Used to describe the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics in one being. The term is used in biology, medicine, psychology, sociology, cultural studies, philosophy, literature or religious studies. In biology and medicine the term is applied when a person shows both male and female sex characteristics.

An asexual person is someone who does not experience sexual attraction, has no or very little sexual drive. People who identify themselves as asexual have the same emotional needs as anybody else: they may decide to live their life on their own, they may decide to date and/or establish romantic relationships. They do not, however, feel the need get involved in sexual activity and behaviour.

Emotional, romantic and sexual attraction to both men and women.

The process of making one’s own sexual orientation or gender identity public. The term refers to LGBT people who decide to inform others about their sexual orientation / gender identity. Coming out can be limited to small groups of people, such as friends or family.

Sexual activity that is non-consensual and coerced by someone the victim knows and is involved in a romantic or potentially romantic relationship with. Date rape is sometimes forced by adding a sedative drug to a victim’s drink to make them unconscious, so the person does not resist sexual activity.

Any distinction, exclusion or restriction of preference, which is based on any ground such as race, culture, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, skin colour, disability, or other characteristics not relevant to the issue in question.

Acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence as the victim.

A type of violence, where a person (or group of people) intentionally uses coercion and threats leading to fear, enabling them to gain control over another person or group of people.

Psychological violence often precedes or accompanies physical and sexual violence in intimate relationships (domestic violence). However, it may also occur in any other type of setting, for example in the work place or school environment.

A social movement for women’s rights. It is perhaps best known for the campaigns for universal suffrage, when women did not have the right to vote. Today, it focuses more on acting against sexism, gender-based violence and issues related to gender equality.

Refers to a person who is homosexual, usually a man. However, it is sometimes used to describe homosexual people regardless of their gender (‘gay people’)

Socially constructed notions of masculinity or femininity. The term ‘gender’ is different from the term ‘sex’, which focuses on biological differences. Gender is a psychological, cultural and social construct, developed in the process of socialisation, and is related with our own identity and how we feel about ourselves. For example, people may identify themselves as masculine, feminine, transgender, other or none (indeterminate/unspecified). Gender is not necessarily related to biological sex: a person’s gender may or may not correspond to their biological sex.

Describes cases where someone is - or may be – treated less favourably than others simply because of their actual or perceived gender.

Any type of harm that is perpetrated against a person or group of people because of their actual or perceived sex, gender, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Gender-based violence affects women disproportionately.

A term used to describe the belief that there are only two genders, male and female, and that someone’s biological sex aligns with socially constructed notions of masculinity and femininity.

Intentional or unintentional ways of communicating one’s gender - including dressing style, movement, hair style, ways of interacting with others.

A term that describes a person who does not conform to a gender binary stereotype and whose gender identity goes beyond it.

A surgical procedure, which aims to make the body match a person’s gender identity. It is usually performed on people who are transsexual. In the case of male-to-female, the person is castrated, and female genital organs are formed, together with other sex characteristics, such as female breasts. In female-to-male procedures, doctors a perform a mastectomy and male genital organs are formed. Other procedures may also be performed to make a person’s body look more masculine or feminine.

Behaviours that are considered appropriate and are accepted in a given culture for people representing a specific gender. These are usually related to the concepts of masculinity and femininity.

Advocacy, promotion or incitement, in any form, of the denigration, hatred or vilification of a person or group of persons, as well as any harassment, insult, negative stereotyping, stigmatisation or threat in respect of such a person or group of persons and the justification of all the preceding types of expression, on the ground of “race”¹, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, language, religion or belief, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and other personal characteristics or status. (ECRI)

¹ Since all human beings belong to the same species, ECRI rejects theories based on the existence of different races. However, in this Recommendation ECRI uses this term “race” in order to ensure that those persons who are generally and erroneously perceived as belonging to another race are not excluded from the protection provided for by the Recommendation.

Emotional, romantic and sexual attraction to people of the opposite gender.

Emotional, romantic and sexual attraction to people of the same gender.

