Words We Live By: A Guide to LGBTQ+ Language

ALT White and lilac words on a dark blue background saying "Words We Live By: A Guide to LGBTQ+ Language, submit your own words nott.ac/yourLGBTQwords". Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of a city scape, including a rainbow crossing and a bus with the words "Discover our words" written on its side, and large purple letters spelling out "LGBTQ+" in front of white clouds

ALT Lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: Trans Flag”. Around the word “Trans Flag” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of rainbow bunting, celebratory hands , and large purple letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” on top of a hill in front of white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “a flag used to show trans pride, with the light blue and light pink symbolising traditional binary gender and the white representing non-binary and neutral gender identities.” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT White and lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: Transphobia”. Around the word “Transphobia” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of a city scape, including large rainbow letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” in front of white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “being prejudiced towards people and/or discriminating against them because they’re not cisgender. Transmisogyny is a particular form of transphobia against trans women and transfeminine people in particular.” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT Lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: Transitioning”. Around the word “Transitioning” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of a city scape, large purple letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” with a rainbow on the bottom in front of some white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “the process of changing your gender presentation, whether social (for example, taking a new name and wearing certain clothes), medical (for example, through hormone therapy), or legal (such as. on official documents like passports).” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT White and lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: Transfeminine”. Around the word “Transfeminine” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of a city scape, including large rainbow letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” in front of white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “a trans person whose gender identity and presentation is primarily feminine. This can include both trans women and non-binary people.” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT White and lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: Transmasculine”. Around the word “Transmasculine” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of a city scape, including large rainbow letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” in front of white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “a trans person whose gender identity and presentation is primarily masculine. This can include both trans men and non-binary people.” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT Lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: Trans”. Around the word “Trans” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of rainbow bunting, celebratory hands , and large purple letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” on top of a hill in front of white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “Trans is short for ‘transgender’, this is when your gender identity doesn’t line up with the sex you were assigned at birth. Some trans people identify with a binary gender (for example, a trans man) and some hold non-binary identities.” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT Lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: They/them”. Around the word “They/them” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of a city scape, large purple letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” with a rainbow on the bottom in front of some white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “pronouns which are gender-neutral. They/them pronouns can be used in combination with gendered pronouns (for example, “my pronouns are she/they”) to indicate a gender fluid identity or to show that someone doesn’t identify as exclusively non-binary or gendered. ” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT White and lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: Straight”. Around the word “Straight” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of a city scape, including large rainbow letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” in front of white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “a sexual identity label meaning ‘heterosexual’.” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT Lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: Rainbow”. Around the word “Rainbow” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of rainbow bunting, celebratory hands , and large purple letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” on top of a hill in front of white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “The rainbow flag was developed in the 1970s and is symbolic of the LGBTQ+ community around the world. Its colours represent love, community and pride.” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT White and lilac words on a dark blue background saying "Words We Live By: How to ask somebody about their sexuality". Around the words “How to ask somebody about their sexuality” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of a city scape, including a rainbow crossing and a bus with the words "Discover our words" written on its side, and large purple letters spelling out "LGBTQ+" in front of white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “First, ask yourself why you need to know. Is it so that you can give them the best support, or just because you’re curious?” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “A person’s sexual identity is private: the most important thing is not to assume that everybody’s straight because then they can feel forced to come out when it’s not strictly necessary, and not to make someone feel like they have to tell you their identity.” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.

ALT White and lilac words on a dark blue background saying “words we live by: a guide to LGBTQ+ language”. Beneath this is a lilac rectangle containing dark blue words saying “Project lab installation. 27 July - 29 September 2024. National Justice Museum, High Pavement.” Beneath that is a graphic representation of rainbow bunting, a city scape, and a bus with the words “discover our language” on the side. At the top of the image there are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham, the British Academy, and the National Justice Museum.

ALT Lilac words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by: Queer”. Around the word “Queer” is a hollow lilac rectangle. Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. At the bottom of the image are graphic representations of a city scape, large purple letters spelling out “LGBTQ+” with a rainbow on the bottom in front of some white clouds.

ALT White words on a dark blue background saying “Words we live by”. Beneath this is a hollow lilac rectangle with an opaque lilac triangle in the bottom right hand corner. Within the rectangle, white words say “This can be used as an umbrella term for all LGBTQ+ people and a way of indicating your membership to the LGBTQ+ community. The word was mostly used as a slur in the past, which means not everyone’s comfortable using it, but for many younger people its use is now positive.” Above these words are logos belonging to the University of Nottingham and the British Academy. In the bottom left hand corner of the image, there is a bus with a rainbow across it and the words “Discover our language” written on the side.