While some people in the trans community may reclaim this word, people should not use it to label another person or use it as a joke.

Transphobia, or cissexism, refers to the oppression and discrimination of those who identify as transgender. Learn more here.

Some other genders that fall under the transgender umbrella include non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid, no gender, or multiple genders.

Non binarylogo

Also known as lithsexual, these are people who can experience sexual attraction to others but may lose that feeling of attraction once they know that their feelings are reciprocated. In a sense, akoisexuality is the opposite of reciprosexuality.

Transgender and transsexual can refer to a person who has a different gender identity to the sex a doctor assigns them at birth. However, many people find the term transsexual outdated and offensive.

TranslogoCopy and paste

Aceflux people have a sexual orientation that fluctuates over time. They may fluctuate between asexual and sexual, much in the same way that genderfluid people may fluctuate between different genders or even identify as having no gender altogether.

Deliberately using the wrong pronouns, such as referring to a person as he or him when they know that the individual prefers to use they and them, is insulting and invalidates a person’s individual choices.

A 2015 review notes that, for decades, the term transsexual referred to people who had undergone medical procedures, such as gender-affirming surgery, to match their gender identity and physical appearances.

There is no one definitive way to experience asexuality. In fact, it is a spectrum rather than a singular identity. The asexuality spectrum – often referred to as acespec or a-spec – ranges from asexual to allosexual, the latter of which is defined as “people who experience sexual attraction”.

If you’re questioning your own sexuality or wondering if you might be asexual, we hope this article has provided some useful information for you!

Today, there is one flag that is widely accepted and used by the ace community. This ace flag was designed in 2010 by AVEN user “standup” after a month-long campaign to create a flag that accurately represents the ace community. The flag consists of four differently colored stripes, symbolizing the following:

Asking a person whether they have had gender-affirming surgery or what genitals or other sex characteristics they have is highly inappropriate.

Femalelogo

Reciprosexual people only experience sexual attraction to people who reciprocate their feelings. Until they know that someone is attracted to them, reciprosexual people will not develop an attraction to that person.

Cisgender is a gender identity wherein a person identifies with the sex that a doctor assigned at birth. Learn more about what it means to be…

Female symbol

According to the blog Asexual Agenda, the white part represents the “homosexual-to-heterosexual spectrum”, while the black part represents asexuality.

Also known as “graysexual” or “gray ace”, gray-asexual describes the gray area between asexual and allosexual. People who identify as gray ace may experience some degree of sexual attraction but may not feel comfortable fully identifying as allosexual.

Some people may refer to themselves as transgender as they identify with a gender that is neither male nor female, a mix of the two, or someone whose identity changes from male to female at different points.

Although medical professionals initially used the term to categorize people who had received medical or surgical intervention to match their bodies to their true gender identity, it has crept into everyday use to describe all trans people.

Some people may also change their pronouns. Common forms of pronouns include she, he, and they. However, some people may prefer different pronouns.

Asexual people are often misconstrued as celibate. However, celibate people voluntarily abstain from sex and usually do so for religious reasons. Asexual people, on the other hand, have an intrinsic lack of sexual attraction or desire for other people. This makes asexuality a sexual orientation much in the same way that being gay, lesbian, or bisexual is a sexual orientation.

Biphobia (monosexism) refers to stigma, prejudice, and discrimination toward those who are bisexual. Learn about how it can affect a person's health…

According to Asexual Visibility & Education Network (AVEN), asexual people are neither drawn to people sexually nor do they have a desire to act on their attraction to others sexually.

Demisexual people must form an emotional bond with someone before they can be sexually attracted to them. For some, attraction works in two stages: primary and secondary attraction.

Asexuality is a spectrum, and there are many different ways to experience it. The ace flag is designed to represent all of those experiences, and everyone who identifies with it should feel proud to wear it.

As asexuality is only now receiving attention from researchers, there are very few studies on it. Experts estimate that asexuals make up approximately 1% of the population.

Referring to a person as male because a doctor assigned them as male at birth even though that person does not identify as a male is an example of cissexism.

Many in the asexual community believe in the “split attraction model”, which states that sexual attraction and romantic attraction can be two completely different things. So, while an asexual person does not experience sexual attraction, they may or may not be able to experience romantic attraction and form romantic relationships with others. “Aromanticism” is the romantic equivalent of asexuality. It describes someone who does not experience or desire romantic feelings for others.

