Category: Glossary

  • Bi (sexual and romantic)

    Bisexuality is a sexual orientation, and bisexual (commonly abbreviated to “bi”) people are those who have the capacity to form attraction and/or relationships to more than one gender.

    Biromantic is a romantic orientation in which you can romantically like two or more genders.

    The sexual counterpart to biromantic is bisexual. The two differ in that biromantic is the romantic attraction to two or more genders, while bisexual is the sexual attraction to two or more genders. Some individuals are both biromantic and bisexual – meaning they are both romantically and sexually attracted to two or more genders.

    Like bisexuality, a biromantic person can also have a preference for and/or lean towards any particular gender.

    The “bi” prefix is an umbrella term used for indicating any form of two gender attraction.

    Other definitions:

    Some people use the word pansexual to describe their attraction to more than one gender. Pansexuality is defined as an attraction to people of any gender or to people regardless of their gender.

  • Asexual (Ace)

    Asexual people — also known as “Ace” or “Aces” — may experience little or no sexual attraction and/or experience sexual attraction in a non-normative way. Ace people may want to and can form many types of intimate relationships, whether those relationships are romantic, platonic, or other forms of attraction and connection. Within the ace community, there are many ways for people to identify.

    Other definitions:

    Common terms and identities on the asexual spectrum include:

    • Demisexual: People who only experience sexual attraction once they form a strong emotional connection with another person.
    • Grey-A: People who identify somewhere between sexual and asexual.
    • Queerplatonic: People who experience a type of non-romantic relationship where there is an intense emotional connection that goes beyond a traditional friendship.

  • Aromantic (Aro)

    Often shortened to Aro – this describes people who do not experience romantic attraction, or experience little-to-no romantic attraction.

    Aromanticism is a romantic orientation and may involve forms of attraction that are not necessarily romantic, or interests in relationships that are intimate in other ways. There is no singular experience of Aromanticism.

    Other definitions:

    The Aromantic spectrum, also known as “Aro-spec”, ranges from Aromantic to Alloromantic (referring to people who regularly and consistently experience romantic attraction).

  • Transphobia

    Transphobia is a rejection of trans identity and a refusal to acknowledge that it could possibly be real or valid. The consequence of transphobia is that trans people struggle to live openly and comfortably in society.

    Transphobia includes, but is not limited to:

    • Attempting to remove trans people’s rights
    • Misrepresenting trans people
    • Abuse
    • Systematically excluding trans people from discussions about issues that directly affect them
    • Other forms of discrimination

    Other definitions/things to note:

    Transphobia has no single, simple manifestation. It is complex and can include a range of behaviours and arguments.

    Discrimination is, however, a punishable offence under UK Law. Trans people are still protected from discrimination under the EA 2010.

    It is important to challenge transphobia and to reach out to the people and resources that can help if you or anyone you know has been a victim.  https://transactual.org.uk/know-your-rights/

  • Homosexual

    A term to describe someone who is attracted to someone of the same sex or gender. The term ‘gay’ is now more generally used.

    ​Other definitions/things to note:

    Homosexuality can be more widely defined as a sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction or activity between members of the same sex.

    Societal attitudes toward homosexuality have changed and developed over time, partially as a result of increased political activism (this includes Gay Rights movements and many Queer and LGBTQIA+ activism). It is accepted, in most developed societies, that homosexuality is simply a variant but normal human sexual behaviour.*There has been controversy surrounding the use of the word “homosexual” to refer to a gay person, as it has been considered an outdated term that is derogatory and offensive to many lesbian and gay people. The term ‘gay’ is most commonly acknowledged and accepted.

  • Hyperfixation

    Hyperfixation, with reference to neurodivergence (i.e., Autism/ADHD, AuDHD, etc), can be characterised as a heightened state of focus or attention on a particular activity, subject, or interest.  People often think of experiencing hyperfixation as being completely absorbed in something.

    Hyperfixations can happen to anyone; however, to people who are neurodivergent, instances of hyperfixation may be more frequent and/or intense.  

    There are many reasons hyperfixation can occur; for example, it can provide a sense of comfort and purpose through the repetition of a certain activity, or it may foster a sense of stimulation and joy in the person.

    Some signs of hyperfixation include: losing track of time while engaging with the interest, feeling as if you are “tuning out” the world around you, and task-switching can be much harder.  

