1. LGBTQ and Microaggressions
What Are You?
LGBTQ and Microaggressions
PacRim Conference 2016
Barbara Diamond and Carole Zoom

2. The Gender Binary Two genders only, assigned at birth.
The Dominant Paradigm
The Gender Binary
Two genders only, assigned at birth.
A culturally and socially defined system and code of behavior which divides people into two genders, male and female, based upon the sex assigned at birth.

3. Male Female Man Woman Feminine Masculine Attracted to women
Attracted to men

4. Reality: it’s a spectrum.
Rules of the Binary
You must be on one side or the other.
You can’t change sides.
All traits are locked together.
Reality: it’s a spectrum.

5. Queer Terminology
Gender Identity
Gender Expression
Sexual Orientation

6. Transgender Trans man =female-to-male (FTM)
A person whose gender identity does not conform to the gender assigned at birth.
Trans man =female-to-male (FTM)
Trans woman= male-to-female (MTF)

7. Microaggressions
LBGTQ people face microaggressions (daily unintentional snubs) based upon their failure to conform to the gender binary. They may face microaggressions based upon people’s failure to respect their gender-expression or sexual orientation.

8. LGBTQ Microaggressions
Mis-gendering (wrong pronouns)
Non-verbal (staring, avoiding)
Treating LGBTQ people as defective or attracted to all members of their same sex.
Assuming all people are heterosexual and cisgender (not trans.)

9. Microaggressive Terms
“A transgender” (noun)
Transgendered
Pre and post-operative, “sex change”
“Biologically” or “genetically” male/female
Transsexual, Homosexual
Tranny, transvestite, he/she, it, she-male
Referring to a "sex-change operation," or using terms such as "pre-operative" or "post-operative," inaccurately suggests that one must have surgery in order to transition. Avoid overemphasizing surgery when discussing transgender people or the process of transition.

10. Better A transgender person Transgender or trans Transition
Assigned (female or male) at birth
Genderqueer/Gender-nonconforming, LGBTQ/Queer
Using preferred pronouns

11. See the film What Are You?