This article discusses the definitions and differences of these two terms and whether the term transsexual is offensive.

There are various other terms and phrases to avoid, as some words can hurt and offend people who are transgender. It is always best to ask a person which terms they prefer.

Trans flag

A 2015 review reinforces the view that many of the terms people use to describe people are now outdated and how their continued use increases the stigma and oppression experienced by people who are transgender.

Asking a person their real name or their name at birth is offensive because it insinuates that their identity is invalid.

The best way for a person to avoid using an offensive term is to ask themselves whether they would ask the same questions or use the same words to a person who is cisgender. Cisgender refers to those who identify with the sex a doctor assigned them at birth.

With that being said, not everyone experiences asexuality the same way. The asexual community is incredibly diverse. Different people have different levels of attraction and desire as well as different wants and needs in a relationship.

However, most medical professionals will use whichever term the individual prefers.Some people who do not identify as transsexual would not use this term, preferring the term transgender, which is more inclusive and affirming.

It is often better to avoid calling a person transsexual unless they prefer that term, as some people may find that term offensive.

Trans symbol Unicode

“Ace” is short for “asexual”, a type of sexual orientation that’s defined by the Human Rights Campaign as a “complete or partial lack of sexual attraction or lack of interest in sexual activity with others”. Here, we take a look at the history and meaning behind one of the most important symbols for the ace community: the ace pride flag.

Some people, including those in the medical and psychological fields, still prefer to use the term transsexual to refer to those who have had gender-affirming medical interventions, such as hormones and surgery.

Some may prefer people the term transgender. Others might prefer a different term, such as non-binary, genderfluid, male, or female.

Before the creation of the asexual flag that we know today, the most widely used symbol for asexuality was the AVEN Triangle – an upside-down triangle with a black and white gradient and bordered by the color purple.

The terms transgender and transsexual have their own definitions, and some people may prefer to use one term over the other.

Sex and gender are different. Sex is assigned at birth, while gender is how a person identifies. Gender encompasses a broad spectrum. Learn more here.

Lgbtqlogo

GLAAD have a directory of transgender resources, including frequently asked questions, tips for allies, and various resources and organizations that provide advice, help, and advocacy for people who are transgender.

Reader contributions help keep LGBTQ Nation free, so that queer people get the news they need, with stories that mainstream media often leaves out. Can you contribute today?

There are several terms that people should avoid when talking to a person who is transgender or when discussing them with other people. These words are often hurtful and can be transphobic.

For example, a person would not ask a cisgender person what genitals or secondary sex characteristics they have. It is an inappropriate question to ask both a person who is cisgender and a person who is transgender.

According to GLAAD, the main difference between the two is that, unlike transgender, the term transsexual is not an umbrella term.

Cissexism is a form of discrimination and exclusion where people believe that there are and should only be two genders — female and male. They may also believe that a person’s gender is inseparable from their sexual characteristics.

If a person lives outside the United States and wants more information on resources, The Trevor Project have an international resource list available on their website.

Although asexual people have been around for centuries, the concept of asexuality wasn’t explored until the late 1890s. One breakthrough for the asexual community was the inclusion of a “Category X” on the Kinsey Scale – which describes people with “no socio-sexual contacts or reactions” – in the 1940s.

Transportlogo

Some people may still use transsexual to refer to a person with a different gender identity to the sex a doctor assigned them at birth. However, the newer definition of transgender does not imply that a person has undergone gender-affirming medical procedures.

For example, transgender may refer to a person whom a doctor assigned as male at birth, but that person identifies as female, and vice versa.

Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms “male,” “female,” or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. Click here to learn more.

Your primary attraction to someone could be based on their smile, their laugh, their eyes, or your first impression of them. Meanwhile, secondary attraction is something that forms after you spend some time with that person and get to know them on a deeper level.

Gender stereotypes are generalised views about how people should behave or which characteristics they should have based on their gender. Read more…

The purple accent, which was used in the overall design of the AVEN website, was said to have been chosen by AVEN’s creator after taking inspiration from a legend surrounding purple amethyst. The legend claims that placing purple amethyst in wine can keep someone from getting drunk. This legend was used to stand as a loose metaphor for asexuals’ lack of sexual desire.

The LGBTQIA Resource Center state that if a person identifies as transgender, their gender identity differs from the traditional expectations of the sex that a doctor assigns someone at birth.

However, many people, including those who do not want or need to undergo these medical procedures, find the term transsexual offensive.