Writing about gender, sex and sexual orientation
This section of the style guide is meant to help writers respectfully and accurately cover subjects related to gender, sex and sexual orientation. These topics won’t always be relevant in an article, but when they are, it’s important to write about them with care.
General terms#
First, learn more about the terms gender, sex and sexual orientation and how to use them:
gender#
Merriam-Webster defines gender as “the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex.” The GLAAD Media Reference Guide - Transgender glossary says: “Most people have a gender identity of man or woman (or boy or girl). For some people, their gender identity does not fit neatly into one of those two choices.”
There are different aspects to gender, such as gender identity and gender expression. The GLAAD glossary defines gender identity as “[a] person's internal, deeply held sense of their gender” and gender expression as “[e]xternal manifestations of gender, expressed through a person's name, pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, and/or body characteristics.”
The AP Stylebook clarifies that “[g]ender is not synonymous with sex. Gender refers to a person’s social identity, while sex refers to biological characteristics.” The organization Gender Spectrum notes on its webpage “Understanding Gender” that gender is also distinct from sexual orientation: “Gender is personal (how we see ourselves), while sexual orientation is interpersonal (who we are physically, emotionally and/or romantically attracted to).”
AP notes that because “[n]ot all people fall under one of two categories for sex or gender, according to leading medical organizations,” writers should “avoid references to both, either or opposite sexes or genders as a way to encompass all people.” (see: agender, bigender, genderfluid, nonbinary)
The Trans Journalists Association style guide suggests using the inclusive umbrella term marginalized genders to refer to the group made up of women, non-binary and trans people.
The Trans Journalists Association style guide notes that there are terms and concepts related to gender that are specific to certain communities. For example, some Native American communities may use the term two-spirit. As Indian Health Services explains: “Traditionally, Native American two-spirit people were male, female, and sometimes intersexed individuals [referring to sex] who combined activities of both men and women with traits unique to their status as two-spirit people [referring to gender]. In most tribes, they were considered neither men nor women; they occupied a distinct, alternative gender status.”
In addition: “Most Indigenous communities have specific terms in their own languages for the gender-variant members of their communities and the social and spiritual roles these individuals fulfill; with over 500 surviving Native American cultures, attitudes about sex and gender can be very diverse. Even with the modern adoption of pan-Indian terms like Two-Spirit, not all cultures will perceive two-spirit people the same way, or welcome a pan-Indian term to replace the terms already in use by their cultures.”
sex#
Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines sex as “either of the two divisions, male or female, into which persons, animals, or plants are divided, with reference to their reproductive functions.”
The AP Stylebook clarifies that “[g]ender is not synonymous with sex. Gender refers to a person’s social identity, while sex refers to biological characteristics.”
The GLAAD glossary says: “At birth, infants are assigned a sex, usually based on the appearance of their external anatomy. (This is what is written on the birth certificate.) A person's sex, however, is actually a combination of bodily characteristics including: chromosomes, hormones, internal and external reproductive organs, and secondary sex characteristics.” Some people’s bodies contain a mixture of characteristics associated with the male sex and characteristics associated with the female sex. (see: intersex)
AP notes that because “[n]ot all people fall under one of two categories for sex or gender, according to leading medical organizations,” writers should “avoid references to both, either or opposite sexes or genders as a way to encompass all people.”
The Trans Journalists Association style guide says: “When necessary, you can refer to someone’s assigned sex at birth using terms like ‘assigned male at birth’ or ‘assigned female at birth.’ These can be abbreviated as ‘AMAB’ and ‘AFAB’ after first reference. Think seriously about whether a story requires this information.”
sexual orientation#
The GLAAD glossary uses sexual orientation to “[describe] a person's enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to another person.”
The NLGJA stylebook says to avoid using as a synonym for sexual orientation the terms sexual preference, “which implies a conscious choice” and sexuality, “which refers to sexual activity generally, not to whom one is attracted.” However, Webster’s New World College Dictionary says that the word sexuality can also refer to sexual orientation, and some people prefer the term. If sexual orientation is pertinent to the story, ask your source for their preference on what term(s) to use.
GLAAD points out that “[g]ender identity and sexual orientation are not the same. Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer. For example, a person who transitions from male to female and is attracted solely to men would typically identify as a straight woman.”
