User:Larcin/sandbox

These language guidelines outline an approach to demonstrate an appreciation or acknowledgement of how individual people may choose to express aspects of their identity—specifically in the following contexts:


 * Gender (gender identity) Gender characteristics are dynamic, varying across cultures, societies, and generations.  Gender identity refers to how one interprets and positions themselves within socially constructed characteristics of the stereotypical roles & relationships of and between groups.  Some examples of gender identity terms: man, woman, genderqueer.


 * Body (gender expression & biological sex) Gender expression refers to physical appearance and style, e.g. clothing, hairstyle, accessories, cosmetics, demeanour—this may overlap with biological sex, which refers to physical sex characteristics, e.g. body shape, body hair, voice pitch.

Humans are born with a diverse range of chromosomal, gonadal and anatomical characteristics associated with biological sex variations (i.e. genetics). Some of these variations produce physical sex characteristics that don’t fit modern medical norms for female or male bodies—intersex is a term used to describe this naturally occurring biological phenomenon. For the purpose of Sex and Gender Classification in Australian Government Records, the Federal Government currently recommends the following: M (male), F (female), X (Indeterminate/Intersex/Unspecified)


 * Relationships (sexual and/or romantic attraction) Sexual and/or romantic attraction refers to the desire or absence of desire to have sex and/or a romantic or intimate relationship with a person.

Due to the diversity of human relationships, there are many different terms which describe the qualities which make one person attractive to another (sexual orientation) combined with the nature of their relationship, e.g. heterosexual (straight), homosexual (lesbian, gay), bisexual, asexual, queer; monogamous, polyamorous, married, de facto, divorced, platonic.

1.2 Audience
Currently, the broad spectrum of these diverse philosophical, psychological and biological facets are collectively captured by the LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex) abbreviation in Australia—the ‘alphabet soup’ style and definition may vary slightly or significantly by region, organisation, or community group.

This document does not presume to redefine or speak on behalf of any agency or agenda, instead it seeks to offer relevant objective and empathetic insight through collated community experience; these insights seek to promote education around the aforementioned elements of human diversity to inform – not impose upon – research & policy. Explicitly, these guidelines do not endorse nor advocate indiscriminate interdisciplinary application of homogeneous gender terminology—they simply present modern candid terms of reference for relevant agencies and curious individuals.

1.3 Scope
These guidelines endeavour to cover all who identify with one or more aspects of the LGBTI spectrum, but do not specifically address the broader scope of LGBTI people with disability, or special needs as defined by the Australian Government: people of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities; people from non-English speaking communities; people who live in rural or remote areas; people who are financially or socially disadvantaged; veterans; people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless; and people who are care-leavers. It is expected that organisations which focus on these groups will, if necessary, have their own guidelines on the use of inclusive language.