Museums Liverpool [1]
allosexuality
non-asexual
androgyne	Contested terminology for a person appearing and/or identifying as neither male nor female, presenting a gender which is either mixed or neutral. Originally a scientific term used for effeminate homosexual men in the early 20th century. Later deployed to describe a gender presentation popular in the 80s onwards. More recently reclaimed as a gender identity and gender presentation. Only use this term if it is the person’s own self identification.	1900-	V&A - LGBTQ Terminology
androgyny			Mosca de Colores – Gay Dictionary
androgynus			Norena Shopland, A Practical Guide to searching LGBTQIA historical records (Routledge 2021)
androgynous			GenderMinorities.com – Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them
androsexual	Terms for people who feel sexual attraction towards males, largely outdated now. Only use if individual self-describes this way, or in quotations to indicate if present in material.	1890s-	Norena Shopland, A Practical Guide to searching LGBTQIA historical records (Routledge 2021)
androphile	“Androphic” or “androphilic” are expressions of Greek origin meaning “attracted by the male”. Androphile appears at the end of the 19th century, and it was coined by the German sexologist and homosexual rights defender, Magnus Hirschfeld, within a typological classification of male homosexuality based on the age of the object of sexual attraction.		Mosca de Colores – Gay Dictionary
androfile
androgamie
aromantic	Aromantic people typically do not experience romantic attraction towards other people. Often shortened to "aro."	2000s-	Erica Mulder, AcesAndAros, "Aromanticism 101" [2]
aro
aromanticism
aro-spec	Should not be confused with asexual, though the identity is sometimes folded into the "ace spectrum." See "asexual." Other members of the aro community prefer to use the term "aro spectrum" or "aro-spec."
asexual	An asexual person typically experiences low or no sexual attraction towards other people. - the “A” in “LGBTQIA+.” Historically, occasionally used to describe a person with no genitals, see “intersex.” Originated from scientific classifications of flora and fauna, though descriptions should differentiate material about the asexual identity from scientific material about asexual reproduction in flora and fauna.	UK, USA	Mosca de Colores – Gay Dictionary
asexuality	Generally, only use these terms if an individual self-describes in this way. Asexual is an identity/orientation, rather than a behaviour or embodied characteristic. Should therefore not be conflated with celibacy or infertility.		"Asexuality 101," Asexual Outreach [3]
nonsexual	Be cautious also of replicating descriptions or materials that use "asexual" as an insult to mean immature or socially awkward.
non-sexual
ace	Contemporary communities often self-describe as "ace" or "ace-spectrum/ace-spec."
ace spectrum	"Demisexual" and "greysexual" are examples of terms that are often considered within the ace spectrum, and are used by people who only experience sexual attraction towards others sometimes, or in certain circumstances.
demisexual
greysexual	See also "aromantic" and "allosexual."
assigned gender at birth	The sex (male or female) assigned to a child at birth, most often based on the child’s external anatomy. Often but not always used synonymously with “sex assigned at birth." Also used in reference to the gendered roles and expectations associated with said gender marker. Also referred to as birth sex, natal sex, biological sex or sex, but these are terms contested within LGBTQ+ communities, and should be used with caution. See also "A.F.A.B. and A.M.A.B."	2000s-	John Hopkins Medicine – Glossary of transgender terms
designated gender at birth			Homosaurus [4]
aunt	Term used to refer to middle-aged or elderly gay men. Some suggest that Aunt(ie) was initially slang of “madam”, or old prostitute who ran a brothel, producing, as in many cases, a semantic transition from prostitute to homosexual man.	Unknown origin, probably nineteenth century	Mosca de Colores – Gay Dictionary
aunty	Reclaimed in the context of queer families, see "found family," but remains contested vocabulary.
auntie	"Auntie" is also used as a term of respect for older women in many African countries, such as Nigeria and Ghana, and in some Black British communities. LGBTQ+ and Black usages of these terms sometimes overlaps in queer Black British communities.