Style guide#
This is a selection of more specific terms. You can find many additional entries in the guides referenced.
agender#
The AP Stylebook uses agender to describe “people who identify as having no gender.” The Association of LGBTQ Journalists (NLGJA) Stylebook on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Terminology notes this is “[n]ot synonymous with asexual or genderqueer.”
asexual#
The AP Stylebook uses asexual to describe “people who don’t experience sexual attraction, though they may feel other types of attraction, such as romantic or aesthetic.” The NLGJA stylebook says asexual is “not synonymous with agender or gender nonconforming.” The GLAAD Media Reference Guide – Lesbian / Gay / Bisexual Glossary of Terms notes: “A person can also be aromantic, meaning they do not experience romantic attraction.”
bigender#
The AP Stylebook defines bigender as “a term for people who identify as a combination of two genders.” The Trans Journalists Association style guide notes: “These genders can be, but are not always, male and female.”
bisexual#
The GLAAD glossary defines bisexual as “[a] person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of another gender.”
The GLAAD Media Reference Guide – In Focus: Covering the Bisexual Community notes: “If someone clearly states that they identify as bisexual, do not identify them as gay, lesbian, or straight instead.
“Simply because a person is currently in a relationship with someone of the same sex, that does not negate the person's bisexual orientation. Similarly, if a person is in what appears to be a heterosexual relationship, that also does not negate the person's bisexual orientation.”
The AP Stylebook notes: “Some people prefer pansexual, which describes people attracted to others regardless of their gender.”
cisgender#
The AP Stylebook defines cisgender as “people whose gender identity matches the [sex] they were assigned at birth.”
In the article “Ask a Radical Copyeditor: Are There Limits to Self-Identity Language?,” Alex Kapitan notes that “cis is not (necessarily) an identity, it is a neutral description of the interaction between a person’s identity and their birth-assigned sex.” The GLAAD Media Reference Guide - Transgender explains: “‘Cis-’ is a Latin prefix meaning ‘on the same side as,’ and is therefore an antonym of ‘trans-.’”
The Radical Copyeditor notes: “A more widely understood way to describe people who are not transgender is simply to say non-transgender people.” AP says: “Do not use terms like normal to describe people who are not transgender.”
gay#
The GLAAD glossary uses gay to describe “people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attractions are to people of the same sex (e.g., gay man, gay people).” It notes that: “Sometimes lesbian (n. or adj.) is the preferred term for women.” The glossary says not to use homosexual, considered “a derogatory term.”
genderfluid#
The Trans Journalists Association style guide defines genderfluid as “[a] non-binary gender or word to describe someone’s gender that often means someone whose gender fluctuates or is not fixed.”
gender-neutral language#
The AP Stylebook says: "In general, use terms that can apply to any gender. Such language aims to treat people equally and is inclusive of people whose gender identity is not strictly male or female."
On her website, Rabbit with a Red Pen, editor Crystal Shelley points out that "[t]he phrases men and women, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and guys and gals are commonly used with the intent to represent everyone, but they don't. There are many alternatives depending on what the group is: people, citizens, guests, friends, etc. 'The men and women who work on the front lines are heroes' can easily be changed to 'The frontline workers are heroes' or 'The people who work on the front lines are heroes.'"
Shelley also says: "Using the singular they can be a good choice for avoiding the outdatedness of he as a default pronoun, the unnatural distance of one, or the clunkiness of he or she." [see use of the singular they]
Shelley recommends gender-neutral alternatives to several gendered terms, such as:
- man/mankind → people, humanity, humans, mortals
- manned → operated, piloted, crewed
- manmade → manufactured, artificial, synthetic
- policeman, mailman, chairman → police officer, mail carrier, chair
- stewardess, waitress, comedienne → flight attendant, server, comedian
- mom and dad → parents, adults, grown-ups
- husband and wife → partners, spouses
AP offers "first-year student" as an alternative to "freshman."
gender non-conforming#
The GLAAD glossary defines gender non-conforming as “[a] term used to describe some people whose gender expression is different from conventional expectations of masculinity and femininity.”
GLAAD says: “Please note that not all gender non-conforming people identify as transgender; nor are all transgender people gender non-conforming.” Similarly, the Trans Journalists Association style guide says “gender nonconforming is not a synonym for non-binary. While many non-binary people are gender nonconforming, many gender nonconforming people are also cisgender.”
intersex#
AP defines intersex as “people born with genitalia, chromosomes or reproductive organs that don’t fit typical definitions for males or females.” The GLAAD glossary points out that “[w]hile some people can have an intersex condition and also identify as transgender, the two are separate and should not be conflated.”
lesbian#
The GLAAD glossary uses lesbian to describe “[a] woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women.” GLAAD notes that “[s]ome lesbians may prefer to identify as gay (adj.) or as gay women.” It says not to use homosexual, considered “a derogatory term.”
LGBT+#
AP uses these terms LGBT and LGBTQ to refer to “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning and/or queer.”
