DEFINITIONS

Some of the terms used in the following report may be unfamiliar to some of the readers. The following should help to clarify the language and meanings:

LGBT/GLBT and Queer - these terms are used interchangeably. While we realize that the term Queer may be offensive or controversial to some, it is the term that many young, urban Lesbians, Gay men, Bisexual and Transgendered persons, prefer to use and so it is used here.

Transgendered - is a term for people who know that gender line is created by society's beliefs. This term is used as a self-defined umbrella term for all persons whose gender identity is ambiguous (not clear), dual, or changing. The Trans Alliance Society's working definition of "trans" includes two categories:

• Those who self-identify as being differently-gendered and/or differently-sexed;
• All those who self-identify as male and female cross-dressers, transvestites, female and male impersonators, pre-operative and post-operative transsexuals, and transsexuals who choose not to have genital reconstruction, and all persons whose perceived gender or anatomic sex may conflict with their gender expression, such as masculine-appearing women and feminine-appearing men. This can include, but is not limited to, people who call themselves drag kings, inter-sexuals, two-spirited, transvestites, butch lesbians, drag queens, and transsexuals. The term 'transgendered' is specifically noted here because our own communities are working together to recommend appropriate language to ensure that transgendered persons are not denied their rights.

Pan-gendered/other gendered, omni-gendered and third gendered - these are terms that are used to describe persons who consider themselves to be neither male or female but see themselves as other than male or female or self-describe as having all genders within themselves.

Homophobia - is a term for extreme fears that are not based in reality because of your sexual orientation and result in you being put down or discriminated against.

Transphobia - is a term for extreme fears that are not based in reality because you are, act like or look more manly or womanly than society thinks you should and result in you being put down or discriminated against.

Biphobia - is a term for extreme fears that are not based in reality because of your bisexuality and result in you being put down or discriminated against.

Lesbophobia - is a term for extreme fears that are not based in reality because of your lesbianism and result in you being put down or discriminated against.

Genderism - is a term used to describe discrimination related to a person's gender (or perceived gender), based on extreme fears which are not based in reality, and which results in you, and your gendered group, being put down or oppressed in society.

Racism - is a term used to describe discrimination because of your racial background, based on extreme fears which are not based in reality, and which results in you, and your racial group, being put down or oppressed in society.

Ableism - is a term used to describe discrimination because of your disability, based on extreme fears which are not based in reality, and result in you, and disabled persons, being put down or discriminated against.

Classism - is a term used to describe discrimination because of poverty or economic background, based on extreme fears which are not based in reality, and which results in you, and persons in your economic class (poor people), being put down or oppressed in society.

Ageism - is a term used to describe discrimination because of your age, based on extreme fears which are not based in reality, and which results in you, and your age group, being put down or oppressed in society.

Sexism - is a term used to describe discrimination because of your sex, based on extreme fears which are not based in reality, and which results in you being put down or oppressed in society sex (usually used for how women are oppressed by men).

Lookism - is a term used to describe discrimination because of your looks, based on extreme fears which are not based in reality, and which results in you being put down or oppressed in society

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