Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
Resources for Educators
Filmmaker Lonny Shavelson is available for
 questions by e-mail or phone
 class chats by Skype
 in-person discussions at your school
Contact Information: Producer/Director Lonny Shavelson
Berkeley, California
Tel. (1) 510-343-6939
Email: lonny@photowords.com
Running time......full version: 84 min (for student viewing out of class, or in-class
screening)
classroom version: 42 min
Genre.....................documentary/LGBT/Gender/Trans
Year.........................2015
Language..............English
Country: USA
Formats available.....
 DVD (contact: info@photowords.com)
 Online streaming &/or download: http://tinyurl.com/32infinityedu
Web: www.threetoinfinity.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/32infinity
Twitter: @32infinity
1
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
2
Using this guide
to aid in assignments and discussion after the film
Three to Infinity: Beyond two genders, in both its full 84-minute format and 42minute classroom version, provides a thorough presentation of the complex topic
of non-binary genders. The film, though, will be greatly enhanced by students'
thoughtful discussion and analysis after seeing it.
The opening sections of this guide—Synopsis, Filmmakers Bio, and Why this film?—
provide information about the documentary, from how it was made to quotes from
the people who are portrayed. These introductory sections can be provided to
your students in their entirety to provide context for the film. The thumbnail
portraits of each person in the film will also help the students remember and
name each person during the discussions.
In the sections that follow the introductory materials, you will find information,
thoughts, ideas and questions that can further enhance and guide your classroom
discussions and assignments.
Finally, there is a section on further reading and resources.
Please feel free to contact the filmmaker, Lonny Shavelson, with any questions,
comments or ideas: lonny@photowords.com
Contents:
P. 1:
P. 2:
P. 3:
P. 4,5:
P. 6-9:
P. 10:
P. 11-12:
P. 13-21:
Contact and purchase information
Using this guide
Synopsis. Filmmaker's Bio
From the Filmmaker: Why this film?
The Cast
Additional Student Resources
Questions to enhance class discussion
A superb glossary of terms, courtesy of Anna "Aiden" Gleisberg,
San Francisco State University
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
3
Synopsis
THREE TO INFINITY: Beyond two genders is the first feature documentary entirely
focused on people who are neither male nor female. Agender, gender queer, nonbinary and more, they're redefining gender, challenging the ways we think about
masculinity and femininity. The film provides a profound and personal
understanding of people who are gender neutral. This insightful documentary takes
the viewer deeply into a provocatively new gender frontier.
Filmmaker's Bio
Lonny Shavelson is a documentary filmmaker, photojournalist, public radio reporter
and author—most recently producer/director of the feature documentary film,
Three to Infinity: Beyond two genders.
Shavelson has written and photographed for numerous publications, from The New
York Times to Mother Jones, and his radio and multimedia stories have aired on
NPR, BBC/PRI’s The World and other shows nationally.
He is the author and photographer of six books, with topics varying from people
with mental illness to rehab for drug addicts.
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
Shavelson lives in Berkeley, California.
From the Filmmaker:
Why this film?
When I first met people who said they were not male
or female, I had to bounce the idea around my brain. I
mean, since the moment of my birth – "It's a boy!" –
my entire world had been based on an indisputable
truth: people are male or female. Choose one of the
two.
Sure, there was a wealth of gender variations:
effeminate men, masculine women, men sexually
attracted to men, women to women and some to
both. A rare few had genetic, hormonal or genital
differences that made their
4
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
5
gender difficult to distinguish physically. But invariably they were forced to decide, male
or female. And although some trans people switched from one gender to the other, it
was still: Two genders.
Then over the past decade or so I met more and more people who said they had no
gender or were between genders. Some said the whole male-female business simply
didn't apply to them. They were just, them.
Soon I was certain that people with non-binary genders were increasingly common. At
the time I was working as a journalist, with some of the most knowledgeable news
editors in the country. But when I mentioned this new way of thinking about gender,
they uniformly said, "Yeah, I've heard something about that." They knew little more. So I
started filming Three to Infinity: Beyond two genders.
I made the film because I was fascinated, and stunned, by the idea that thousands of
years of thinking about only two genders will be, in the next decade or so, completely
altered.
Yes, the vast majority of us will still be male or female. But many will be neither. And the
way we think about gender, about masculinity and femininity, about what it means to be
male or female, will be forever changed. That's what Three to Infinity is about.
I made some interesting decisions about how to film Three to Infinity. First, you'll find
none of the usual authorities in this documentary—no psychiatrists, psychologists, no
gender studies experts to tell us what it all means. Yet the film is rich with experts: eleven
people who are neither male nor female, accompanied by their families and partners,
who guide us into this new frontier.
