The language around sexuality and gender is constantly changing, with new definitions evolving, and existing words being reclaimed by new generations.
We've compiled this list of sexualities and their definitions to act as an ever growing resource for the LGBTQ+ community and our allies, to give you the language to express your own sexuality, as well as the language to accurately represent those around you.
For the Gender Identities companion piece to this article, click here.
Abrosexual
Abrosexual describes someone whose sexuality is fluid or changeable. For example one day they may identify as asexual, the next as lesbian, and the next as pansexual. Abrosexual people can fluctuate between all sexualities, or just a few. The timing between fluctuations can also vary.
Androphilic / Androsexual
Androphilic, or androsexual, describes someone who is primarily attracted to masculinity, be this sexually, romantically, or aesthetically. These terms are particularly useful for people who identify outside of the gender binary as unlike terms like gay or lesbian, they refer only to the presentation of the person someone is attracted to and not the person themselves.
For example, both heterosexual women and homosexual men can be referred to as androphilic or androsexual.
Aroace
Aroace is short for Aromantic Asexual, which means someone who experiences little or no romantic and sexual attraction.
Aroflux
An aroflux person is someone whose romantic orientation fluctuates but generally stays on the aromantic spectrum. They may feel strongly aromantic one day, and less so on another day.
Aromantic
Aromantic refers to someone who does not experience romantic attraction. They may experience sexual and/or aesthetic attraction, but not romantic attraction.
Asexual
An asexual person is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. They may experience romantic and/or aesthetic attraction, but not sexual attraction.
Bisexual
Bisexuality refers to sexual attraction to more than one gender and is inclusive of ALL genders, therefore bi folk can be attracted to people from right across the gender spectrum.
Demisexual
Demisexual refers to someone who only experiences sexual attraction to someone once they have created a romantic or platonic relationship with them.
Demiromantic
Similarly to Demisexual, Demiromantic refers to someone who does not experience romantic attraction until they have formed a strong connection with a partner.
Finsexual
The exclusive attraction to those who are feminine in nature (FIN). This means finsexual people are attracted to women, feminine aligned and/or feminine presenting non-binary people, and potentially feminine men.
Gay / Homosexual
Someone who is attracted to the same gender as themselves. The rainbow flag is also used to represent the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole.
Gay Male / Vincian
Vincian is a term used to describe gay men or men-aligned people. Often used as the masculine equivalent of lesbian.
Greysexual
Greysexual refers to people who experience limited sexual attraction. They experience sexual attraction very rarely, or with very low intensity. Also known as gray-ace.
Gynephilic / Gynesexual
Someone who is primarily romantically, sexually, or aesthetically attracted to femininity.
Lesbian
Most often refers to women who are solely attracted to other women however some non binary people can also identify as lesbian.
Lithosexual
Lithosexual refers to a person who may experience sexual attraction but does not want it reciprocated. Also known as Akoisexual.
Lithromantic
A lithromantic person is someone who may experience romantic attraction but does not want it reciprocated. Also known as Akoiromantic.
Minsexual
Minsexual refers to the exclusive attraction to those who are masculine in nature (MIN). This can include men, masculine aligned and/or masculine presenting non-binary people, and potentially masculine women.
Multisexual
Multisexual is an umbrella term for any form of attraction to more than one gender. Also known as Plurisexuality.
Neptunic
Neptunic refers to the attraction to women, feminine non-binary people, and neutral non-binary people. It can also be described as attraction to all except men and/or masculine-aligned non-binary people.
Ninsexual
Ninsexual refers to the exclusive attraction to those who are non-binary in nature (NIN). This includes people who are non-binary, neutrois, androgyne, agender, and anyone whose gender or presentation is androgynous.
Omnisexual
Omnisexual refers to a person who is attracted to all genders or any gender, while still having a preference.
Pansexual
Someone who is attracted to all genders, the pre-fix 'pan' meaning 'all' in Latin. Many Pansexual people also describe themselves as being attracted to others based on their personality, not gender.