aunt fancy	Terms such as "aunt" are sometimes deeply-felt parts of gay (and Black) community language and even individual's identities. May be cautiously deployed to make visible that someone self-describes in this way, and consider using quotation marks to indicate that this is a self-description. Any version that includes a euphemistic name after "aunt" (such as "fancy") should be avoided as these are historical slurs.		Imani Perry, "What Black Women Hear When They're Called “Auntie,” The Atlantic [5]
aunt Mame
aunt Mathilda
bachelor	Sometimes used as euphemisms for "homosexual" in the 20th century, especially in obituaries.	1900-, male homosexuality	Mosca de Colores – Gay Dictionary
confirmed bachelor	Treat with caution, as these only sometimes indicate that the subject self-described as gay or homosexual, but they can be a good indicator to check for corroborating evidence.		"confirmed bachelor," Cambridge Dictionary [6]
"He never married."			Rose Wild, The Times - [7]
back gammon player	18th century local vernacular term for a “sodomite.” Rarely used in print, but may appear in handwritten or ephemeral material.	ca. 1700–1800	Norena Shopland, A Practical Guide to searching LGBTQIA historical records (Routledge 2021)
back-gammon player			Grose, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (London, 1785)
bisexual	A bisexual person is attracted to more than one gender. Commonly shortened to "bi."		V&A - LGBTQ Terminology
bisexuality	Traditionally, "bisexual" has meant being attracted to men and women, but in the 21st century, this has been deliberately expanded by many to explicitly include trans people and nonbinary people. See also "pansexual."
bi	During the 19th century, sometimes used to indicate plants with binary genders, as opposed to self-fertilising (such as holly, pears)
ambisexual
bugger	"Originally: the act of anal intercourse between two men or between a man and a woman, or of sexual intercourse between a person and an animal, regarded as illicit or illegal. Now also: anal intercourse."	UK, USA, 1530s-	Oxford English Dictionary, "buggery."
buggery	Earliest uses in UK denote "heretic." Originates as a sexual term in the UK with the Buggery Act of 1533. This outlawed "unnatural" intercourse, which included bestiality, sexual abuse of children, and consensual anal sex between a homosexual or heterosexual couple.		TNA - How to look for sexuality and gender identity history
	Homosexual buggery was prosecuted much more frequently that heterosexual buggery or bestiality. Buggery was redefined in the 1861 Unnatural Offences act. The Buggery law was repealed in the UK in 1967, but still exists in some countries that were formally colonized by Britain.		Norena Shopland, A Practical Guide to searching LGBTQIA historical records (Routledge, 2021)
	In recent centuries, esp the 20th century, "buggery" and "bugger" have taken on archaic connotations, and are used as mild swear-words, esp in the UK. Considered offensive if referring to contemporary LGBTQ+ people are activities.
	Use caution when describing historic materials that use the term "bugger/y" as LGBTQ+, as it may be denoting one of its alternative hsitoric meanings.
	Use caution when describing more recent materials that use "bugger/y," as the term may also be used as an insult, or to obscure and tacitly excuse abusive behaviours, such as rape or child abuse. These instances should not generally be conceptually associated with LGBTQ+ material.
butch	A masculine person of any gender. This term is sometimes used in mlm communities, but more commonly in lesbian and transmasculine communities. Contested terminology: "butch" has been reclaimed by some communities, but continues to be used as a slur as well.	UK, USA, 20th century-	Homosaurus
	In the 20th century, "butch" was used to differentiate between masculine-presenting lesbians and feminine-presenting ("femme")lesbians, and couple were often expected to conform to a stereotypical butch/femme combination by mainstream heteronormative culture. This has been repeatedly challenged by wlw communities.		V&A - LGBTQ Terminology
	Still used within queer communities to self-describe gender presentations and sometimes identities. Can be an adjective (I'm a butch woman), a verb (she went home to butch up), or a noun (they identify as a butch). See also "femme" and "masc."		GenderMinorities.com – Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them
	Should only be used if someone self-describes in this way, and consider indicating this reason by enclosing in quotation marks.
camp	Contested terminology, open to a wide variety of LGBTQIA+ interpretations. Two prominent uses of the term are:	Europe, USA, 1900s-	V&A - LGBTQ Terminology
campy	1) "Mannerisms, speech, etc., in a man that are regarded as flamboyant, arch, or theatrical, esp. in a way often characterized as feminine or unmasculine, and stereotypically associated with some gay men."		Oxford English Dictionary, "camp."
	2) "Art, performance, literature, etc., which is exaggerated, affected, or over the top in style or execution, esp. in a knowing or playful way, or which is not restrained by traditional or prevailing ideas of good taste or decorum, or current fashion."