A way of understanding and analysing the complexity of human behaviour, the world, and people, emphasising the fact that people hold different identities, which interact with one another and influence thought and action. In relation to gender discrimination and gender-based violence, the term is used to emphasise the fact that gender identity needs to be seen in relation to other identities, such as those related to ethnic origin, skin colour, age, ability/disability, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

Gender discrimination or violence often includes, or is accompanied by, discrimination on other grounds as well - for example disability or ethnicity.

Intersex people are born with sex characteristics - including genitals, gonads and chromosomes - which do not fit the typical binary notion of male or female bodies. Sometimes intersex traits are visible at birth, but often they will not become clear until puberty.

A word used to name a homosexual woman

An acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. Sometimes it is used in other forms, such as: LGBTIQ (including intersex and queer people) or LGBT+ to encompass a diversity of human sexual orientation and gender identity.

Hatred or irrational fear of women, including prejudice, hostility, or feeling of disgust towards them.

A social system based on male dominance. Patriarchy literally means “the rule of the father” and describes a system in which men are seen as the rightful holders of power in the family, in business, and in politics.

A type of violence where a person (or group of people) uses part of their body or an object to hurt someone else, or to take control of a victim.

A type of violence, where a person (or group of people) intentionally uses coercion and threats leading to fear, enabling them to gain control over another person or group of people.

Psychological violence often precedes or accompanies physical and sexual violence in intimate relationships (domestic violence). However, it may also occur in any other type of setting, for example in the work place or school environment.

A general term referring to people not fitting into existing norms related to gender.

Unconsensual sexual activity usually involving sexual intercourse or another form of penetration, committed using physical force, coercion or an abuse of authority.

Causing another person to engage in non-consensual acts of a sexual nature with a third person can also constitute rape. A rape victim may be conscious or unconscious, and the perpetrator(s) may be a person or group of people known to the victim, or they may be strangers.

‘Sensitive spots’ can be anything that one is especially emotional about. It can be an important person, one’s religion or ethnic identity. It can be also something that one is ashamed of (whether it is justified or not, whether it is the product of internalised oppression or personal conviction).

Relates to different biological and physiological characteristics of males and females, such as the reproductive organs, chromosomes or hormones

Perceiving and judging people only on the basis of their belonging or perceived to belong to a particular sex or gender. Sexism leads to unfair treatment of people on the basis of sex or gender.

A surgical procedure, which aims to make the body match a person’s gender identity. It is usually performed on people who are transsexual. In the case of male-to-female, the person is castrated, and female genital organs are formed, together with other sex characteristics, such as female breasts. In female-to-male procedures, doctors a perform a mastectomy and male genital organs are formed. Other procedures may also be performed to make a person’s body look more masculine or feminine.

Any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, which has the aim or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment

A central aspect of being human throughout life (that) encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction. (source: World Health Organisation)

Patterns of emotional, romantic and sexual attraction to people. Traditionally, there are three sexual orientations: heterosexual (attraction to people of the opposite sex), bisexual (attraction to people of both sexes) and homosexual (attraction to people of the same sex). However, these three categories do not describe all possible forms of sexual identification: some people decide not to use any of these to identify their sexual orientation.

Any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work. (source: World Health Organisation)

A type of violence that aims at taking control of a person by making them economically dependent and diminishing their role in the society.

Repeatedly engaging in threatening conduct towards another person, causing her or him to fear for their safety. Stalkers may act individually or in a group, and their actions may include: pestering and annoying phone calls or text messages, life threats, following someone, repeated visits to their home, presenting gifts, or constant solicitation. Such behaviour may lead on to physical violence and even murder.

The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. (source: Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings)

An umbrella term used to describe certain people or different forms of behaviour and expression related to gender – for example, people whose biological sex is different from their gender identity and who are in need of gender reassignment surgery (transsexuality), people who do not fit into generally defined notions of masculinity or femininity or gender binary, people who define themselves as queer or genderqueer.

Someone possessing the typical physical anatomy of one sex, but the gender identity of the opposite one. Transsexual is generally considered to be a subset of transgender, and some transsexual people refer to themselves as transgender.

A type of violence that occurs when someone uses language to humiliate and cause harm to a person, e.g. name calling, yelling, insulting, swearing, or threatening other forms of violence against the victim or against someone or something dear to them.