    Sometimes, instances of hyperfixation may have unwanted consequences, such as ignoring daily hygiene activities or losing track of important responsibilities.

    Other definitions/things to note:

    Hyperfixations differ from ‘Special Interests’ in that Hyperfixation is the complete absorption in the interest or activity; a person with a hyperfixation may appear to completely ignore everything else around them in favor of their focus.

    Typically, hyperfixation is dedicated to something someone may already find interesting or particularly enjoyable. This person might increase their knowledge of the subject or improve their performance during hyperfixation.

    This means that special interests and hyperfixation could happen at the same time, even though they are not the same thing.

  • Infodumping

    ​Infodumping is a term used to describe, often in regards to a neurodivergent person, the act of suddenly sharing information about things that they love or have a keen interest in. This may be done in great detail and for a long time.

    For autistic/ADHD/AuDHD people, info dumping can be a common way to communicate. It helps them to explore their passions and share what they know. This way of communicating often highlights facts, details, and a strong understanding of the topic. When an autistic person infodumps, they are excited and may engage in what can seem like a monologue about what they know. They might not notice if the listener seems to lose interest.

    It is important to see info dumping as a normal part of autistic communication. This recognition helps create understanding and positive interactions.

    Other definitions/things to note:

    Navigating social interactions can be particularly challenging for many neurodivergent people. For an autistic person, Infodumping can be a way of self-comforting and also a way to emotionally connect with someone. It is therefore important that an autistic person feels that they are in a safe space with understanding and responsive company.

  • Pan (sexual and romantic)

    Pansexuality, also abbreviated as pan, is a sexual orientation encompassing attraction to multiple genders, with the attraction being physical, romantic, and/or emotional.

    Someone who is pansexual may feel that gender does not matter or instead feel it is a factor in the way that they feel attraction. Some pansexuals are attracted to different genders in different ways, or they are more attracted to particular genders.

    Panromantic is a term used to describe people who are capable of feeling a romantic attraction toward people regardless of their sex or gender identity (the sexual equivalent of this is pansexual). Someone who is Panromantic may or may not experience sexual attraction for the genders that they are romantically interested in. 

    Because romantic and sexual attraction are not necessarily correlated, it is not necessary for someone to be pansexual in order to be panromantic and vice versa.

    Other Definitions

    Pansexuality is often seen as a part of the bisexual umbrella—anyone who is attracted to more than one gender.

    However, Pansexual and Bisexual have nuanced differences that are frequently debated. Which label a person uses is ultimately a matter of personal preference.

  • Agender

    Someone who identifies as genderless.

    This individual may identify as non-binary , genderqueer, transgender or anonbinary (though some choose to avoid these terms, as they can imply that they identify as a gender, when they in fact do not).

    As this is a lack of gender, some feel that it should not be labeled with the term “gender”.

    Other Definitions

    While a complete lack of gender is the most common definition of agender, individuals may call themselves agender for other reasons, such as:

    • Their gender is neutral or neutrois.
    • They are mostly agender but have a partial connection to another gender (libragender).
    • They are removed from the concept of gender (apogender).
    • Their gender is unknown or undefinable (uingender).
    • There are no words to fit their gender experience (uingender).
    • They do not care about gender, either as an internal identity, as an external label, or both (gender apathetic, gender nihilism).

  • Neurodivergent

    Neurodivergent is a word that describes all brains that think, learn and communicate differently to what is typical or make up the majority of people. See Neurodivergence for the noun counterpart.

    Neurodivergent is a descriptor, but it’s also an identity for people with all different types of atypical brains, regardless of whether they were born neurodivergent or have acquired differences, have a formal diagnosis or self-identify as neurodivergent.

    A brief history

    Kassiane Asasumasu is an autistic activist who fights for autism awareness and acceptance. She coined several terms around neurodiversity, including the word neurodivergent.

    She wanted the term neurodivergent to be inclusive of all atypical brains; it’s not just people with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism, ADHD and dyslexia. This meant that more neurodivergent people could advocate for themselves and find communities of people like them.

    Neurodivergent communities are all unique and culturally-rich. We have a long history of oppression, but we also have a long history of excellence in activism, academics, art and much more.

    Example in a sentence

    “My university has great accommodations for neurodivergent people, and you don’t even have to be formally diagnosed to ask for them.”