As writers and editorial professionals, we know that language is always evolving and changing. A dictionary is not to be used as a rule book but as a reflection of how words are used. This year, the Oxford English Dictionary has added many LGBTQ+ terms to it’s list.
Let’s have a look at the terms added this year.
The new words
Anti-gay and Anti-homosexual. Sadly, these speak for themselves.
Bakla. A person registered as male at birth who identifies with or presents a feminine gender expression (sometimes offensive).
Brotherboy. In Australian Aboriginal usage: a person registered as female at birth who identifies with or presents a masculine gender expression.
Sistergirl. In Australian Aboriginal usage: a person registered as male at birth who identifies with or presents a feminine gender expression.
Demisexual. A person who only develops sexual feelings and attraction within the context of a close emotional relationship, and who does not experience such feelings on the basis of first impressions or physical characteristics
Enby. A phonetic spelling of the initialism NB used to denote or designate a person whose gender identity is non-binary.
Gender-affirming. Usually used to describe steps in a person’s gender transition.
Gender critical. Critical attitudes to the idea of gender identity, or to views which see gender identity as outweighed by biological sex.
Gender expression and Gender presentation. The outward expression or presentation of gender or gender identity through behaviours, mannerisms, modes of dress, etc., that are culturally associated with masculinity or femininity, with gender presentation recorded from 1970 and gender expression from 1973.
LGBTQ. The initialism makes it to the dictionary!
Multisexual. Sexual or romantic attraction to, or sexual activity with, people of different sexes or gender identities.
Muxe. In Zapotec communities of southern Mexico: a person registered as male at birth who identifies with or presents a feminine gender expression.
Pangender. Describing people whose gender identity encompasses multiple genders was originally used in the late 1970s with the sense “encompassing, comprising, or applicable to all people, regardless of sex or gender”.
Teahouse. Like the UK term cottage, a public toilet used by men to engage in or solicit sexual activity with other men.
TERF. A trans-exclusionary radical feminist.
Top. The partner who has or prefers the penetrating role in sexual intercourse between gay men.
Bottom. The partner who is penetrated in (esp. anal) sex.
Folx. Originally a variant of folk or folks used in representations of U.S. regional speech (our first quotation is from 1833), has, since at least 2001, been adopted as an explicitly inclusive term intended to encompass people from marginalized groups, especially the LGBTQ community.
Read more
- https://public.oed.com/blog/the-oed-march-2022-update/
- https://public.oed.com/blog/the-oed-june-2022-update/
- https://public.oed.com/blog/oed-september-2022-release-notes-new-words/
- https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/12/18-lgbtq-words-added-oxford-english-dictionary-2022/
Nick (he/him) is an experienced professional editor and proofreader, specialising in LGBTQ+ writing.
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