Questions tagged [sexual-minorities]
The sexual-minorities tag has no usage guidance.
46
questions
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2answers
79 views
Does the term “gay” refer to bi-sexuality as well, or is it explicitly referring to homo-sexuality? [closed]
The reason I am asking is because I am touching upon answering a question elsewhere which would debunk the claim that said person is gay on the grounds that he would most likely only be bi-sexual due ...
0
votes
2answers
46 views
Gay and straight are to sexual orientation as transgender and cisgender are to ______? [duplicate]
Gay and straight are to sexual orientation as transgender and cisgender are to ______
What word would fit best in the blank here? Some options that don’t quite seem to fit:
Gender orientation: Doesn'...
6
votes
1answer
171 views
Is the origin of “butch” really from Polari?
I've been researching the origin of the term "butch" and noticed that sources tend to be split on whether they mention it originating from Polari.
OED, Green's Dictionary of Slang (adj., ...
18
votes
4answers
838 views
Is the term “sexual preference” generally considered offensive now, and has it always been?
In American politics, Judge Amy Barrett used the term "sexual preference" during her confirmation hearing. This was criticized as offensive by writers at publications such as CNN, USAToday, ...
-5
votes
2answers
82 views
When talking to the child of a same sex couple, is it more standard to say “your parents” or “your fathers”/“your mothers”? [closed]
When talking about an opposite sex couple, it's standard to talk about "your parents", because it's a lot less wordy than "your mother and father". But what's more standard for a same sex couple? "...
0
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1answer
737 views
What is a gender-neutral word(s) for the word “maternity”? [closed]
The word maternity as in the sentence "the maternity wear is over there. If you'd like to follow me..." is typically the go-to language when describing, talking with, or about pregnant persons' wear, ...
0
votes
1answer
115 views
Is there a politically correct way to speak about reproductive health, justice, etc., which doesn't unnecessarily gender the issue?
Most cisgender women, some intersex people of different variations, most transgender men, some AFAB non-binary people, and most people who are assigned females on the whole are usually the ones who ...
4
votes
1answer
375 views
Why is 'lavender' used to reference homosexuality?
I am aware of Lavender Linguistics, which is a form of Polari and was used by gay men a lexicon 'used in the 1950s and early 1960s by gay men as a secret language which concealed their homosexuality ...
-1
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2answers
173 views
Transgender but not transitioning?
Inspired by this question on CSE
I am asking is there a term to describe a transgender individual who chooses not to physically transition to how they identify?
Lots of terminology is offered in ...
0
votes
1answer
175 views
Expression for straight male who prefers the company of gay men
We used to call women who preferred the company of gay men as
"fag hags"
What are straight men who prefer the company of gay men called? I found nothing on the internet, unless you count Urban.
4
votes
1answer
97 views
What are the origins of “gender confirmation” surgery?
TLDR: What was the first use of the term "gender confirmation surgery"? Was it used before, after, or contemporaneously with the term "sex reassignment surgery"?
An NPR article ...
1
vote
3answers
198 views
Is there a name for the category containing the words trans and cis?
Gender is the name of the category that contains the words male, female, and others. The words trans and cis are not genders, rather they describe the state of one's gender: i.e. trans refers to one ...
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14answers
9k views
Alternative to “queer the deal”?
The phrase queer attitude used to be commonplace, simply meaning
a strange attitude or unhelpful behavior.
Unfortunately in the present era, I once used that phrase and sadly
offended ...
6
votes
2answers
499 views
Does the word “sympathizer” have a negative connotation?
Recently, at my work, there was an email which talked about the "LGBT sympathizers" community. What the author wanted to say is the "friends of the LGBT community".
Technically speaking it seems ...
8
votes
7answers
5k views
I am a pansexual trans/gender-fluid person
There's a risk of me potentially offending someone but I am an outsider trying to get to grips with this terminology. Online, I read someone who identified themself as a
pansexual trans/gender-...