Second, this film is a lesson in a new way of filmmaking that, I believe, will democratize
the industry, knock the hierarchy down a bit. I wanted to show that a major, full length
documentary film can now be produced with cameras and sound gear that don't cost
tens of thousand of dollars, and without huge film crews and support staff that not only
require exorbitant funds but interfere with the intimacy between filmmaker and subjects.
For about 90% of this film, there was one crew member—me—running three cameras
(digital SLRs), recording interviews and ambient sound, and when needed positioning
and adjusting lights. For a few sessions I was graced with the help of a recent
photography school graduate, who volunteered his time in exchange for learning on the
set. And one filmmaking friend did free extra camerawork during a particular fastmoving scene. That's it, the whole crew for the entire film. And my expenses? They're still
under $15,000. The expenses in time and dedication by myself and others? Priceless.
Three to Infinity is being screened at film festivals, pitched as a TV documentary,
distributed to colleges and universities, and is available as on online download and
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
6
rental. It will, I hope, give all viewers the opportunity to understand the full richness of an
infinite number of gender possibilities.
Lonny Shavelson on scene with the Crawford family
The Cast
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
7
Aidan Key - "When somebody forced me to
pick a gender, I didn't know what to say. And
that caused a great deal of tension, in everyone
else.”
Bertie Brouhard - “I need schooling on that
gender fluid, non-binary gendered person. That
may be the next wave of education, the next
work to be done.”
Brielle Harrison - “We had fifty-six custom
genders that people could choose from. And
there were still choices we needed to add.”
Brian Williams - “I've always just seen Marilyn
as Marilyn, not male, female, gender queer,
agender. Marilyn was from the beginning and is
now still very much Marilyn.”
Char Crawford - “Violence is a part of my life,
my lovers' lives. We have the scars and the
missing teeth to prove it.”
Debra Crandall - “When Sasha said they were
gender queer, I'd never heard of that before.
And I thought it didn't mean very much.”
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
8
Francesca Crawford - “I love my kid, and I'm
scared someone's not going to understand and
wipe my kid off the face of the earth.”
Vera Sepulveda - “This isn't confusing for me.
As a friend says, 'I'm male to female to David
Bowie.'”
Rebecca Burgess - “The need to identify gender
to determine if I'm interested in somebody is
completely absent. I look for traits I'm attracted
to, and pursue those no matter what the
plumbing is.”
Sasha Fleischman - “People have some file in
their brain that says, male or female. I don't see
that gender file in my brain. ”
Lux Crawford - “Your entire life is dictated by your
binary gender. And when someone says, that's
not me, it confronts everything, you have to
adjust everything.”
Jonnie Pratt - “I will not talk about being gender
queer. It's enough I'm already a black man and
what I've got to deal with that. ”
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
9
Jay Billings - “When you're male, you're seen as
blacker, and more threatening and dangerous. I
feel much safer as a biracial woman than a biracial
man.”
Micah Levy - “Gender is this intangible, internal
sense of self. When you ask what is gender,
it's very murky territory, almost, what is your
soul?”
Tamara Levy
Phil Crawford - “Gender queer is still pretty new.
I'm not sure if everyone even in the LGBT
community is really aware of it yet.”
Marilyn Roxie - “When I would think about guys, I
would think about myself as being male with
them.
I couldn't sort out what was happening in my
head.”
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
10
Karl Fleischman
Jesse Pikorz - “I like tight fitting masculine clothes,
fem masculine. And that fem boy hairstyle.”
Zander Keig - “I was outside male and female, but
I was not interested in fighting any more.
And when there was something to provide me
that safety, that peace. I took it.”
THREE TO INFINITY: Beyond two genders
Additional Student Resources:
General information:
 FAQ about Transgender, from the National Center For Transgender Equality:
http://transequality.org/issues/resources/understanding-transgenderpeople-faq
 A listing of Genderqueer links: http://genderqueerid.com/gq-links
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
11
 Genderqueer ID: http://genderqueerid.com/
 Demographic Data: http://practicalandrogyny.com/
 An excellent academic resource and analysis of Gender Diversity themes on
campus: "Interrupting Heteronormativity" The Graduate School of Syracuse
University. It can be downloaded here: http://surface.syr.edu/books/14/
Blogs:
 Micah Levy's web page, Neutrois Nonsense: http://neutrois.me/
 Genderfork blog: http://genderfork.com/
Student LGBTQ Resources and Support:
 Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, GLSEN: http://www.glsen.org/
Trans and Gender Queer Rights Organizations:
 Human Rights Campaign, Transgender Visibility Guide:
http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/transgender-visibility-guide
 National Center for Transgender Equality: http://transequality.org/
LGBT/Trans/Genderqueer Language and Terminology:
 GLAAD:
http://files.glaad.org/files/2011/documents/talkingabout_terminology.pdf
 Teaching Tolerance: http://www.tolerance.org/LGBT-best-practices-terms
Questions to enhance class discussion
 Why do you think the film's main title is Three to Infinity?
