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216 Cultural Competence in Health Education and Health Promotion

(Table 12.1 continued)

Lesbian A woman whose primary emotional and sexual attraction is to other
women (GLMA et al., 2001).

LGBT Acronym for esbian, g ay, b isexual, and t ransgender. (The preferred
l
order of these four terms may vary, resulting in other acronyms in
other books or articles.)

Queer Once a derogatory term for gays and lesbians, this term is now be-
ing used with a sense of pride by members of the LGBT community,
especially those born after 1970 (Peterkin & Risdon, 2003).

Sexual identity A chosen mode of self - presentation, based on social identity, sexual
behavior, or both. A person may choose to publicly identify with a
term that does not strictly conform to his or her sexual behavior (a
self - termed “ bisexual ” woman may be intimate only with women).
How one identifi es is a personal choice (Peterkin & Risdon, 2003).

Sexual orientation A person ’ s innate sexual desires and attractions. This term should
replace sexual preference, which implies that these desires are a matter
of choice rather than a result of one ’ s nature (Peterkin & Risdon, 2003).

Transgender A person whose gender identity or gender expression is not congru-
ent with his or her biological sex. This term is sometimes used as an
umbrella term encompassing transsexuals and cross - dressers (GLMA
et al., 2001).

Transphobia Irrational fear or hatred of transgender or transsexual individuals
(GLMA et al., 2001).

Transsexual An individual whose gender identity is that of the biologically oppo-
site sex. There are female - to - male and male - to - female transsexuals.
A transsexual may or may not have had sex reassignment surgery
(GLMA et al., 2001).

THE LGBT CULTURE
According to various studies, roughly 5 to 10 percent of the U.S. population is lesbian, gay,
bisexual, or transgender (National Coalition for LGBT Health & Boston Public Health
Commission, 2002). It is thought that these percentages are in reality higher, because

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