Definitions

It’s helpful to have an understanding of the words to use and their meanings when talking about sex and sexuality.

|Sex | Whether a person feels they are male or female. | | Sexual identity | The cultural and social behaviours related to sex whether a person feels they are male or female. | | Sexual orientation | A person’s emotional and sexual feelings for members of the opposite sex, same sex, or both. | |Heterosexual | People who are emotionally and sexually attracted to the opposite sex. | | Homosexual | People who are emotionally and sexually attracted to the same sex. | | Homophobia | Fear or hatred of someone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. | | Gay | Usually refers to men being emotionally and sexually attracted to other men, but is also a term used for females who are same sex attracted. | | Lesbian | Women who are emotionally and sexually attracted to other women. | | Bisexual | Are emotionally and sexually attracted to both sexes. | | Transgender | A person who lives, has lived, or wants to live as a member of the opposite gender to their birth gender. | | Transvestite | Someone who wears the clothing of another gender, but typically does not want to change gender. | | STD | Sexually transmitted disease |