Biological Determinism
The belief that men and women behave differently due to inherent sex differences realted to their biology.
Doing Gender
The performance of tasks based upon the gender assigned to us by society and, in turn, ourselves.
DOMA
Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 U.S. law explicitly limiting the definition of marriage to a union between one man and one woman and allowing individual states to recognize or deny same-sex marriages performed in other states.
Double Standard
The concept that prohibits premarital sexual intercourse for women, but allows it for men.
Gender
A term that refers to social or cultural distinctions of behaviors that are considered male or female.
Gender Dysphoria
A condition listed in the DSM-5 which people whose gender at birth is contrary to the one they identify with. This condition replaces "gender identity disorder".
Gender Identity
A person's deeply held internal perception of his or her gender.
Gender Role
Society's concept of how men and women should behave.
Heterosexism
An ideaology and a set of institutional practices that privledge heterosexuals and heterosexuality over other sexual orientations.
Homophobia
An extreme or irrational aversion to homosexuals.
Queer Theory
An interdisciplinary approach to sexuality studies that identifies Western society's rigid splitting of gender into female and male roles and questions its appropriateness.
Sex
A term that denotes the presence of physical or physiological differences between males and females.
Sexism
The prejudiced belief that one sex should be valued over another.
Sexual Orientation
A person's physical, mental, emotional, and sexual attraction to a particular sex (male or female).
Sexuality
A person's capacity for sexual feelings.
Social Construction of Sexuality
Socially created definitions about the cultural approriateness of sex-linked behavior which shape how people see and experience sexuality.
Transgender
An adjective that describes individuals who identify with the behaviors and characteristics that are other than their biological sex.
Transsexuals
Transgender individuals who attempt to alter their bodies through medical interventions such as surgery and hormonal therapy.