Glossary

of Sensitive Language
for Internal and
External Communications
The aim of this glossary is to help staff of the European Parliament communicate correctly
in the areas of disability, LGBTI+ issues and matters pertaining to race, ethnicity and religion.
As a rule of thumb, we advise all staff to ask individual members of diversity groups how
they would like to be addressed. However, when it is not possible to do so, we kindly ask you
to consult the following glossary of sensitive language, which the Equality, Inclusion
and Diversity Unit of DG PERS has carefully compiled.

Please note that within the full glossary there are three individual glossaries:

1. Glossary of disability terminology

2. Glossary of LGBTI+ terminology
3. Glossary of terminology pertaining to race, ethnicity and religion

Given the sensitive nature of these topics, the English, French and German version of this
glossary vary in content to accommodate the specificities and nuances of each language.
Glossary of
disability terminology

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Remarks from the European Disability Forum:

• In general, the language of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities should be employed. Part of the disability movement prefer ‘people first’
structures, such as ‘people who are deaf’, others prefer ‘identity-first terminology’,
such as ‘the deaf’.

• The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), ratified by
the EU and all Member States, entails a shift away from charity/medical perspectives
towards a human rights perspective. Its definition of persons with disabilities is:
‘Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental,
intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may
hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.’

• There is a distinction between disability, which refers to the interaction between

someone’s impairment and his/her/their environment (human rights-based approach),
and the impairment itself (medical approach).

• ‘Disability’ used in its singular form refers to the concept of disability. Otherwise,
it should be used in the plural form: ‘persons with disabilities’, ‘persons with physical
disabilities’, etc. If you use the singular form, you are referring only to the impairment
of the person, and thus not complying with the human rights approach to disability.

• It is important that in all terminology used it is never implied that persons with
disabilities are of less value than others. This said, the European Disability Forum uses
the terminology of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications

3
Preferred To avoid

Deaf persons/persons who are deaf/hard Deaf-and-dumb

of hearing/deafblind persons Deaf-mute

Mentally ill
Hypersensitive
Persons living with mental ill-health
Insane
Persons with psychosocial disabilities
Crazy
Users and survivors of psychiatry
Psycho
Emotionally disturbed

Persons with physical disabilities

Persons who are blind or partially

sighted/visually impaired persons 1

Handicapped
Persons in or who use a
Wheelchair-bound
wheelchair/wheelchair users
Confined to a wheelchair

Stricken with ...

Persons living with a specific condition Suffers from ...
Victim of ...

Person with a brain injury Brain-damaged

Persons with a mobility impairment/persons

who use crutches/a cane/a mobility Cripple/crippled
scooter/a walking frame, etc.

Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications

Persons with a speech impairment

Dwarf
Persons with achondroplasia
Midget

1
Alternatively, the European Blind Union recommends using either ‘blind and partially sighted persons’ (or one or the other if you want to be more specific) or ‘visually impaired persons’
(catch-all). The first term is preferable to make it clear that policies are also to the benefit of partially sighted persons, due to many people not understanding the nuance (for many
people, a blind person sees 0 % while in reality there are various degrees of vision) - source: European Blind Union

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Preferred To avoid

Savant
Rain man
Genius - be especially careful not to use the
Persons with autism/autistic people
common stereotype of autistic people being
super-smart, obsessively focused and socially
inept.

Persons with diabetes Diabetics

Birth defects
Persons with disabilities from birth
Deformity

Handicapped people
Differently abled
Handicap
Persons with disabilities/disabled persons
Handicapable
(some prefer the former, others the latter)
Special needs
(These terms, while used in certain contexts can
also be offensive for some.)

Persons with intellectual disabilities/persons The following terms are confusing/incorrect:

with learning disabilities (for the latter in mentally disabled, mental disabilities, delayed.
a UK context) Offensive: retarded

Normal
Persons without disabilities Able-bodied
Healthy

Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications

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To consider:

• Avoid metaphors with disability, especially those that underestimate the impact of disabilities
(e.g. ‘I clean my desk because of my OCD, I am so ADHD today’, etc.