 What, if anything, about this film surprised you?
 What, if anything, about this film changed your understanding of gender?
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators

12
Sasha says: "Some people have a file in their brain that says,
'gender, male or female.' I don't see that file." What does Sasha mean by
that?
 What does "non-binary" gender mean?

Lux says: " Your entire life is dictated by your binary gender. And
when someone says that's not me, it confronts everything. You have to
adjust everything." What did Lux mean by that?
 For those in the film who consider themselves to be gender queer, gender
neutral or agender, do their actual genitals clarify—for them—their gender?
 Does a person's gender presentation (male, female, trans, agender, gender
neutral, non-binary, other) also establish their sexuality (heterosexual, gay, bi,
other)?

Sasha was wearing a skirt, and on the bus coming home from
school Sasha was set on fire. Why?

Lux's father, Phil, explained some gender terms. What do the
following mean:
o Cis
o Trans
o Natal gender
o Assigned gender
o Gender identity
o Gender neutral
o (for extra credit): Nibling
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
13
 Are people who are gender neutral or gender queer, also considered to be
trans?

Vera and Rebecca are a couple. Vera identifies as
gender queer. Rebecca identifies as female. Is Vera gay, straight, bisexual or
other? Is Rebecca gay, straight, bisexual or other? (Explain your answer.)

How can you know what pronoun (he, she, they or other) Micah
prefers when people talk about Micah?
o Now that you know what Micah's preferred pronoun is, and since you
know that Micah and Vera both identify as gender queer—should
you also refer to Vera with the same pronoun as you use for Micah?
Explain.
 If someone is really trans, will they will have surgery to finalize their
transition? Explain.
 Since people who are gender queer aren't changing fully to the "opposite"
gender, do they still want gender surgery? Explain.
 If someone is assigned female at birth, but later has top surgery (removal of
breasts), do they now identify as more male than female?


Why does Johnnie hesitate to say he is gender queer?
o Why does the question about Johnnie use "he" for the pronoun?
Sasha thought the media presented them incorrectly. Why?
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators

14
Near the end of the film, Lux says, "I don't know if society will
gradually drift away from binary identities. Maybe people will never get used
to non-binary identities." What do you think?
KEY TERMS & DEFINITIONS
Courtesy of Anna "Aiden" Gleisberg
San Francisco State University
Ability: The word “ability” often substitutes the common medical term “disability” in order to
highlight differing physical and mental abilities as a range of variations in the ways that people
negotiate their environments. Many times, “disabilities” are constructed as abnormal, representing a
specific group of people as “less than” or “unable” instead of appreciating varying abilities as another
component of diversity like variations in race, gender, social class, and sexual orientation (from
“Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U.,
2004).
Agency: 1. The state of being in action or exerting power. 2. The state of serving as an official and
authorized delegate or agent [syn: representation]. 3. How a result is obtained or an end is achieved
(from WordNet 3.0, 2006).
Aikāne: A Hawaiian word for “friend.” This word describes the special same-sex relationship
between an ali`i and his or her chosen companion. Male and female ali`i had such relationships (from
“Sticks & Stones: Educator’s Workbook,” AFSC Gay Liberation Program & Catalyst Productions, 2003).
Ally: A person who works in a helpful capacity toward another. Here, the term refers to anyone who
supports and honors the sexual and gender diversity of the LGBT community. An ally might not
identify as LGBT or queer, but he or she will typically support issues related to the LGBT community.
As a result of solidarity, many allies challenge homophobic and heterosexist remarks and behaviors
(from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of
Syracuse U., 2004).
Androgyny: Being neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine, as in dress, appearance, or
behavior (from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., 2000).
Asexual: Lacking interest in or desire for sex (from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language, 4th ed., 2000).
BDSM: Any number of related patterns of human sexual behavior that are considered non-normative.
The major sub-groupings are: bondage and discipline (B&D); domination and submission (D&S); and
sadism and masochism/sadomasochism (S&M) (from Wikipedia, 2007).
Binary: Characterized by or consisting of two parts or components; twofold (from The American
Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., 2000).
Binary Gender System, Sex-Gender System: The socially constructed and reinforced idea that
there are only two distinct, and opposite, genders in our culture (masculine and feminine) which
“naturally” cause biologically born males to become men and biologically born females to become
women. This limited understanding of gender erases people who do not “fit” within one category or
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
15
the other (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School
of Syracuse U., 2004).