Polyamorous
Someone who is, or desires to be in, a consensual relationship with multiple partners. Polyamory is the opposite of monogamy.
Queer
An umbrella term for someone whose sexuality and/or gender is not heterosexual, cisgender and/or allosexual.
Queer has been used as a term of abuse against the LGBTQ+ community, but is now often used by members of the LGBTQ+ who have reclaimed it.
Sapphic
Sapphic refers to a woman or woman-aligned person who is attracted to other women or woman-aligned people. Also known as woman loving woman (WLW).
Saturnic
The attraction to androgynous-aligned non-binary people. Mostly used by non-binary people to describe their attraction without relying on the gender binary.
Uranic
Uranic refers to the attraction to men, masculine non-binary people, and neutral non-binary people. Can also be described as attraction to all except women and/or feminine-aligned non-binary people.
As language evolves there are always new ways to describe different identities, if you feel we've missed something out that needs adding to this list of LGBTQ+ terms, be sure to let us know by emailing us on info@rainbowandco.uk or messaging us via our Facebook page.
Oliver
This article was written by Oliver, a trans, queer, and disabled person who lives in Manchester with his partner and dog.
95 comments
This was awesome, and really helpful. I knew a little less than half the sexualities/genders, but this really helped me! I’m also glad to know that there are so many other people in the LGBTQ+ community. This world is amazing, it’s not perfect, but perfect doesn’t mean beautiful. This world is beautiful in its acceptance, its change, its glory, and it’s difference. But, there are also homophobes, stalkers, rapers, sexists, racists, and just bad people. So the world isn’t all beautiful. But this side of the world, the LGBTQ+ side, definitely is.
This was great for me figuring out that I am uranic.
Thank you for this! It’s very useful, and although I am (if I do say so myself) very knowledgeable about the LGBT+ community, being transgender (waves hands confusedly All I know is birth name/pronouns = uncomfy), acespike, and finsexual/pan-finromantic myself and having spent hours upon hours on the LGBTA wiki trying to find what fits. I didn’t know ninsexual/ninromantic was a thing so I’m just going to go have an identity crisis now because I thought I’d found the final gold bit in my sexuality hoard but noooooo, my brain isn’t going to let me off that easy :] If you could make one of these for gender, I’d be very grateful!
This was helpful for my discord server as I want to be inclusive of all sexuality’s as I myself am gay.
Thank you so much. I’ve been confused lately. Thanks!
Currently, I am 16. I’m still trying to figure out what I am. Ever since school started again, I’ve been saying I’m bisexual. Well, because I believe I am. I still have a lot to figure out, I mean I’m still growing up and it can take time. I really haven’t went out and explored really. I’ve only ever boys until this girl in freshman year. I guess I didn’t know I liked her until I started focusing on myself and what/ who I’m into. To this day, I still have a crush on her. She is my very good friend and she is also bisexual. I know I won’t have a chance, but it’s good to know I can still keep her as a friend. She is the one who made me realize that I’m probably bisexual. I hangout with her at school all the time. Sorry for going off track with all of this. Okay- back to the point. As I said I’ve ever only been attracted to males and females. I still have time to do things and figure out. What I mean by that is maybe I can meet someone who identifies as another gender (if that make sense) But as for now, I believe I’m bisexual, who knows. So whoever made this whole thing, I’m very thankful. You really helped explain the sexualities and I hope to figure out my sexuality one day. <3
Thanks! I’m thinking about going Abro-queer because abro kinda describes me!
TYSM!!! It is quite hard trying to learn the basic ones, let alone these other ones. IM SO SORRY IF I SEEM HOMOPHOBIC I SWEAR IM NOT IM LESBIAN!
Growing up, we didn’t have that diversity or any inclusive language; it was hard to find yourselves in a few mainstream terms. It is so helpful! Thank you so much for this listing!
Hi!!! Thanks so much for this, because I’ve been switching back and forth between pan and bi and recently figured out I’m a. I wanted to look at a list because I was curious to see if I possibly matched any other sexuality. It helped a lot, so thanks!