LGBTIQA+: An acronym associated with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and questioning, and asexual plus communities.
Asexual: Someone who has little or no sexual attraction to other people.
Bisexual: A person emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to more than one sex, gender or gender identity though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree. Sometimes used interchangeably with the term pansexual.
Gay: The term ‘gay’ is used primarily to describe same sex attracted men including trans men, masculine identifying, and non-binary people. Some women, feminine identifying, trans women, and non-binary people will identify as gay and use the term to describe anyone who is same sex attracted.
Gender Diverse: Describes a person who feels that their gender identity does not fit into the categories associated with their assigned sex. For example, someone who is raised as a girl may feel as though the categories of female/feminine are restrictive or don’t apply to them.
Intersex: People who are intersex are born with natural variations in their body that differ from what we might expect to be ‘typically’ male/female. This can include (but is not limited to) variations in hormones, chromosomes, and sexual organs.
Lesbian: A woman who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves.
Non-binary: Describes a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories. While many also identify as transgender, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender-fluid.
Pansexual: Describes the sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction towards people regardless of their sex or gender identity.
Queer: A common umbrella term used to mean anyone who is same gender attracted or gender diverse.
Sistergirl and Brotherboy: Terms used by some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to describe trans people. Brotherboy typically refers to masculine spirit people who may be assigned female at birth, Sistergirl typically refers to feminine spirit people who may be assigned male at birth.
Transgender: An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.
+(Plus): The ‘+’ (plus) symbol is an acknowledgement that no single acronym can capture the full and rich diversity of people’s lives and identities.
Disability Glossary
This glossary does not define specific diagnoses.
A
Ableism: The unfair treatment, discrimination, or prejudice against people with disability.
Accessibility: Making sure everyone, including people with disability, can use and access places, information, and services without barriers.
Access intimacy: The deep understanding and connection that comes when someone truly understands and helps another person with their specific accessibility needs. Access intimacy was first discussed by queer physically disabled woman of colour, Mia Mingus.
Advocacy: Standing up for the rights and needs of people with disability and working to make the world more inclusive. LGBTIQA+ people with disability advocate in many ways, including self-advocacy, family advocacy, citizen advocacy, individual advocacy, legal advocacy, and systemic advocacy. You can advocate using art, online videos, protests, journalism, legal systems, poetry, and lots more.
Auslan: A language used by the Deaf community in Australia, made up of signs and gestures. Auslan is one of many different languages used in Australia and is often a Deaf person’s first or preferred language.
C
Carer/Support Worker: Carers and support workers assist people with disability to live their life fully and on their own terms. Being a carer can take many forms and people with disability can be supported in different ways.
Camel case: A way of writing words where the first letter of each word is capitalized. This is an accessible way to use hashtags on social media, for example #DisabilityRights.
Crip: A reclaimed word some people with disability use to describe themselves with pride and as part of a community.
D
Deaf (with a capital D): The term Deaf is describes those who use Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to communicate, and who identify as members of the signing Deaf community. Some Deaf people may also identify themselves as ‘culturally Deaf’. This means they are born deaf or became deaf early in life.
deaf (with a small d): ‘deaf’ with a small ‘d’ is a more general term to describe the physical condition of not hearing. It also describes people who are physically deaf but do not identify as members of the signing Deaf community.
Deaf community: Some Deaf people whose first or preferred language is Auslan consider themselves part of the Deaf community. They may describe themselves as Deaf with a capital D to emphasise their Deaf identity. Auslan is one of many diverse languages used in Australia.
Disability type: The specific challenges or differences a person has due to their disability, without using labels like medical diagnoses.
Disability discrimination: Treating someone unfairly because they have a disability, which is against the law in Australia.
Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO)/Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPD): Organisations of and for people with disability which promote and advance the human rights and freedoms of all people with disability. There are different kinds of DPOs/OPDs, some are diagnostic focussed, some are population focussed, and some are cross-disability focussed. For an organisation to be a DPO/OPD, at least half of its board and staff need to identify as people with disability.
Disabled: A term used by some people with disability to describe themselves, focusing on their identity and experience rather than their medical conditions.
E
Easy Read: Easy Read is a way to present written information so that it is easier to understand. It uses simple text, short sentences, basic pictures, and lots of white space.
