Source
NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists
About
NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists is an American professional association, based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ+ issues. Founded as the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, it has updated its name as the communities it represents have: adding a “Q” in 2016 and a “+” in 2023. Its Stylebook on LGBTQ+ Terminology (2025) is a journalist-facing reference on LGBTQ+ language.
In the commons it is a source for the Sexuality & Gender Identity chapter.
Access
Host posture is private-mirror-link-out: the stylebook is published openly on nlgja.org (linked) and was live at the last check. The commons keeps a private preservation copy for citation verification and links out. Quotes are held within fair-use limits.
Works reviewed
NLGJA Stylebook on LGBTQ Terminology
Available onlineTerms citing this source
- AgenderUse
“Defined as not having a gender; not synonymous with asexual or genderqueer. Some agender people say they lack gender, while others say they are gender neutral. Agender people might identify as transgender, nonbinary, both or neither.”
: Gender, Gender Identity section, "agender (adj.)"
- AllyUse with care
“A person who supports LGBTQ+ people and causes but does not personally identify as LGBTQ+. Some organizations use ally as part of the A in LGBTQIA, but be aware that some people and organizations strongly object to its inclusion.”
: Stylebook, "ally" entry
- AsexualUse
“Refers to someone who doesn't experience sexual attraction, and may or may not experience romantic attraction (aromantic). More closely associated with sexual orientation than with gender; not synonymous with agender or gender-nonconforming.”
: Sexual Orientation → asexual (noun, adj.)
- Bathroom BillAvoid
“Avoid this politically charged term for measures that seek to grant or deny public accommodations for transgender people; opponents to transgender equity often focus on access to public restrooms. Acceptable in direct quotes.”
: "bathroom bill" entry, A–B section
- Biological SexAvoid
“In reference to gender, do not use terms such as biological truth or biological sex… Do not use phrases such as biological male to refer to transgender girls and women or biological female to refer to transgender boys and men.”
: Gender, Gender Identity section → biological
- BisexualUse
“bisexual (noun, adj.) No hyphen. As a noun, a person attracted to one's own gender and an additional one or more genders. As an adjective, of or relating to attraction to one's own gender and an additional one or more genders. Does not presume nonmonogamy.”
: Sexual Orientation section, bisexual entry
- DeadnameAvoid
“The name given to a trans person at birth that they no longer use. To use or call someone by their deadname without their express permission is considered deeply offensive to most trans people.”
: Gender, Gender Identity section, "birth name, deadname" entry
- Female To MaleAvoid
“FTM, or female-to-male, is generally seen as outdated.… MTF, or male-to-female, is generally seen as outdated.”
: Glossary entries: transgender man / transgender woman
- GayUse
“Refers to men who are attracted to other men. Do not use as a singular noun: Juan is gay, not Juan is a gay. Acceptable in tight headlines and in quotations to refer collectively to gays and lesbians.”
: Sexual Orientation → gay (noun, adj.)
- GenderUse with care
“Gender is a social and psychological experience of self, distinct from sex, which refers to biological characteristics. Both are typically assigned at birth, based on visible anatomy, but that assignment may not align with a person's actual gender identity.”
: Gender, Gender Identity section → "Gender and gender identity are distinct concepts"
“Refers to health treatments, such as counseling, puberty blockers, hormones and surgery, that help align traits of a person's gender expression…with their gender identity.…it is the phrase used by leading medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.”
: Glossary entry, "gender-affirming care"
“Gender identity refers to a person's deeply emotional and psychological sense of having a gender and encompasses a wide range of experiences, including being male, female, both or neither. A person's knowledge or understanding of their gender identity may emerge over time.”
: Gender, Gender Identity section intro
- GroomingAvoid
“Refers to the practice of building trust and eroding boundaries to facilitate the sexual abuse of a child or vulnerable adult. Avoid using these terms, even in quotes, to portray LGBTQ+ people broadly as predators or as "recruiting" people, particularly children.”
