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LGBTQIA+ REPORTING AND PORTRAYING SEXUAL ORIENTATION,
GENDER IDENTITY AND INTERSEX STATUS IN ABC CONTENT
The purpose of this note
The ABC has a responsibility to provide fair and informed reporting on all aspects of
Australian life, and that includes the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people and
communities. One of the hallmarks of good reporting and storytelling is the accurate
use of language, and we are aware of many content makers, including some who are
themselves members of LGBTQIA+ communities, who are looking for guidance on the
best terminology to use in their work.
This note provides information on some of the most common acronyms and terms, and
links to more detailed material and resources from external organisations.
The other purpose of this note is to reinforce pertinent aspects of the ABC Editorial
Policies and best editorial practice.
Broad editorial considerations
It is important to remember that you should only apply labels to people when it is
relevant and in the public interest. Ask yourself if a person’s sexuality, gender identity
or intersex status really matters to the story being told (and maybe test your
assumptions by considering how likely it is that you would choose to mention that
anyone was heterosexual).
Avoid salacious or overly prominent references to diverse sexuality or gender identity,
especially in headlines or social media posts.
A rule of thumb is to describe people as they wish to be described, unless you have
good reason to do otherwise.
Where possible, you should ask your talent about their preferences. You should also
be wary of clichés and applying them to people without thinking. ‘Openly gay’ is a good
example. It’s often used to describe public figures such as politicians, especially if
they’re working in a previously conservative field. But many gay and lesbian people
today feel it locks them into a narrative where their sexuality will forever be the most
noteworthy thing about them. Others feel it shames those who wish to remain more
private. Unless it really is the central point of your story, it’s time to leave that one
alone.
As with all other subject areas, be particularly thoughtful when your reporting or
storytelling involves children and young people.
Consider whether the material in your story might distress some in the audience, and
whether helpline advice should be included.
Finally, we know that there are many people in the community who hold strong views
against homosexuality for religious and cultural reasons. There is also a wide
spectrum of feeling about transgender issues. Where these views are newsworthy and
of public interest, we will of course report on it and include it in other ways in our
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content. But it is our responsibility to everyone to understand the issues thoroughly,
to be clear on our editorial purpose and be careful to avoid causing unnecessary harm
or offence.
Language and terminology
Acronyms can be useful if applied thoughtfully but can also become a careless
shorthand if automatically included in all stories referencing sexual orientation,
gender identity and intersex status. A gay man, for example, may prefer to be
described as exactly that, especially if the story is confined to his unique experience.
Or a person with intersex variations is not necessarily LGBT. Think about your specific
story before deciding which term to use. While these acronyms bring many people
together, it is still important to acknowledge differences by using plural terms such
as communities (as in the LGBTQIA+ communities).
The
ABC Style Guide notes that there are several terms that exist to describe a range
of different sexualities, genders and identities. These include: LGBTI, which includes
intersex people, and LGBTQI, which includes those who identify as queer.
The +, which is becoming more commonly used, acknowledges that gender and
sexuality is a spectrum and that people might use other words to describe their
identity (like non-binary, gender fluid, asexual, pansexual, etc).
If you’re just talking about sexuality and gender diverse people, you don’t need the ‘I’.
When we talk about gender, sex characteristics or sexuality, we’re
not talking about
preferences or choices. We’re just talking about how people are.
Use inclusive language wherever possible. For example, in some contexts gender-
neutral terms like ‘partner’ or ‘spouse’ may be more inclusive than ‘husband’ or ‘wife’.
When discussing marriage or romantic attraction, it isn't necessary to qualify unions
as "same-sex marriage", "gay marriage" or "same-sex attracted". For instance, when you
write about two women who are wed, you could simply say "Sarah and Anna were
married in July".
Similarly, do you really need to further qualify
adoption or
parenthood — e.g., "gay
adoption", "adoption by the same-sex couple" or "gay parents" — when simply
"adoption", "adopting parents" or "adoptive parents" would suffice?
Respect and use
people's pronouns. Some non-binary, gender-fluid or genderqueer
people use gender-neutral pronouns, using terms such as "they", "them", "theirs". This is
perfectly fine and should not be changed in copy, nor should these be referred to as
"preferred pronouns", which suggests their choice is less than valid or can be
overlooked. Always ask a person what pronouns you should use to describe them.
Sex and gender
In this context, sex is used to refer to a person’s biological sex characteristics. This has
historically been understood as either female or male. Sex and gender are associated,
but not the same nor interchangeable.
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A person’s
gender does not necessarily mean they have particular sex characteristics
or a particular sexual orientation, or vice versa. Use the term(s) that the person uses
to describe their gender.
In the past, Australian society has prioritised binary gender descriptions, which left a
growing number of people outside the male/female dichotomy. That is changing, and
fast, so it is wise to be respectful of
alternative gender descriptions.
Gender dysphoria is a recognised medical condition in which a person's sex assigned
at birth does not match their gender identity or expression. This can be addressed and
treated during transition, but transgender people may experience this in different
ways throughout their whole lives.