	Susan Sontag famously stated that "camp sees everything in quotation marks," but also that "camp taste is a kind of love, love for human nature." She specifically linked camp with gay communities as "the vanguard" of camp taste, but argued that it went beyond this as well.		Susan Sontag, "Notes on 'Camp'" (1964) [8]
	The term probably comes from the French expression “se camper” which means posing (in front of someone) in an exaggerated way.
	Artists and writers may use this term to classify their own work, which can be replicated in description. It is often advisory to use quotation marks to indicate that the creator's own language is being replicated, though this may not always be appropriate, particularly if the users of a particular repository or collection are likely to be familiar with the term as an artistic sensibility.
	Though some queer communities have reclaimed the term "camp" to self-describe personal presentation, the term is considered outdated or even offensive if applied by others. "Camp" should generally never be used to describe individuals.
catamite	A term borrowed from classical culture, during the Renaissance and later, indicating a boy or young man "kept" by an older gay man for sexual activity.	Europe, 16th century-	Norena Shopland, A Practical Guide to searching LGBTQIA historical records (Routledge 2021)
	Be cautious of 20th or 21st century materials that use this term, as it may be obscuring and tacitly excusing abusive behaviours.		Oxford English Dictionary, "catamite."
Ganymede	If necessary to include in description, include broader inclusive terms alongside.
character defect	A euphemism sometimes deployed to obliquely refer to non-normative sexualities, often to sneak coded references past media censors. Useful indicator of covert LGBTQ+ material or subtext - consider adding clarifying terminology to description of material that uses this phrase to aid discoverability as an LGBTQ+ source, if appropriate.	UK, USA, 20th century-	TNA - How to look for sexuality and gender identity history
cis	Prefix or adjective that means not trans. Cisgender people identify more or less with the gender assigned to them at birth. The word is derived from the Latin root “cis” meaning “on this side.”	2000s-	GenderMinorities.com – Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them
cisgender	Cis is not an insult, but a neutral descriptor – much like heterosexual is to homosexual. Also similarly to "heterosexual," there has been some pushback against this term in culturally conservative communities. However, "cis" and "cisgender" are not slurs in the regular sense (a pejorative word applied to a marginalised or minority group).		John Hopkins Medicine – Glossary of transgender terms
	"Cis" and "cisgender" are the best words to use if it is necessary to differentiate between people who are trans and people who are not.
cishet	Cishet is a contraction of cisgender and heterosexual, and means literally that a person is both. However, it also has a connotation of being cissexist and/or heteronormative, and is often used to point out when someone is making cissexist or heteronormative assumptions – “typical cishet”.	2000s-	GenderMinorities.com – Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them
cisheteronormative	In description, the contraction should be avoided, as it is colloquial and not neutral. Use the full terms "cisgender" and "heterosexual" when describing an individual, or "cisheteronormativity" when describing material that addresses this kind of social bias.
cissexism	Bias in favor of cis people over trans people, or beliefs that cis people are inherently superior to trans, more real, more natural, etc. This often refers to systems which advantage cis people over trans people, such as unconscious or institutional bias, rather than transphobic individuals.		GenderMinorities.com – Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them
cissupremacy
cross-dress	A person who wears the clothes that are typically associated with a different gender.		TNA - How to look for sexuality and gender identity history
cross-dresser	Though some people in LGBTQ+ communities still use this term, it is generally considered outdated when describing recent history or people still-living, unless they self-describe in this way. Instead, use modern terms such as "Drag," "transgender," or "masculine-presenting," as appropriate.
(crossdress)	This can be a useful term when describing historical (pre-twentieth-century) practices, but caution is still advised. It is generally better to describe behaviours, rather than identities, eg "a person who cross-dressed" rather than "a cross-desser," as this avoids making assumptions about the ways in which someone understood themself.		Norena Shopland, A Practical Guide to searching LGBTQIA historical records (Routledge, 2021)
(cross dress)	"Cross-dressing" should also be avoided if the person described was living as another gender in other ways as well, not just wearing differently-gendered clothes. See "cross-living."
