This glossary covers a wide range of terms and abbreviations used by or when talking about folks in the Trans* community. Some of these words are outdated terms and others are very new. We are constantly creating new language to describe our life experiences and as such, there may be some terms missing from this glossary. If you would like to add a word to our glossary, please email equity@sa.ucsb.edu.
Deadname
A name held by someone pre-transition or given to them at birth that is no longer used and is therefore “dead” to them. Never ask for or use someone’s deadname (except when given express permission) as it is no longer the name they would like to be called.
Deadnaming
The act of referring to or calling a trans person by their deadname, a name that they no longer use. Deadnaming is harmful as it does not respect a person's name, gender identity, or expression. Always call someone by their current lived name, even if you are talking about them in the past. (Source: Uplift “Gender 101: How to Avoid Misgendering and Deadnaming”)
Demiboy
A person whose gender identity is partially male, and may consist of another non-binary gender identity.
Demigirl
A person whose gender identity is partially female, and may consist of another non-binary gender identity.
Detransition
To stop, pause, or reverse some or all of the effects of transitioning, including social, legal, and medical transition. (Source: Trans Lifeline Glossary of Terms and Definitions)
Dilators
Rounded, tubelike devices made of plastic or medical-grade silicone that are inserted into one’s vagina to gently stretch the vaginal tissue. Dilators are most often used after a vaginoplasty or by folks with vaginal atrophy, vaginal stenosis, vaginismus, etc. Dilators typically come in a range of sizes and are used gradually from the smallest to larger sizes. Instead of being inserted and removed repeatedly as a dildo or sex toy might be, dilators are intended to be inserted and left in the vaginal canal for a short duration (e.g., 20 minutes), usually while lying down.
Drag King
A person who wears extravagant, stereotypically masculine clothing and/or prosthetics for the sake of performance, self-expression and/or entertainment. (Source: Trans Lifeline Glossary of Terms and Definitions)
Drag Queen
A person who wears extravagant stereotypically feminine clothing and/or prosthetics for the sake of performance, self-expression and/or entertainment. (Source: Trans Lifeline Glossary of Terms and Definitions)
Dyadic
A person who is not intersex—i.e. does not possess variations of sex characteristics involving chromosomes, the reproductive system, and other aspects of one’s physiology. Dyadic people make up a majority of the global population, but non-dyadic (intersex) people also exist in large numbers throughout the world. (Source: Trans Lifeline Glossary of Terms and Definitions)