The NLGJA stylebook notes that there are multiple variants on the acronym: “LGBTQIA includes intersex and asexual people. Organizations sometimes go with LGBT+ to make sure everyone is included.”
NLGJA says to avoid referring to the LGBT community, as “it is a broad and sometimes loosely bound group of communities comprising people from all races, religions, cultures and walks of life.” It advises using “LGBT or LGBTQ people” instead. The Radical Copyeditor’s Style Guide for Writing About Transgender People notes that LGBTQ etc. are not a synonym for gay, so don’t use straight as an antonym to LGBTQ.
The Radical Copyeditor also notes: “If you’re using an acronym that includes trans people, it’s important to actually include trans people in the context of what you are writing about.” So, “if you’re only writing about people in same-sex relationships, or if you’re trying to refer to everyone with a marginalized sexuality, don’t use LGBTQ.”
lifestyle#
Both AP and the GLAAD glossary say to avoid using the term lifestyle (e.g. alternative lifestyle) when describing LGBTQ people.
nonbinary#
The Trans Journalists Association style guide defines nonbinary as both “[a]n umbrella term for genders other than man or woman,” and “a term for a specific gender.” The NLGJA stylebook notes: “Nonbinary individuals may identify as somewhere between male and female or reject a binary categorization of gender altogether.”
The Trans Journalists Association style guide says: “While non-binary is considered a trans identity, not everyone who is non-binary considers themselves trans. Be aware that Indigenous communities and communities of color have other words to describe gender variance. Sometimes these terms can be included in the non-binary umbrella and sometimes they cannot. Always consult experts from these communities and the individuals you are reporting on in regard to this.”
The Radical Copyeditor points out: “Many people are non-binary in terms of identity and also gender nonconforming in terms of expression, but plenty of people are only one or the other. It’s important not to use these terms interchangeably.”
out, coming out#
The GLAAD glossary uses out to refer to “[a] person who self-identifies as LGBTQ in their personal, public, and/or professional lives. For example: Ricky Martin is an out pop star from Puerto Rico.” GLAAD notes that “[s]ome individuals may be out to some people in their life, but not out to others due to fear of rejection, harassment, violence, losing one's job, or other concerns.”
The Radical Copyeditor notes: “A trans man who has transitioned is fully out as a man; whether or not he chooses to share his gender history with others is irrelevant. Being closeted means denying one’s identity to oneself and/or others, but if one’s identity is man and one is living life fully as a man, one is out. When a person shares that they have a history of gender transition, that is a disclosure, not an act of coming out.”
On the related adjective openly, GLAAD says: “While accurate and commonly used, [openly] still implies a confessional aspect to publicly acknowledging one's sexual orientation or gender identity.” NLGJA says: “As a modifier, openly is often relevant only when referencing historical figures and to allow for the possibility of previous closeted figures: Harvey Milk was the first openly gay San Francisco supervisor. Tammy Baldwin was the first openly lesbian member of the U.S. House of Representatives.”
NLGJA advises: “Avoid words like acknowledged, avowed, admitted, confessed or practicing because of their inaccuracy or negative connotations.”
pansexual#
The NLGJA stylebook uses pansexual to refer to “someone who experiences attraction without regard to sex, gender identity or gender expression.”
pronouns#
The NLGJA stylebook stylebook says: “If sources share a transgender or gender-nonconforming identity on the record, ask which pronouns they use and incorporate them into your report as needed. They/them/their are acceptable as nonbinary, singular pronouns if the subject uses them. Alternative nonbinary pronouns, such as zie/zim/zis, are acceptable if requested but may require extra explanation in a story or broadcast.” The Radical Copyeditor points out that some sources may choose to use no pronouns at all.
The Trans Journalists Association style guide says it’s generally best not to call attention to a source’s pronouns, explaining: “Reporters never write a sentence to explain a cis source’s pronouns. For example: ‘Jill, who uses she/her pronouns, attended the event.’ If we don’t emphasize cis people’s pronouns, we shouldn’t need to explain trans people’s pronouns — especially when they are common pronouns like he, she, and they.” But “[w]hen a source uses less common pronouns, it’s acceptable to have a quick, appositive phrase mentioning their pronouns. For example: Taylor, who uses ze/hir pronouns, attended the event.”
The GLAAD Media Reference Guide - Transgender points out: "Some people may use both a gendered pronoun and they/them. For example, 'My name is Jose and I use he/they pronouns.' People who use multiple pronouns may wish you to choose one of those pronouns and use it consistently, or they may wish you to use both pronouns interchangeably when referring to them. For example, 'Jose is an excellent co-worker. He always turns in projects on deadline, and they also volunteer to organize the office holiday party every year.'"