5
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2answers
1k views
What does “queer” really mean these days?
Once upon a time, queer simply meant strange*.
Then it came to be used as a derogatory term for homosexual (adjective or noun).
Later it came to be worn as a badge of honor by the Lesbian/gay ...
1
vote
2answers
675 views
Would it be a mistake to use the word “gay” in business or academical writings? [duplicate]
This is a post by NiceTryDad on instagram.
Son: "What does the word "gay" mean?"
Me: "It means happy."
Son: "Oh, are you gay?"
Me: "No, son, I have a wife."
Later then, I googled up the ...
2
votes
4answers
1k views
How to specify a lover's gender
Can you recognize that her lover is a woman from this part of the sentence?
A doctor’s daughter hides her lover--
I am afraid you cannot, or you automatically think it is a man.
In my language, ...
0
votes
4answers
377 views
What is a trans step-parent called?
Caitlin Jenner, when she was Bruce Jenner, was married to Kris, the widow of Robert Kardashian and the mother of Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob. Thus Bruce Jenner was Kim Kardashian's stepfather.
But ...
0
votes
1answer
810 views
Use of gender-specific and gender-neutral words together
These are sample sentences we usually come across:
This is a husband's provision for his spouse.
This is a wife's provision for her spouse.
One may find a similar sentence reading "A ...
4
votes
1answer
938 views
Specific meaning of term “nail-biters” in context of mid-1970s America
The phrase in question revolves around a rather odious quote, so I beseech all reading to please suppress your political leanings and focus instead on the meanings of the phrases employed.
In around ...
2
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2answers
2k views
Word that is to “sexual orientation” as “racism” is to “race”?
The widely used word "homophobia" clearly doesn't fit the criteria. For example, "racism" can mean discrimination towards any race, black, white, Asian, etc. Similarly, the word we are looking ...
asked Mar 2 '16 at 19:15
Revetahw says Reinstate Monica
3,1812 gold badges19 silver badges38 bronze badges
5
votes
1answer
10k views
Like “sexist” or “racist,” but in reference to being gay?
Is there a term that is similar to sexist or racist but refers to gay people? "Homophobic" comes to mind, but that's more a fear or disgust of homosexuals versus discrimination based solely on sexual ...
5
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6answers
2k views
Are androphilic males persons with a homosexual erotic development?
I come across the following piece and don't understand the last sentence in the light of the first one.
This suggests that the resulting proportion of true pedophiles among persons with a ...
2
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3answers
2k views
“Homosexual” or “Gay and Lesbian”? [closed]
I have faced a problem with my writing which I could really do with some clarification on. My question applies to both British and American English (which is fairly standard on the internet).
...
13
votes
2answers
436 views
What's the term for not specifying race or gender when it is the majority?
In one of my English literature courses, my professor talked about how minority writers are often "marked" by a qualifier, while majority writers are unmarked. For example, Langston Hughes is often ...
12
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3answers
2k views
Does the word “out” carry sexual-minority flavour?
My NGO and partners are producing a feature film about Russian speakers in the world, and to explain its point as bias-breaking, we came up with the name out, that's nicely expanded in the slogan as ...
8
votes
3answers
5k views
Is the term “setting someone straight” offensive to queer people?
I replaced "Thanks for setting me straight" with "Thanks for correcting me" when editing an email to a recipient who is queer. Is the term "setting [someone] straight" inappropriate if the writer/...
51
votes
12answers
7k views
A way of describing the lesbian parent that is not pregnant?
A friend of mine is in a long term relationship with her female partner. After deciding they wanted a family, my friend's girlfriend got pregnant.
Normally when talking about a couple expecting a ...
3
votes
2answers
7k views
Is the word “queer” an accepted and polite word for lesbian?
I was reading an article on the promulgation of the dental dam as a means of preventing sexually transmitted disease. Article here. The author of the article Arielle Duhaime-Ross consistently refers ...