: Glossary entry, "groomer, grooming"
- HermaphroditeAvoid
“hermaphrodite … Avoid this term. See intersex …”
: Stylebook A–Z entry, "hermaphrodite"
- HomophobiaUse with care
“Fear, hatred or dislike of homosexuality, gay men and/or lesbians. … Restrict to relevant usage, such as in quotations, opinions or broad references to the concept. Use LGBTQ+ rights opponents or similar instead of homophobes when describing people who oppose LGBTQ+ people, rights or activism.”
: Sexual Orientation → homophobia (noun), homophobic (adj.)
- HomosexualAvoid
“Avoid the obsolete term homosexual to refer to people. Homosexuality is acceptable when a noun is needed for the concept of same-sex attraction. The terms may be most useful when writing about scientific research that uses the terminology to describe sexual activity.”
: Glossary entry: homosexual, homosexuality
- NonbinaryUse
“Refers to a person whose gender identity and/or expression is not strictly male or female. … Use if a person self-identifies as nonbinary, or in quotations or names of organizations. Some nonbinary individuals identify as trans.”
: Gender, Gender Identity → nonbinary (adj.)
- PronounsUse
“Use of they/them/their as singular, gender-neutral pronouns is common enough to not require explanation. Do not avoid or write around these pronouns. … Avoid the term preferred pronouns, as it implies that calling people other than what they want to be called is a viable alternative.”
: Gender, Gender Identity → pronouns
- QueerUse with care
“Originally a pejorative substitute for gay, now reclaimed by some LGBTQ+ people. Use with caution; still offensive when used as an epithet and might be offensive to many LGBTQ+ people regardless of intent. Consider your audience before using queer; explain its meaning if needed.”
: Sexual Orientation → queer (adj.)
- Sex ChangeAvoid
“Avoid this obsolete term in favor of gender transition or gender affirmation.”
: "sex change" entry
“Sexual orientation refers to sexual, emotional or romantic attraction to another person, which can manifest through self-identification, behavior or social affiliation. Broadly, sexual orientation includes sexual attraction to those of the same sex/gender (homosexual), a different sex/gender (heterosexual), any sex/gender (pansexual, bisexual) and no attraction to others (asexual).”
: Sexual Orientation section, head entry
- Sexual PreferenceAvoid
“Avoid imprecise terms such as sexual preference or sexuality. Sexual preference implies a choice; sexuality refers to sexual activity generally.”
: "Sexual orientation" entry
- SuicideUse with care
“Use "died by suicide" or "killed themself" instead of "committed suicide," except in quotations. Do not describe attempts as successful or unsuccessful.”
: Suicide entry
- TrannyAvoid
“Do not use this derogatory slang for a transgender person.”
: Stylebook entry, "tranny"
- Trans WomanUse with care
“A person who was assigned male at birth but identifies and/or lives as female. Usually shortened to trans woman or trans girl (not transwoman or transgirl). Use only when the subject prefers it and when transgender status is relevant …”
: "transgender woman, transgender girl" entry
- TransgenderUse
“In news coverage, identify people as transgender only when relevant to the subject matter and if they are widely known or describe themselves as such. Otherwise, refer to trans men as men and trans women as women.”
: Gender, Gender Identity → transgender (adj.)
- TransgenderedAvoid
“Do not use this offensive term that carries negative connotations, including the implication that something must have happened to make a person transgender, or that being transgender is a choice.”
: Glossary entry: transgendered
- TransitionUse with care
“Transitions are very personal and occur over time. Mention a person's gender transition in a story, and its details, only when relevant, such as health care access or legal documentation issues. Avoid the obsolete term sex change.”
: Glossary entry: gender transition, transition
- TranssexualUse with care
“Avoid this obsolete term for transgender unless the subject prefers it. Consider paraphrasing quotes containing the term, which may inaccurately imply a person has undergone gender-affirming surgery.”
: Gender, Gender Identity → transsexual
- Two SpiritUse with care
“An Indigenous person in North America believed to possess a mixture of masculine and feminine spirits. … Its use and meaning can vary by tribe and individual. Use only in broad references or if an individual uses it. … Do not use the adjective two-spirited, which can carry disrespectful connotations.”
: Glossary entry: two-spirit (Gender, Gender Identity section)