Gender expression is how a person presents themself to the outside world, and how
that links to the way they experience their own gender.
Gender fluid describes a person who has shifting or changing gender. It is one of the
terms under the umbrella term non-binary.
Non-binary is an adjective used by people who experience their gender identity and/or
gender expression as falling outside the binary gender categories of "man" and
"woman". Many non-binary people also call themselves transgender and consider
themselves part of the transgender community. Others do not. Check how the person
sees themself.
Gender nonconforming is broader than non-binary. It means a person's gender
expression doesn’t correspond to their biological sex. They may still identify as a
woman, but may dress only in men’s clothes, for example, or they may present in a way
that doesn’t align with society’s idea of male or female.
When someone is
cisgender, their experienced gender aligns with the gender they
were assigned at birth (based on their sex organs and chromosomes).
Intersex
Intersex is an umbrella term referring to anatomical, chromosomal and hormonal
characteristics that differ from conventional understandings of male and female.
The act of
misgendering is when someone, deliberately or accidentally, refers to a
person by the wrong gender (e.g., calling someone by the gender they were assigned
at birth and not the one they currently identify as).
Transgender people are those whose assigned sex at birth does not match their
gender identity. They may choose to live their lives with or without modifying their
body, dress or legal status, and with or without medical treatment and surgery.
Transgender people may use a variety of terms to describe themselves including (but
not limited to): man, woman, trans woman, trans man, non-binary, agender,
genderqueer, genderfluid, trans guy, trans masculine/masc, trans feminine/femme.
Which is why it is important to ask and to respect their choice.
The ABC Style Guide advises that the terms brotherboy and sistergirl are used in a
range of contexts by Indigenous people, but most often to refer to transgender
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.
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For a transgender person,
transition or gender affirmation is a process, and it differs
from person to person. It may start and end with "coming out" as a new gender or it
could mean a life of gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy and surgery.
Remember that "coming out" is a unique process for every LGBTQIA+ person and there
are no specific steps to follow to have transitioned.
Transphobia/transphobic — negative beliefs, words, stereotypes, fears, bullying,
abuse, prejudice, discrimination or violence toward transgender people. Similarly:
homophobia, biphobia.
Other terms to understand
The Style Guide also provides this advice on ‘
transitioning’ which is worth including
here: Gender transition The process of transitioning gender is different for each
individual. It may involve medical, social, or legal procedures (such as surgery, coming
out to family, a name change), or it may not. Not all medical treatment for gender
transition involves surgery. Consultation and hormone therapy are part of gender
transition treatment.
The Style Guide recommends that you avoid placing undue emphasis on the role of
surgery in the gender transition process, but if it is relevant to your story, the terms
sex reassignment surgery, and gender confirmation surgery are preferable to sex
change or sex change operation.
‘Deadnaming’, which is the use of a person’s previous name. Some transgender people
are comfortable with this; many are not. You may need to decide in some situations
whether this is editorially necessary or not.
An
ally is someone who supports the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Sexual orientation
Sexuality or sexual orientation describes a person’s romantic and/or sexual attraction
to others.
A
heterosexual person is attracted to people of the opposite sex or gender.
A
homosexual person is attracted to people of the same sex or gender.
A
lesbian woman is romantically and/or sexually attracted to other women. A gay
person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of the same sex and/or
gender as themselves. This term is most often used to describe men who are attracted
to other men, but some women and gender diverse people may also describe
themselves as gay.
Gay should be used as an adjective but not as a noun (as in a ‘gay man’ should never
be described as ‘a gay’. This rule generally applies to most of the terms in this section).
A
bisexual person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people both of their
own and of the opposite sex or gender.
A
pansexual person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people regardless of
their sex or gender identity.
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Asexuality sits on a spectrum, with some never experiencing sexual attraction, others
only after many months or years of knowing someone. Some willingly engage in sexual
activity, even if it doesn't interest them, others may not.
Queer is often used as an umbrella term for diverse genders or sexualities. Some
people use queer to describe their own gender and/or sexuality if other terms do not
fit. For some people, especially older LGBT people, ‘queer’ has negative connotations,
because in the past it was used as a highly derogatory term.
Resources
This very comprehensive glossary of terms has been compiled by the Australian
Institute of Family Studies: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/lgbtiq-communities
The Australian Press Council released these reporting guidelines in late 2019:
https://www.presscouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/APC-Advisory-
Guideline-2019-final.pdf
This style guide is from the US: https://www.glaad.org/reference
This one is from the Victorian government: https://www.vic.gov.au/inclusive-
languageguide
LGBTQIA glossary: Common gender and sexuality terms explained
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-07/sexuality-gender-glossary-
definitions/7287572
A language guide from ACON.
https://www.acon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/TGD_Language-Guide.pdf
Minus18 guide
https://www.minus18.org.au/articles/your-guide-to-words-and-definitions-in-the-
lgbtqia+-community
Document Outline
