Leigh Finke Gender dysphoria Transgender is (like all letters in the LGBTQ+ acronym) an adjective, not a noun. The word describes a person who has the sustained experience of gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria: noun…
Leigh Finke How Do I Learn The Language? Non-LGBTQ+ people may get anxious hearing - let alone being expected to use - language they don’t understand or simply aren’t used to. At this point, you might be flipping…
Leigh Finke Why Does Language Matter So Much? Within the LGBTQ+ community, words matter. Profoundly so. And supportive leaders and allies need to understand this and speak accordingly. Thoughtful language shows respect, acknowledgment, and acceptance. This means using…
Leigh Finke How do I recognize my own biases about sexuality and gender? Let’s start with the facts: You have biases. We all have biases. We’re born and raised in specific environments, families, and cultures that affect our viewpoints and shape our brains.…
Leigh Finke A choice? Some people remain convinced that being queer is a choice, an anomaly, a problem to be solved. But nothing could be further from the truth. Some people argue that queerness…
Leigh Finke What About Biology? You’ve probably heard all of the arguments: There are two biological genders, two sexes for the purpose of reproduction. You’re either XX or XY - there aren’t any other options.…
Leigh Finke How Many Genders Are There? If you grew up in any era prior to, you know, right now, you were probably taught that there is a simple answer to this question. And that answer is…
Leigh Finke What Does LGBTQ+ Look Like? The first step in answering this question is to be aware of your own biases. What do you expect a queer teenager to look like? What stereotypes have you bought…
