Gender identity and sexual orientation

Waterloo recognizes the diverse voices and experiences of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (2SLGBTQIA+) students, faculty and staff. We celebrate and acknowledge their significant contributions and vital roles within the campus community and their advocacy for resources and practices that create a more inclusive campus. 

Guiding principles

  • Language is powerful and often creates and perpetuates such barriers.  Our goal when following style and terminology guidelines is to be respectful and accurate, while being community informed and aware of the invisible barriers and oppression that 2SLGBTQIA+ community faces.

  • Respect and use an individual's self-declared pronouns.

  • Always prioritize the terms that individuals or communities use to describe themselves.

  • It is always best to ask how someone identifies themselves, and how they would like to be identified. In the same way, you might introduce yourself with your name and then ask for someone else’s name, you can do so with pronouns. 

    • Example: “My name is Erika, and I use the pronouns they and them; I don’t want to misgender you, can you let me know what your names and pronouns are?” 

Recognizing diversity contributes to a more inclusive campus

Terminology and key concepts

Please note that this list is non-exhaustive. More terminology and key concepts can be found in the Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation resources. 

The following table helps promote awareness and understanding of respectful language around gender identity and sexual orientation.  

Recommended Language  

Explanation  

Gender identity 

Gender identity refers to a person's internal understanding and experience of their own gender 

Transgender (trans) 

Transgender is an umbrella term for individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned at birth. 

Pronouns: They/Them (singular)/ She/Her, He/Him 

Normalizing the use of pronouns, we help create a culture of awareness and allyship. 

2SLGBTQIA+ 

This acronym acknowledges the full spectrum of gender and sexual identities, going beyond just "LGBT" to include identities often left out. This reinforces that everyone’s identity is valid and worthy of recognition. 

Queer (if self-identified) 

Queer is an umbrella term that has been reclaimed by many in the  2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

Asexual 

(when referring to asexuality) 

Bisexual 

Implies curiosity rather than orientation 

Same-gender relationship 

Bisexual refers to someone attracted to more than one gender. "Bi-curious" suggests a temporary or experimental attraction, which may not accurately reflect a person's identity. 

Gender Fluid  

Gender fluid describes a person whose gender identity may change over time. "Androgynous" is often used to describe appearance rather than identity and may not reflect an individual's experience. 

Sexual orientation 

Sexual orientation refers to the inherent attraction one feels towards others. "Preference" implies a choice or something changeable, which can invalidate someone's identity. 

Affirming  

"Affirming" implies an active and supportive stance toward a person's identity, while "accepting" can imply tolerance without full support or understanding. 

Cisgender  

Cisgender describes individuals whose gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth. Using "normal" implies that cisgender identities are the standard, marginalizing others. 

Ally  

An ally is someone who supports and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. "Friend of the LGBTQ+" can undermine the seriousness of allyship and suggest a superficial connection. 

Resources

Contact us

If you have any further questions about the gender identity and sexual orientation style, please contact University Communications by email at urcomms@uwaterloo.ca. We’ll help connect you with teams in the right campus offices.

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