JARGON BUSTER: G – H

G

GAD. GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER

GAY A man who has an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men. It's also used as a generic term for lesbian and gay sexuality and, some women define themselves as gay, rather than lesbian.

GENDER DYSPHORIA When a person experiences discomfort or distress because there's a mismatch between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity. It's also a clinical diagnosis for someone who doesn’t feel comfortable with the gender they were assigned at birth.

GENDER EXPRESSION. How a person chooses to outwardly express their gender, within the context of societal expectations of gender. A person who does not conform to societal expectations of gender may not, however, identify as trans.

GENDERFLUID Someone whose gender identity is not static. It may move between male, female, a-gender, non-binary, or any other gender identity and expression.

GENDER IDENTITY. A person’s innate sense of their own gender, whether male, female, non-binary (see below), or something else. This may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.

GENDER REASSIGNMENT (or GENDER CONFIRMATION) A way of describing a person’s transition, usually meaning to undergo some sort of medical intervention. It can also mean changing names, pronouns, dressing differently and living in their self-identified gender. Please Note - GENDER REASSIGNMENT is a characteristic that is protected by the Equality Act 2010, and it is further interpreted in the Equality Act 2010 approved code of practice. It is a term of much contention and is one that Stonewall's Trans Advisory Group feels should be reviewed.

GENDER RECOGNITION CERTIFICATE (GRC) This enables trans people to be legally recognised in their affirmed gender and to be issued with a new birth certificate. Not all trans people will apply for a GRC and you currently have to be over 18 to apply. You do not need a GRC to change your gender markers at work or to legally change your gender on other documents such as your passport.

GENDERQUEER An umbrella term which refers to non-normative gender identities and expressions, i.e; those who identify in way other than male or female. It is often used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, non-binary.

GP - GENERAL PRACTITIONER. A doctor who has taken extended training in community care and treatment.

GILLICK COMPETENCY AND FASER GUIDELINES help people who work with children to balance the need to listen to children's wishes with the responsibility to keep them safe. When practitioners are trying to decide whether a child is mature enough to make decisions about things that affect them, they often talk about whether the child is 'Gillick competent' or whether they meet the 'Fraser guidelines'. Although the two terms are frequently used together and originate from the same legal case, there are distinct differences between them. Both Gillick competency and Fraser guidelines refer to a legal case from the 1980s which looked at whether doctors should be able to give contraceptive advice or treatment to young people under 16-years-old without parental consent.

H

HAWTHORNE EFFECT (By Henry A. Landsberger)

HETEROSEXUAL (or straight) A person who has an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards people of the opposite gender.

HISTRIONIC PERSONALITY DISORDER

HOMOSEXUAL Largely considered a more medical term used to describe someone who has an emotional romantic and/or sexual orientation towards someone of the same gender. ‘Gay’ is now more generally used.

HOMOPHOBIA The fear or dislike of someone who identifies as (or is perceived to be) lesbian, gay or bi, based on prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs or views about lesbian, gay or bi people.