cross-living	This is a useful term for describing historical practices, when someone lived as a gender different from their birth-assigned gender. "Cross-living" may include cross-dressing, adopting different pronouns, working in a trade only available to another sex, and living under an assumed name. Identity labels such as "trans" were not available to people before the 20th-century, so it is often a good idea to describe behaviours, rather than identities, to avoid anachronism or misattributing motivations to people.		Norena Shopland, A Practical Guide to searching LGBTQIA historical records (Routledge, 2021)
(cross living)	That said, it can be a good idea to accompany these kinds of material with more generic LGBTQ+ descriptive tags as well, in order to make these materials discoverable by users interested in queer history, and to avoid perpetuating archival silences.		TNA - How to look for sexuality and gender identity history
	If a historical figure may be described as "cross-living," it is often advisable to use "they/them" pronouns for them, unless there is solid evidence that the person only cross-lived for reasons other than internal sense of self, enjoyment etc. For example, there are 18th-century materials that describe women cross-dressing and taking on a male persona in order to follow their lover into the army, a persona which they completely renounced following their return and marriage (though sometimes this was done under coercion, threat of prosecution etc). Be cautious, however, of previous archival description and remediation that in the past has sought to erase trans and gender-nonconforming people from history. Likewise, if there is solid evidence that the person self-described as their adopted gender, use the pronouns that they adopted. If in doubt, use the conveniently gender-neutral "they/them."		Jen Manion, Female Husbands: A Trans History (Cambridge UP, 2020)
woman in male attire	When describing historical gender, be cautious of describing people as "male" and "female," as this refers to bodies, and we rarely have evidence of historical figures' bodies. "Man" and "woman" is often be better, as this acknowledges the social role that they inhabited.
female in disguise	Terms such as "disguised" and "pretending" can be euphemisms for people cross-living in historical sources, and can also be found in past descriptive practices that chose to silence the presence of trans/gender-conforming people. Being aware of these terms can be helpful for identifying gender-nonforming people in archival material, though they are not always used in this way, so use caution.
disguised as a man	If the material deploying euphemistic terms does likely refer to an LGBTQ+ person, then this should be made clear in accompanying description. Do not perpetuate the erasure by repeating these euphemistic phrases, unless in quotation marks.
pretending to be a man	Never use these terms for people that self-described in another way.
debauchery	"Vicious indulgence in sensual pleasures." “Excessive indulgence in sex, alcohol, or drugs often considered immoral." A term with multiple meanings and connotations in different communities. Sometimes embraced by queer communities.	UK	Oxford English Dictionary.
debauching	Historically: pejorative and morally censorious. Sometimes used to indicate homosexual activity, though it is important to remember that homosexual activities were not necessarily rigidly distinguished from non-procreative heterosexual activities prior to the 19th century, and therefore this kind of activity may all be considered "queer" in the sense that it diverges from heteronormative, procreative behaviour. See also "fornication."		Norena Shopland, A Practical Guide to searching LGBTQIA historical records (Routledge 2021)
degenerate	Terms sometimes used by 19th-century sexologists to describe homosexual activities. See "sexology."	Late-19th/early-20th century, UK, USA	Bauer, English Literary Sexology (Palgrave: 2009)
degeneracy	"Degeneracy" in particular was most often used by those who proscribed to moral Darwinism and eugenics. These heteronormative, white supremacist logics linked homosexual activities with BIPOC communities, both of which were considered lower on the evolutionary scale.
depraved	These terms do not always refer to homosexuality, but if someone is described in late-19th/early-20th-century material as "a sexual degenerate" or "sexually depraved," then it is likely they are referring to someone's sexual orientation and this should be checked and re-phrased in description using terms like "homosexual," "queer," or "LGBTQ+," as appropriate.
depravity	Non-reclaimed terms, offensive.
deviant	"Deviant" shares some history with "degenerate" and "depraved," in that was applied to homosexual and gender-nonconforming people and practices within medical/psychiatric contexts drawing on 19th-century sexology. It assumes a cisheteronormative position, implying that queer people "deviate" from a cisgender heterosexual norm, and should therefore be avoided, and for this reason it should not be added to description of materials that do not use the word.
deviance	However, this term carries fewer pejorative connotations than "degenerate," and it has been partially reclaimed by some queer communities as a term of active resistance against heteronormativity, in a similar way to "punk."
dishonourable discharge	Dismissal from the military, often associated with dismissal for homosexuality. It was only recently made legal to be openly gay in the US army, after the repeal of "Don't ask, Don't tell."	USA, male homosexuality	Mosca de Colores – Gay Dictionary
dishonorable discharge	During WWII, to cut costs and save time, the US military began issuing ‘blue’ discharge or ‘blue tickets’. Named after the paper they were printed on, these were given to soldiers who had “undesirable habits and traits of character.” A broad definition used against women, African Americans, and LGBTQ servicemen, though African Americans were the group hit hardest by these.		National Park Service [9]
Blue discharge	This was a highly discriminatory practice, as there was no way to appeal, and the discharges were public knowledge, making it hard for veterans to get civil jobs. People with blue tickets also could not access veteran benefits.