Bisexual: A person who has significant emotional, sexual, and/or romantic attractions to both men
and women (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate
School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Butch: A term some individuals use to describe their masculine gender identity or expression.
Cisgender, Cissexual: “a term used to describe people who, for the most part, identify as the gender
they were assigned at birth. For example, if a doctor said ‘it’s a boy!’ when you were born, and you
identify as a man, then you could be described as cisgender. In other words, ‘cisgender’ is used to
describe people who are not transgender” (from “Trans 101: Cisgender,” Basic Rights Oregon, 2011).
Class, Social Class: “Class” usually refers to social stratum whose members share certain social,
economic, and cultural characteristics. In other words, class is usually related to income, wealth,
education, occupational prestige, and the privileges that accompany these hierarchical statuses.
Social class standing intersects with sexuality and gender identity as well as race, ability, religion, and
nationality in complicated ways (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting
Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Closet, Closeted, “In the Closet:” The closet is commonly referred to by LGBT people as the state of
hiding or concealing one’s LGBT-identity and/or behavior from others, and sometimes even from
oneself. The origin comes from an old drag phrase, “you can only tell he’s gay by the female clothes in
his closet” (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate
School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Coming Out, “Coming Out of the Closet:” 1. The process of publicly revealing or disclosing one’s
LGBT identity and/or behavior to others. For some, coming out can be a lifelong process of selfacceptance (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate
School of Syracuse U., 2004). 2. Heterosexual family members or allies of LGBT persons also
experience “coming out” when they disclose to others that they have friends or relatives who are
LGBT-identified.
Cross-Dresser: A person who dresses in the clothing of the opposite gender (from “Sticks & Stones:
Educator’s Workbook,” AFSC Gay Liberation Program & Catalyst Productions, 2003).
Dehumanization: To deprive of human qualities or attributes; divest of individuality. Example:
“Conformity dehumanized him” (from Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2006).
Discourse: 1. Verbal expression in speech or writing. 2. Verbal exchange; conversation. 3. A formal,
lengthy discussion of a subject, either written or spoken (from The American Heritage Science
Dictionary, 2002).
Drag: The act of dressing in clothing that is commonly associated with the opposite gender. Usually
in drag shows, drag queens are men who dress and perform as women, and drag kings are women
who dress and perform as men (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting
Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Dyke: A derogatory slur for lesbians, bisexual women, or masculine women that has been reclaimed
as a term of pride and is frequently used by those in the LGBT community as an identity (from
“Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U.,
2004).
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
16
Fag, Faggot: A derogatory slur for gay, bisexual, or effeminate men that has been reclaimed as a term
of pride and is frequently used by those in the LGBT community as an identity (from “Glossary of
LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Femme: A term some individuals use to describe their feminine gender identity or expression.
FTM, F2M: An acronym to describe female-to-male transsexuals [syns: transman or tranny boi].
FTX/FTNF, F2X/F2NF: An acronym to describe female-to-not female individuals. People who
identify as FTXs or FTNFs were assigned “female” at birth and see themselves as embodying or
transitioning toward an identity that is not male or female. Such individuals may also identify as
transgender, transsexual, or genderqueer.
Gay: 1. Oftentimes, “gay” is used as an adjective to refer to all people, regardless of gender, who have
their primary emotional, sexual, and/or romantic attractions to others of the same sex. However,
when used as a noun, “gay” usually refers to men who have significant emotional, sexual and/or
romantic attractions to other men (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting
Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004). 2. Recently, the word “gay” has started to
be used as an adjective to mean “stupid” or “lame.” Example: “That’s so gay!” Though seemingly
innocent, this statement is derogatory [See homophobia.] (from “Sticks & Stones: Educator’s
Workbook,” AFSC Gay Liberation Program & Catalyst Productions, 2003).
Gender: 1. Socially constructed category that is determined by “the behavioral, cultural, or
psychological traits typically associated with one sex” (from the Merriam-Webster's Medical
Dictionary, 2002). 2. People are socialized into behaving appropriately for their sex based on the
culture and historical time period in which they live. Gender is often considered a social institution
in our culture since it shapes our desires, behaviors, and identities so profoundly and is intimately
related to power dynamics between men and women (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.”
Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Gender Expression: The external representation of one’s gender identity that is usually expressed
through “feminine” or “masculine” behavior, clothing, voice inflection, and body adornment. Some
people who identify as transgender work to make their gender expression match their gender
identity and not the biological sex assigned to them at birth. However, many self-identified
transgender folk also resist the gender binary system altogether and refuse to be categorized as
either a man or woman (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity.
Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Genderfuck: A subversive and visible gender performance that "fucks with" or plays with
“traditional” or “normative” gender identities, gender roles, and gender presentations [syns: genderblend or gender bend] (from Wikipedia, 2006).
