Working Definitions

Lesbians: Women who form their primary loving and sexual relationships with other women. Some lesbians prefer to call themselves "lesbians" and use the term "gay" to refer to gay men. Others use the term "gay" to refer to all homosexuals.

Gay Men: Men who form their primary loving and sexual relationships with other men.

Homosexuals: Men and women who form their primary loving relationships with people of the same sex. Many gay people prefer that the terms "gay men and lesbians" or "gay people" be used to describe homosexuals as a group than the term "homosexuals."

Bisexuals: People who form their primary loving and sexual relationships with both men and women. This does not mean that bisexuals must have relationships with both sexes, but simply the potential for involvement with either sex.

Heterosexuals/Straight People: People who form their primary loving and sexual relationships with people of the other sex.

Coming Out: The process of a gay man, lesbian, or bisexual becoming aware of his/her sexual orientation and of letting other people know. Gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals are often "out" to some people (e.g., friends, family) and not "out" to others (e.g., a boss, work colleagues).

Dyke, Queer: Derogatory terms for lesbians. Some lesbians have chosen to reclaim these terms and use them to have positive meanings, especially when using them in the company of other lesbians and/or gay men.

Fag(got), Queen, Fairy, Queer: Derogatory terms for gay men. Some gay men have chosen to reclaim these terms and use them to have positive meanings, especially when using them in the company of other gay men and/or lesbians.

Heterosexism: The institutionalized set of beliefs and attitudes that suggest or state that heterosexuals are normal and natural and that homosexuals are, by contrast, deviant and unnatural. Often implied is the idea that heterosexuals are superior to homosexuals and therefore have the right to discriminate against them. It is assumed both that everyone is heterosexual, (when in all actuality, ~10% of the population is not), and that only heterosexuality is right, good, or legitimate.

Heterosexual Privilege: Society actively rewards and validates heterosexuals and heterosexual behavior.

Homophobia: The fears and myths that we all have been taught about gay men and lesbians, and our own deep fears of loving those of our own sex.

Homohatred: A deep-seated fear of homosexuals that manifests itself as an intense hatred of homosexuals and often results in violence against gay men and lesbians.