Blue ticket	It may be advidable to use quotation marks with these terms in descriptions, as "dishonourable" is pejorative.
disorderly house	Euphemistic term used in the 18th and 19th centuries to indicate a variety of spaces, including coffee houses, small music halls and theatres, gambling venues, brothels, or any combination of these. Sometimes euphemistically deployed to refer to spaces where queer people gathered, including spaces for cross-dressing, homosexual activity, and other types of non-procreative behaviours. Esp likely to refer to queer people if no other clarifying information given, as eg "gambling" was more respectable to be spoken about than gay sex.	18th- and 19th-century, UK	TNA - How to look for sexuality and gender identity history
	This language can be preserved as it is largely inoffensive, open to interpretation, and historically accurate - but consider also using "LGBTQ+" or "queer" keywords if relevant to aid discoverability.		Oxford English Dictionary
drag	Drag queens and drag kings are (usually cross-dressing) performers who take on stylised, exaggerated gender presentation for entertainment purposes. Should not generally be confused with trans people, though some trans people do also do drag. To "drag" someone or something in this context is to mock (either fondly or satirically) someone through exaggerated mimickry or parody. See also "camp."	18th century-	Mosca de Colores – Gay Dictionary
drag queen	It is generally considered polite to use "she/her" for a drag queen whilst in drag and "he/him" when out of drag, and vice versa for a drag king. However, this will not always be the case, as people of all genders do drag. Always follow a person's self-description, and use "they/them" if there is no other evidence available.		GenderMinorities.com – Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them
drag king	There are various local traditions and types of drag, and it is sometimes used to describe exaggerated or parodic costumes that play with gender in different roles, eg military drag or clerical drag.
queen	Historically, before the term ”transsexual” was coined, the term drag queen or simply “Queen” referred to trans women. Some older generation trans women still prefer the term Queen, especially in America and the Pacific Islands. However, others may see this as an insult. Use with caution, and always follow the trans person’s lead.		Oxford English Dictionary
HIV	A disease of the immune system characterised by increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections caused by a retrovirus (Human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]) and transmitted chiefly through blood.	1970s-, USA, Europe	V&A - LGBTQ Terminology
HIV/AIDS	AIDS cannot be caught or transmitted; only HIV can be transmitted. A person lives with HIV once infected with the virus, or progresses to having an AIDS diagnosis. Therefore, refer in description to HIV and HIV-positive people, unless you need to distinguish that material excludes people whose HIV has not progressed to AIDS, in which case use "HIV/AIDS," or "people living with HIV and AIDS."		Indiana University Libraries – Library of Congress Subject Headings for LGBTQI Topics
gay plague	Avoid terms that imply HIV is only present in gay communities.		Center for Disease Control, "A Guide to Talking About HIV." [10]
gay cancer
Gay Related Immune Deficiency Syndrome (GRIDS)
person with HIV	See also guidance in Section 2: Disability and Mental Health History, regarding terms such as "victim," "patient," and "carrier."
person living with HIV and AIDS
HIV-positive person
psychical hermaphroditism	A late 19th-century sexologists' term, indicating someone who is born homosexual, which "they attempt to overcome." Coined by Ulrichs, in opposition to "acquired inversion." See "homosexual" and "sexology."	Europe, 1880s-	John Addington Symonds, A Problem in Modern Ethics, Being an Inquiry into the Phenomenon of Sexual Inversion (London: 1896).
uranodioninge	A late 19th-century sexologists' term for bisexual, in the sense of someone attactred to multiple genders. Coined by Ulrichs in his medico-legal texts. See "bisexual" and "sexology."	Europe, 1880s-	John Addington Symonds, A Problem in Modern Ethics, Being an Inquiry into the Phenomenon of Sexual Inversion (London: 1896).
Urning	A late 19th-century sexologists' term for homosexual. First letter usually capitalised as it was coined as a German noun by Ulrichs. See "homosexual" and "sexology."	Europe, 1880s-	John Addington Symonds, A Problem in Modern Ethics, Being an Inquiry into the Phenomenon of Sexual Inversion (London: 1896).