Gender Identity: 1. One’s personal sense of being a man, woman, or something else; the name one
uses to refer to his/her/hir gender. For some transgender people, their assigned biological sex does
not match their gender identity (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting
Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004). 2. Gender identity is often assigned
according to anatomical sex. However, the gender identity of a person (i.e., who they feel they are)
may or may not match their assigned sex (from “Sticks & Stones: Educator’s Workbook,” AFSC Gay
Liberation Program & Catalyst Productions, 2003).
Gender Non-Conforming: The act of having or being perceived to have gender characteristics
and/or behaviors that do not conform to traditional or societal expectations. Some gender nonconforming people may not identify as LGBT.
Genderqueer: A gender identity of a person who identifies as a gender other than "man" or
"woman," or someone who identifies as neither, both, or some combination thereof. In relation to the
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
17
gender binary (the view that there are only two genders), genderqueer people generally identify as
more "both/and" or "neither/nor," rather than "either/or." Some genderqueer people see their
identity as one of many different genders outside of man and woman; some see it as a term
encompassing all gender identities outside of the gender binary; some believe it encompasses binary
genders among others; some may identify as a-gender; and some see it as a third gender in addition
to the traditional two. The commonality is that all genderqueer people reject the notion that there
are only two genders in the world. The term genderqueer is also occasionally used more broadly as
an adjective to refer to people who are in some way gender-transgressive, and could have any gender
identity (from Wikipedia, 2006).
Harassment: Conveying hatred, contempt or prejudice by way of name-calling, slurs, disrespectful
gestures, and comments that label an individual as abnormal, sinful, or sick. Examples: Being joked
about, picked on, inappropriately touched, stared at, approached for sex, or told one should choose
not to be LGBT-identified. Attempting to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity
is also a form of harassment.
Hegemony, Hegemonic: 1. The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another
or others (from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., 2000). 2. A term
coined by Italian Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci that refers to the process by which those in power
secure the consent of their “subordinates” by making their position/power seem natural and normal
through the use of pleasure, fascination, humor, etc. Individuals in the group give their consent and
endorse the views and beliefs that are imposed on them. In other words, this is not a type of power
that works through overt force; instead, hegemony seduces us into believing that things are the way
they are because, “they’re supposed to be that way.” Example: The idea that men and women should
only be attracted to members of the opposite gender is based on a hegemonic belief system (from
“Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U.,
2004).
Hermaphrodite: Historically, a negative term to describe an individual born with a reproductive or
sexual anatomy that does not conform to male or female norms [See intersex.].
Heteronormativity: 1. “An ideology based on definitions of what it means to be a woman or a man
that exclude and discriminate against a significant minority population” (from Deborah A. Freund’s
“Preface.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004). 2. The
reinforcement of certain viewpoints by many social institutions and social policies. These viewpoints
endorse the following: human beings fall into two distinct and complementary categories—male and
female; sexual and marital relations are normal only when they occur between people of different
sexes; and each sex has certain natural roles in life. Therefore, in any given person, one’s anatomical
sex, gender identity, and gender role should align to either all-male or all-female norms.
Additionally, heterosexuality is viewed as the only “normal” expression of one’s sexual orientation
while all other expressions of sexuality are deemed unacceptable. The norms established may be
overt, covert, or implied. Those who identify and criticize heteronormativity say that it distorts
discourse by stigmatizing deviant concepts of both sexuality and gender, making certain types of selfexpression more difficult…. In a heteronormative society, the binary choice of male and female for
one's gender identity is viewed as leading to a lack of possible choice about one's gender role and
sexual identity (from Wikipedia, 2006).
Heterosexism: 1. An “ism” represents a system, ideology, or theory that privileges or rewards
certain groups over others on the basis of a particular characteristic. Heterosexism refers to the
dominant cultural belief that heterosexuality is the only “normal” and “right” sexuality for all people.
Not only does heterosexism lead to prejudice and discrimination against LGBT people, but it also
impacts non-LGBT individuals by defining a very narrow range of acceptable behaviors and identities
(from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of
Syracuse U., 2004). 2. The active promotion of heterosexuality as the only desirable way of life (from
“Sticks & Stones: Educator’s Workbook,” AFSC Gay Liberation Program & Catalyst Productions, 2003).
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
18
Heterosexual: A person who has significant emotional, sexual, and/or romantic attractions to
members of the opposite sex/gender [syn: straight] (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.”
Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Homonormativity: The investment in “a politics that does not contest dominant heteronormative
assumptions and institutions but upholds and sustains them” (from Lisa Duggan’s article, “The New
Homonormativity: The Sexual Politics of Neoliberalism.” Materializing Democracy: Toward a
Revitalized Cultural Politics, 2002). LGBT people who invest in a homonormative ideology reinforce
various social institutions (e.g., marriage, family, military, etc.) through upholding the majority of
pre-established norms, endorsing a narrow conception of acceptable behaviors and identities, and
stigmatizing other queer or deviant expressions of gender or sexuality.
