LGBT+ Resources

Binary Assumptive Language

Taken from: https://lgbt.umd.edu/good-practices-inclusive-language

These are examples of expressions that assume there are only two genders (a binary system of gender), expressions we recommend to avoid as a universal to refer to people generally — but they might be appropriate if referring to a specific person and you know how that person wants to be referred to.

  • Ladies and gentlemen
  • Boys and girls
  • Men and women of the faculty
  • Brothers and sisters
  • He or she
  • S/he
  • Sir/madam

Gender Inclusive Alternatives

These are alternatives to use instead of language assuming a gender binary. The exact language that should be used in a specific situation depends on context and judgement. (For example, in a formal situation, instead of saying “thank you, sir” to someone you don’t really know, you might simply say “thank you very much.”)

  • Esteemed guests
  • That person
  • Friends and colleagues
  • Students
  • Siblings
  • Everyone
  • The participant
  • Faculty members
  • Faculty of all genders

Outdated Terms to Avoid and Replacement Language

The following terms are generally outdated, and some of them might be offensive because they could imply criminalization or pathologization or they could simply be misnomers. The following are examples of better go-to language, though sometimes the terms replaced might still be appropriate in certain situations or contexts. Good judgement is always critical.

  • Instead of “transsexual,” please use “trans” or “transgender” to mean a broader umbrella category, if that’s what you mean.
  • Instead of “sex change” or “sex reassignment,” please use “gender affirmation” or “transition care” or “change of gender marker” to refer to medical transition or change of a marker on a document or in a database, depending on the context.
  • Instead of “biological man” or “biological woman,” please use “cisgender man” or “cisgender woman” or perhaps “non-transgender man” or “non-transgender woman.”
  • Instead of “feminine/female pronouns” or “masculine/male pronouns,” please use “she/her pronouns” or “he/him pronouns.”
  • Instead of “preferred gender pronouns,” please use “personal pronouns.”
  • Instead of “transvestite,” please use “cross dresser.”
  • Instead of “hermaphrodite,” please use “intersex.”
  • Instead of “homosexual,” please use “gay” or “lesbian.”
  • Instead of “lifestyle” or “preference,” please use “orientation” or “identity.”

    Source: https://lgbt.umd.edu/good-practices-inclusive-language

Services

Understanding Inclusive Language