F
Functioning labels: Labels like “high-functioning” or “low-functioning” that try to describe how well someone with a disability can do things from a non-disabled view. Today, many people with disability find these labels harmful and misleading.
H
Human Rights Model of Disability: A perspective that focuses on how society can remove barriers so that people with disability can fully enjoy their human rights.
I
Identity-first language: Using language like “disabled person”, to emphasise the ways that disability is a part of a person’s identity.
Intersectionality: People have many parts of their identity (e.g., gender, race, disability) that can intersect and change their experiences of discrimination and privilege.
Inclusion: Creating environments and opportunities where people with disability are welcomed and able to participate fully.
L
LGBTIQA+ person with disability: A person who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and gender diverse, intersex, queer, asexual and has a disability. The plus captures the rich diversity of lives and identities among LGBTIQA+ people with disability, for example people who identify as pansexual, aromantic or demisexual. This is the accepted way to refer to the communities who can be grouped by one common theme – the fact they don’t identify as straight, cisgender, endosex, or non-disabled.
Lived experience of disability: The personal experiences and insights of people with disability that shape their perspectives and expertise.
M
Mad: A term some people use to describe themselves as a way of reclaiming and celebrating their experiences of psychosocial disability.
Medical model of disability: A perspective that sees disability as a medical problem that needs to be fixed or cured. Some people with disability find the medical model outdated, while others may find it helpful.
Mobility device or mobility aid: Equipment that helps people with disability move around, like wheelchairs, crutches, or walkers.
N
Neuroaffirming: A supportive and accepting approach that values and validates the experiences, emotions, and needs of neurodivergent people. It promotes an inclusive and understanding environment.
Neurodivergent: Individuals whose way of thinking, doing and being diverge from what is considered neurotypical. Neurodivergent individuals have unique perspectives and strengths. This is an umbrella term that includes many different experiences, including but not limited to autism, ADHD, complex PTSD, dyscalculia, and Functional Neurological Disorder.
Neurodiversity: The concept that neurological differences, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others, are natural variations of the human brain. It embraces the value of diversity in how our brains work.
Neurotypical: A term used to describe individuals whose way of thinking and doing things is considered typical and accepted within their culture.
P
Person-first language: Putting the person before their disability, like “person with a disability,” to emphasize their humanity. This is standard language used by policy makers and many disability rights organisations.
Plain English: Information presented in a clear and straightforward way that is easy for everyone to understand.
Pride: Celebrating your identity and community, such as LGBTIQA+ pride or disability pride.
Privilege: Advantages or benefits that some people have, often because of their social identity, that others do not.
R
Reclaimed language: Words or terms that were once used to hurt or stereotype people but have now been taken back and used with pride by individuals and that community. It is largely more appropriate for those with lived experience to use reclaimed language. Reclaimed language is often used as a protest or resistance against oppression. For example, ‘Mad’ and ‘queer’ have become empowering labels for many LGBTIQA+ people with psychosocial disability.
Representation: Portraying a diverse range of people in media, politics, art, and culture, including LGBTIQA+ people with disability. This is done in a meaningful way that truly includes the lives and voices of LGBTIQA+ people with disability.
S
Social model of disability: The social model came out of the Disability Rights Movement and views disability as a product of social barriers and discrimination, not a problem with the person. The social model still considers a person’s unique experiences of their disability and doesn’t mean that all challenges are external. For example, someone’s chronic pain may be difficult for a person, as well as the barriers and discrimination they face because of it. The social model of disability emphasizes how people are treated because of their differences, rather than defining disability as an individual ‘impairment.’
Storytelling: Sharing personal experiences and stories can advocate and create understanding. There are many reasons LGBTIQA+ people with disability tell their stories. Some reasons include cultural and spiritual practices, finding justice and truth, raising awareness, or having fun. Storytelling also happens in many ways, such as writing, art, dance, talking/yarning, folklore, and music.
U
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD): An international treaty that outlines the rights of people with disability and calls on governments to make sure they are fully included and participating in society.
W
Wheelchair user: A person with disability who uses a wheelchair as a mobility aid or assistive device.
See also: UNCRPD