Homophobia: 1. While a strict translation refers to the fear and hatred of “homosexuals,”
homophobia encompasses a much broader definition by also incorporating the discomfort and
dislike that people may feel toward LGBT people, the belief that LGBT people do not deserve the
same rights and opportunities as people who are not LGBT, and any language or practice that
supports these ideologies. For example, using derogatory slurs, even in jest, is homophobic: “That’s
so gay!” (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School
of Syracuse U., 2004). 2. This prejudice includes the belief that all LGBT people fit certain
stereotypes. Homophobia can also refer to name-calling with the intent to hurt someone and it
sometimes leads to violence (from “Sticks & Stones: Educator’s Workbook,” AFSC Gay Liberation
Program & Catalyst Productions, 2003).
Homosexual: A person who has significant emotional, sexual, and/or romantic attractions to
members of the same sex/gender. This term emerged from medical discourse and is not usually the
preferred way most LGBT people refer to themselves or others (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related
Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Ideology: A system of beliefs or theories, usually political, held by an individual or a group.
Capitalism, communism, and socialism are usually called ideologies (from The American Heritage
New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 3rd ed., 2005).
Intersex: A term used to describe the occurrence of a person born with both male and female
anatomical/physiological characteristics (which can occur in various combinations), when a person’s
genitalia is biologically ambiguous, and/or when an individual’s chromosomes differs from the
standard genetic configuration of XX (female) or XY (male). Such circumstances are quite common;
however, many doctors usually make a decision to surgically alter a child’s genitalia at a very young
age. Surgical alteration of genitalia to make an individual “fit” either a male or female sex category
has led some theorists to argue that sex categories are not just biological; they are, in fact, socially as
well as biologically constructed [syn: hermaphrodite] (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.”
Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004). An intersex person may or
may not identify as LGBT.
Leather: A blanket term for a large array of sexual preferences, identities, relationship structures,
and social organizations loosely tied together by the thread of what is conventionally understood as
sadomasochistic sex (from glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer
Culture, 2004).
LGBT, GLBT: An acronym for the dominant identities represented in the queer community—
lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgendered. At times, “Q” is added to refer to those who identify
as queer and/or questioning (their sexual identity). Also, sometimes “A” is added to refer to people
who identify as LGBT Allies (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting
Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
19
Lesbian: A woman who has significant emotional, sexual, and/or romantic attractions to other
women. Also, a woman who is “woman-identified” (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.”
Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Māhū: 1. The term “māhū” originally refers to transgender individuals in indigenous pre-colonial
Hawaii. The “māhū” were not only accepted in their communities, but were also regarded as gifted
and divine, possessing the qualities of both the male and female gender. Since the islands were
colonized, “māhū” has broadened to include cross-dressers, drag queens, gays, lesbians, and
bisexuals. In modern times, it has also taken on a derogatory and negative connotation (from “Māhū:
UCLA’s API LGBT Student Organization” Website: http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/mahu/). 2. In
many contexts, “māhū” is used as a general term to mean “gay.” As a result, the terms “māhū wahine”
(e.g., MTFs) or “māhū kāne” (e.g., FTMs) are used to distinguish people who would may be regarded
as transgender or transsexual in a Western context; however, the meaning of the Hawaiian term
cannot, and should not, be simply reduced to a Western gender binary as such an application or
parallel runs the risk of re-inscribing the subject within a colonialist discourse.
Monogamy: The practice or condition of having a single sexual partner during a period of time (from
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., 2000).
MTF, M2F: An acronym to describe male-to-female transsexuals [syns: transwoman or t-gurl].
MTX/MTNM, M2X/M2NF: An acronym to describe male-to-not male individuals. People who
identify as MTXs or MTNMs were assigned “male” at birth and see themselves as embodying or
transitioning toward an identity that is not male or female. Such individuals may also identify as
transgender, transsexual, or genderqueer.
Norm: 1. A standard, model, or pattern. 2. General level or average. Example: “Two cars per
family is the norm in most suburban communities.” (from Random House Unabridged
Dictionary, 2006).
Normative: 1. Of or pertaining to a norm, especially an assumed norm regarded as the standard of
correctness in behavior, speech, writing, etc. 2. Reflecting the assumption of such a norm or favoring
its establishment: a normative attitude (from The Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2006).
Pansexual: Expressing or involving sexuality in many different forms or with a variety of sexual
outlets (from Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2006). Pansexuality is not limited to the gender
binary [syn: omnisexual].