NLGJA notes: “Avoid references to preferred pronouns because doing so implies that calling people other than what they want to be called is a viable alternative. Avoid references to chosen pronouns because they are not always chosen. Instead, when relevant: Sanchez, who uses the pronoun they or Sanchez, whose pronouns are they/them/their.”
The Trans Journalists Association says to avoid using the terms female/feminine pronouns and male/masculine pronouns, as “[n]ot all people who use she/her are women, and not all people who use he/him are men.”
The Trans Journalists Association recommends “us[ing] someone’s current name and pronouns when writing about that person in the past, unless they tell you differently.” Also, “If a trans person contacts a newsroom or reporter asking for a story to be updated with their new name or to remove information that outs the person as trans, newsrooms should always make those changes when possible.”
use of the singular they#
The Radical Copyeditor explains: “When using singular they, verb conjugations follow the same rules as those for singular you: they did, they are, themself.” Use the singular they to refer to an individual who uses they/them pronouns or to refer to an individual whose gender is not specified (to avoid awkward constructions such as “he or she is”).
queer#
The NLGJA stylebook defines queer as “[o]riginally a pejorative term for gay, now reclaimed by some LGBTQ people.” The GLAAD glossary explains: “Typically, for those who identify as queer, the terms lesbian, gay, and bisexual are perceived to be too limiting and/or fraught with cultural connotations they feel don't apply to them. Some people may use queer, or more commonly genderqueer, to describe their gender identity and/or gender expression.”
NLGJA says to use the term queer “with caution” as it is “still extremely offensive when used as an epithet and still offensive to many LGBTQ people regardless of intent. Its use may require explanation.”
straight#
The GLAAD glossary uses straight “describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to people of the opposite sex.” The term heterosexual is also acceptable.
transgender#
AP uses transgender to “[describe] people whose gender identity does not match the sex they were identified as having at birth.” The NLGJA stylebook notes that transgender also “sometimes is understood as an umbrella term covering other people with nontraditional gender identities, possibly including but not limited to genderqueer and agender people.”
NLGJA advises describing someone as transgender “only when relevant to the subject matter and only if they are widely known or describe themselves as such. Otherwise, describe trans men as men and trans women as women.”
AP says not to use the word transgender “as a noun, such as referring to someone as a transgender, or use the term transgendered.” It points out the transgender is “[n]ot synonymous with terms like cross-dresser or drag queen [or drag king], which do not have to do with gender identity” and advises against using “the outdated term transsexual.”
The GLAAD Media Guide - Transgender notes: “It is never appropriate to put quotation marks around either a transgender person's chosen name or the pronoun that reflects that person's gender identity.”
The GLAAD glossary says: “Many transgender people are prescribed hormones by their doctors to bring their bodies into alignment with their gender identity. Some undergo surgery as well. But not all transgender people can or will take those steps, and a transgender identity is not dependent upon physical appearance or medical procedures.”
The Trans Journalists Association style guide says: “Avoid the phrase ‘identifies as’ to write about a trans person’s gender when replacing it with ‘is’ doesn’t change the meaning of the sentence. This language questions a trans person’s gender by calling it an “identity” instead of just stating someone is non-binary or a man/woman. Journalists never write about cis people’s genders this way. Extend the same respect to the trans people.”
The Radical Copyeditor points out that transgender is not a sexual orientation (so don’t use straight or heterosexual as an antonym). Kapitan also points out that some transgender people are nonbinary (so say transgender people or people of all genders rather than transgender women and men).
For more related terms, see The Trans Language Primer.
transition#
The AP Stylebook defines transition as “The processes transgender people go through to match their gender identity, which may include sex reassignment or gender confirmation procedures, but not necessarily.”
The GLAAD Media Reference Guide - Transgender explains: “Altering one's birth sex is not a one-step procedure; it is a complex process that occurs over a long period of time. Transition can include some or all of the following personal, medical, and legal steps: telling one's family, friends, and co-workers; using a different name and new pronouns; dressing differently; changing one's name and/or sex on legal documents; hormone therapy; and possibly (though not always) one or more types of surgery. The exact steps involved in transition vary from person to person.”
Generally, you should use a trans person’s current name and pronouns even when writing about a time before they transitioned. The Radical Copyeditor explains: “Some trans people do use a different name and/or pronouns to talk about themselves prior to transition, but this is rare. Unless you are told differently by a trans person themself, only use the person’s true/current name and pronouns, even when writing about them in the past.”