0
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2answers
710 views
What do you call a heterosexual who wonders what it would be like to have a relationship with a gay person?
In "Perfect Zen" by E. A. St. Amant it is written:
“You're a breeder voyeur,” Paulo remarked. “She loves the explicit gay
porno stuff, like at the Barn.”
I found that a breeder voyeur is 'A ...
6
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4answers
6k views
Is calling a homosexual person “gay” offensive?
My native language is German but I’ve been watching a lot of TV in English. During a conversation about the English language, a question about the term gay came up. Is calling a homosexual person gay ...
0
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2answers
359 views
If we use “fairy” in our band name, will people think of sprites or gay men?
Seems like a really weird question but here's what it's about:
Me and my band are currently searching for a bandname which seems to be very hard. We recently (finally) found one name that we all ...
34
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2answers
2k views
Revealing that someone else is gay — counterpart to “come out”
If I reveal to my friend that I am gay, I'd say
I came out to my friend.
How would I say that my friend told his friend (without asking me for permission) that I am gay?
My friend [insert verb ...
14
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6answers
132k views
What is the difference between “Gay” and “Homosexual"? Is it only by gender?
I was interested in the line “...most Americans use the word 'gay' now instead of 'homosexual'” in Maureen Dowd’s article titled “Happily Never After?” in today’s (April 2) New York Times:
I’m ...
24
votes
12answers
128k views
In the sexuality domain, are “heterosexual” and “straight” exact synonyms?
Even though heterosexual and straight are interchangeable in most contexts, there are times when I find myself wanting to distinguish between an attraction to the opposite sex which is exclusive and ...
2
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1answer
943 views
Usage and acceptability of the word “queer”
This dictionary.com definition pretty much sums up my understanding of what the word queer is supposed to mean. However, in modern times (at least here in the US, perhap someone else can speak for ...
2
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4answers
17k views
Does “gay” necessarily mean male homosexual?
I was under the impression that gay always refers to a male homosexual, though sometimes I see this term used to describe female homosexuals (i.e. lesbians) as well. Is it correct usage? Does it ...
20
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2answers
3k views
Why “homophobia” and not “sexualism” or similar?
A phobia is an irrational fear of something. An intolerance to something is usually an -ism, not a -phobia, as in
sexism
racism
ageism
Yet people who object to homosexual practices or discriminate ...
7
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4answers
7k views
What's a gay transsexual woman?
I know how it sounds but it's a serious question. I saw an article title about it on the Guardian today. If someone tells you that a person is a "gay transsexual woman", is it possible, logically, to ...
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5answers
5k views
Is it rude to call a gay person “homosexual?”
I was talking to one of my co-workers today. We have two homosexual persons in our office. I forgot one's name, so I asked my co-worker, "What's his name?" My co-worker said "Who?", and I replied, "...
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2answers
3k views
What's the 'alternative forms of sexuality'?
The Beat Generation is a group of American post-WWII writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired. Central elements of "Beat" ...
20
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3answers
22k views
Gay (homosexual) and gay (happy)
When did the main meaning of the word 'gay' shift from happy to homosexual? How did the meaning evolve, if there is a relation between the two?
4
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2answers
6k views
When did “fag” become an offensive word?
I'm from Pennsylvania. With the recent threat by the Westboro Baptist Church to protest the funeral of seven children who perished in a fire, I've been thinking a lot about their infamous catchphrase: ...
34
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11answers
8k views
Just how offensive are the terms “retarded” and “gay”?
My college-age son and his friends use the terms "retarded" and "gay" pretty much interchangeably to mean substandard, bad, lame (in the sense of ineffectual or weak) or just plain ...
25
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7answers
8k views
Does “gay” still include the meaning “merry”?
Dictionary.com lists eight meanings
of gay, with “merry, lively” as
the first entry.
Microsoft banned an
Xbox user for listing Fort
Gay (a real place) as his
hometown:
Xbox Live considered the term ...