Pass: LGB people are said to “pass” when their LGB identity is not publicly exposed—i.e., they can
“pass” as straight. Transgender people are said to “pass” when they can successfully live as their
chosen gender (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate
School of Syracuse U., 2004). However, an individual’s ability to “pass” effectively is also dependent
on how others perceive him or her, which may vary depending on the context.
Performative: 1. [adj.] Of an expression or statement; performing an act by the very fact of being
uttered. Example: Saying “I promise” performs the act of promising. 2. [n.] A performative
utterance (from Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2006). Further explanation and examples:
*Gender Performativity: Judith Butler, a renowned queer theorist, sees gender as an act that
has been rehearsed, much like a script. As the actors, we make this script a reality over and
over again by performing these actions. Additionally, performativity reveals that
homosexuality and heterosexuality are not fixed categories. For Butler, gender and sexuality
are not an expression of what one is; rather, they are something that one does (from
Wikipedia, 2007).
*Queer Performativity: Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, another important queer theorist, describes
queer performativity as an ongoing project for transforming the way we may define, and
break, the boundaries of identity (from Wikipedia, 2007).
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
20
Pink Triangle: Prisoners of Nazi concentration camps were given symbols to mark their offense or
origin. The Jews were required to wear yellow stars, gypsies wore brown triangles, anti-socials wore
black triangles, criminals wore green triangles, and gay men wore pink triangles. Today the “pink
triangle” has been reclaimed as a symbol of pride for the LGBT community (from “Sticks & Stones:
Educator’s Workbook,” AFSC Gay Liberation Program & Catalyst Productions, 2003).
Polyamory: Participation in multiple and simultaneous loving or sexual relationships [syn:
nonmonogamy] (from Webster's New Millennium Dictionary of English, 2003).
Queer: 1. Deviating from the expected or normal; strange: a queer situation. 2. Odd or
unconventional, as in behavior; eccentric. 3. Of a questionable nature or character; suspicious. 4.
Slang for fake; counterfeit. 5. Feeling slightly ill; queasy. 6. Offensive slang for homosexual (from The
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., 2000). Further explanation and
examples:
*Queer: [n.] A pejorative term that was once used to disparage LGBT people but was
reclaimed after it remerged in the 1980s. Today, “queer” is used in many different ways.
Some use the term in an all-inclusive manner to refer to anyone who is not heterosexual
(e.g., LGBT, BDSM, asexual people, etc.). However, the term is also used in a highly political
way by some non-normative individuals to refer to their sexuality and/or progressive
ideologies that reject compulsory heterosexuality and the practices that are often associated
with it (i.e. these people identify as “queer” to mark their counter-hegemonic/antimainstream lifestyles. Queer Theory is a body of literature that has developed from this
latter definition in order to contest the widespread beliefs related to our current
understandings of sexuality and gender (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.”
Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
*Queer [n.] represents “the open mesh of possibilities, gaps, overlaps, dissonances and
resonances, lapses and excesses of meaning when the constituent elements of anyone’s
gender, of anyone’s sexuality aren’t made (or can’t be made) to signify monolithically” (from
Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s book, Tendencies, 1993).
*"Queerness [adj.] is about destabilizing conventional categories, subverting the identities
derived from and normalized by heteropatriarchy. Queerness defies binary and fixed
categories…[it] interrupts both convention and expectation" (from Melinda Kanner’s article,
"Can Will & Grace Be 'Queered'?" The Gay & Lesbian Review, 2003).
*Queer [v.] can refer to a continually shifting and mutable sense of embodiment that
continually shifts according to one’s desires and surroundings—e.g.,
geophysical/cultural/political/socio-economic location are factors that allow or disallow an
individual to subversively engage with dominant ideology at a particular moment in time.
The term is typically, but not exclusively, used to describe the process of occupying variant
genders, participate in unconventional sexual practices, and articulating or enacting nonnormative desires. Conjugation: to queer; queering; queered.
Questioning: An active process in which a person explores their own sexual orientation and/or
gender identity. It also refers to asking questions that challenge the cultural assumptions that
individuals are or should be heterosexual and/or gender conforming. Many people go through this
process before “coming out,” but everyone does not end of self-identifying as LGBT.
Race: A socially constructed category often related to ethnicity and perceived skin color. Like
gender, race involves a complex web of social meanings but should be understood as a social
structure that is intimately related to privileges in our culture. Race intersects with sexuality, gender,
ability, religion, social class, and nationality in complicated ways (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related
Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Rainbow Flag, Pride Flag: 1. A symbol of the LGBT community that denotes the unity and diversity
that is present within it. The colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple are striped across its
cloth (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
21
Syracuse U., 2004). 2. The rainbow flag is a universal symbol of pride for the LGBT community.
Designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, the flag was a colorful and optimistic alternative to the pink
triangle. Each of the colors have meaning: “red” for life, “orange” for healing, “yellow” for sun,
“green” for nature, “blue” for art and harmony, and “violet” for spirit. The rainbow flag is recognized
by the International Congress of Flag Makers (from “Sticks & Stones: Educator’s Workbook,” AFSC Gay
Liberation Program & Catalyst Productions, 2003).
Sex: 1. Either of two divisions, male and female, into which most sexually reproducing organisms are
grouped. 2. Sex is usually determined by anatomy, the makeup of the sex chromosomes, and the type
and amount of hormones produced (from The American Heritage Science Dictionary, 2002).
Sexual Identity: One’s personal sense of sexual orientation; the names people use to refer to their
sexual orientation—i.e., lesbian, bisexual, gay, queer, questioning, etc. (from “Glossary of LGBTRelated Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Sexual Orientation: The favored term to use (in lieu of “sexual preference”) when referring to an
individual’s emotional, sexual, and/or romantic attractions whether they are to the same and/or
opposite sex/gender—inclusive of LGB and heterosexual orientations. When the term “sexual
orientation” is used just to describe LGBT people, heterosexuality becomes invisible (from “Glossary
of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Social Death: a term used to describe the condition of people not accepted as fully human by wider
society (from Wikipedia, 2007).
Stereotype: 1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image. 2. One
that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type (from The American Heritage
Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., 2006).
Stigmatize: 1. To accuse or condemn; openly or formally brand as disgraceful. Example: “She was
stigmatized by society because she had a child out of wedlock.” 2. Mark with a stigma or stigmata.
Example: “They wanted to stigmatize the adulteress.” (from WordNet 3.0, 2006).
Straight: Another word for heterosexual (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.” Interrupting
Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Trans*: The asterisk (*) following the word “trans” intentionally denotes a radical inclusion of all
individuals who fall within a discordant gender identity spectrum. When used without the asterisk,
the term “trans” usually only refers to transwomen and transmen. The use of the word “trans*” as an
inclusive identity has recently gain political currency within the radical queer community. It also
serves as an umbrella term for individuals who express gender variance or gender non-conformity
even if their gender identification does not include the prefix “trans” (e.g., pangender, bigender,
genderqueer, etc.). Although the term “transgender” had once been used in a similar fashion to
identify a vast array of individuals within the trans* community (Feinberg 5), cisgender individuals
often conflate the term with transsexuality. It is important to note that the meaning of these terms
generationally and geographically vary.
Transgender: An umbrella term that encompasses a vast array of individuals, including, but not
limited to: “masculine females, feminine males, cross-dressers, transsexual men and women,
intersexuals born on the anatomical sweep between female and male, gender-blenders, many other
sexual and gender-variant people and [their] significant others” (from Leslie Feinberg’s book, Trans
Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue, 1998). Although the term is often seen as being synonymous with
transsexuality, some individuals refuse to be categorized as transgender in an effort to distinguish
between those who “transition” (e.g., taking hormones or having sex reassignment surgery) and
those who choose not to physically alter their bodies. Regardless, the commonality that all trans folk
Three to Infinity: Resources for Educators
22
share is that their gender identity and/or gender expression differs from the sex they were assigned
at birth.
Transition: The complex process of altering one’s gender and/or sex. Transition often includes
changing one’s legal name, coming out to friends and family as transgender, and sometimes taking
hormones and/or having surgery for genital alteration (from “Glossary of LGBT-Related Terms.”
Interrupting Heteronormativity. Graduate School of Syracuse U., 2004).
Transsexual: People whose biological sex and assigned gender do not match their gender identity.
Transsexuals feel that their body does not match how they perceive themselves and may opt to take
hormones and/or have surgery to align these two identities. Sometimes also spelled “transsexual”
(from “Sticks & Stones: Educator’s Workbook,” AFSC Gay Liberation Program & Catalyst Productions,
2003). Many individuals prefer to not be called “transsexuals” since it suggests their condition is the
only aspect of their identity. Instead, such individuals may prefer saying they are afflicted by
“transsexuality.”
Transvestite: Someone who receives sexual arousal by dressing in clothing of the opposite gender.
This is a clinical term, but is used in common language to refer to cross-dressers (from “Sticks &
Stones: Educator’s Workbook,” AFSC Gay Liberation Program & Catalyst Productions, 2003).
*NOTE: The above “Key Terms & Definitions” handout was compiled by Anna “Aiden” K.B. Gleisberg.
Some of the definitions may be slightly modified or paraphrased from the original source in order to
clarify and provide context for the meaning of a term. Please consult the original source for the
precise wording of a definition.
**LAST UPDATE: 25 AUGUST 2014.