Category: Gender and Sexuality

When discussing abortion, aiming for precise language — using terms like pro-abortion rights and anti-abortion, rather than pro-choice/pro-life, for instance, and explaining the specific procedure or legislation in question — brings clarity to coverage. Many common phrases associated with the topic (for instance, “partial-birth abortion”) are not medical terminology and may be the favored terms of advocates on one side of the issue. If necessary and relevant to your coverage to include these such terms, explaining them and how they may be used in emotional or political arguments adds vital context to audiences. Using gender-neutral language to discuss abortion in a general sense ensures coverage encompasses the widest range of people who could be affected by the issue. “Pregnant people,” “people seeking an abortion,” “abortion seekers,” and “people who give birth” are all employed as gender-neutral alternatives to woman-specific ones, though they may not be useful or applicable when discussing abortion in the context of women’s health and rights more broadly.

Sex positive and sex positivity refer to a social and philosophical movement dedicated to shifting attitudes and norms around sex and sexuality by approaching sex in a nonjudgmental and respectful way. It values consent above all else, and teaches communication, education, and allowing the individual to make informed decisions about their body and pleasure. It’s important not to make assumptions about a person’s connection to, views on, or comfort with sex positivity based on their belonging to a particular community, or mode(s) of self-expression. Focusing on an individual’s or group’s story and identifiers can prevent overgeneralizations. 

Womanism is a woman-first branch of feminism that centers Black women and the ways in which Black women experience and resist both gender and racial oppression. Since womanism may not be as familiar a term to all audiences as feminism, providing some explanation and context is helpful for clarity.

Queer is an umbrella term used to describe sexuality, gender, expression, and identity outside of the cisgender and heterosexual “norm.” Historically used as a slur, it’s been widely reclaimed. While many people and groups now use the word (“She is a queer woman” or “They belong to a queer volleyball league”), some people may still find it inaccurate or offensive. As with any identifier, being as specific as possible and taking into account an individual’s preference whenever feasible ensures coverage reflects how someone self-identifies.

“Don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT), instituted by the Clinton administration in 1993, was the official US policy that said members of the US military would not be asked about their sexual orientation and required gay, lesbian, and bisexual people to keep their identity private. It protected LGBTQ+ service members from discrimination, but only if they never revealed their sexuality to anyone. The policy was repealed in 2011. If using the term, including some explanation of the policy and its defunct status provides essential context.

A crisis pregnancy center (CPC) is an organization that advertises as a family planning center but is focused on anti-abortion efforts. Because these facilities have purposes different from centers that focus on reproductive issues and family planning without the intent to dissuade certain kinds of medical care (though they may advertise themselves similarly), the term “crisis pregnancy center” is not interchangeable with “reproductive health center” (a facility like Planned Parenthood or Whole Woman’s Health). Giving a brief explanation on first reference is helpful.

The term deadname refers to the birth name of a trans or nonbinary person who changed their name after they came out. Using someone’s deadname (deadnaming them) is inaccurate and invalidates who they are. Using language like “Before she became a woman” suggests that a person changed their gender versus coming out as the gender they always were. Phrasing like “Before [he, she, they, etc.] came out” is more accurate. In general, unnecessary focus on someone’s gender identity, transition, or deadname can have a fetishizing or dehumanizing effect. 

Feminism is an umbrella term referring to various social, political, and economic movements for gender equality. It’s rooted in the fundamental belief that all genders are/should be equal. In discussions of feminism, it’s important to note the ways that factors including race, socioeconomic status, and immigration status can also affect positioning within existing power structures.