• Take care to use human rights language based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities. Do not use language such as ‘special’, ‘courageous’, ‘heroic’, ‘inspiring’ or ‘brave’.
Persons with disabilities, like all people, just want to live their life. Calling them ‘brave’ or ‘inspiring’
is patronising and is a way for society to hide a general lack of inclusion and accessible
mainstream services.

• Likewise, persons with disabilities are not objects of pity; ‘poor person, they have a disability’ is not
a correct sentiment. The focus should be on the obstacles that society creates.

• Do not refer to people with disabilities as objects of pity, help, special measures, etc. Instead, use
pictures of people with disabilities/real persons to illustrate ‘normal’ situations (e.g. ‘We want to
communicate something about work, let’s use a picture of someone with a disability [even if it’s
not disability-related]’).

• The terms institutionalisation/deinstitutionalisation concern the segregation of persons with

disabilities in residential institutions/settings (mental hospitals, ‘homes for the disabled’, etc.), where
they lose independence and the possibility to participate in the community. However, in some
countries (like France) deinstitutionalisation may be perceived as a dismantling of official institutions.

Sources
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Consultation with European Disability Forum (not official position)

Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications

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Glossary of
LGBTI+ terminology

2
Preferred Meaning/comments To avoid

Agender Terms describing someone

Genderless who identifies as having no
Gender-free gender or being without a
Non-gendered gender identity
Ungendered (not to be used by non-LGBTI+
people).

Asexual A person who does not feel

sexual attraction towards
others.

Assigned sex The sex assigned to a person at Biological sex

birth, with the main criterion
being the baby’s genitalia.

Homophobia Fear, hatred, discomfort or

Biphobia mistrust towards people who
Transphobia are perceived as homosexual,
Interphobia bisexual, transgender or
intersex.

Bisexual A person potentially attracted

Pansexual to more than one or all
genders.

Cisgender/Cis A term denoting a person

Cis man whose gender identity aligns
Cis woman with the gender assigned at
birth.

Civil union/registered Terms denoting that the

partnership relationship of a couple is
legally recognised - not always Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications
with the same rights and/or
benefits that exist for marriage.

Deadname The name that a transgender

person was given at birth and no
longer uses upon transitioning.
Deadnaming Deadnaming is using that name.
Important: when talking to a
trans person, always use their
chosen name rather than the
name that was given to them
at birth.

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Preferred Meaning/comments To avoid

Different-sex relationship A relationship between people Opposite-sex relationship

of two different sexes.

Fair/equal treatment LGBTI+ rights

Treating people fairly Gay rights
and equally Trans rights

Gay A man who is sexually and/or It is not advisable to use ‘gay’

emotionally attracted to men. as a blanket term also covering
lesbians.

Gender confirmation This refers to various medical Pre-operative

treatment/ gender-affirming interventions that may be part Post-operative
treatment of someone’s transition. Sex reassignment surgery
Gender affirmation surgery Medical term for what trans Sex-change
people often call gender ‘The surgery’
confirmation surgery: surgery
to bring the primary and
secondary sex characteristics
of a trans person’s body into
alignment with his or her
internal self-perception.

Gender expression This refers to people’s Not to be confused with:

manifestation of their gender sexual orientation, sex or
identity. Typically, people gender identity.
seek to make their gender
expression or presentation
match their gender identity/
identities, irrespective of the
sex they were assigned at birth.
Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications
Gender identity This refers to each person’s Not to be confused with: sexual
deeply felt internal and orientation or sex.
individual experience of
gender, which may or may not
correspond with the sex they
were assigned at birth.

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Preferred Meaning/comments To avoid

Gender-nonconforming A term for individuals whose

gender identity does not fit
into the societal expectations
related to their assigned sex at
birth.
Non-binary gender Any gender that falls outside
of the binary system of man/
woman.
Gender-fluid Denoting or relating to a
person who does not identify
themselves as having a fixed
gender.

Gender transition/transition The process a person goes Sex change

through in order to live in Gender change
the gender with which they Sex reassignment surgery
identify, which is different from
their assigned sex at birth.
This transition can be divided
into three main pillars:
• Social transition: when the
trans person decides to come
out as trans;
• Medical transition: if the trans
person decides to undergo
medical treatment;
• Legal transition: when the
trans person brings their legal
documents into line with
their chosen gender identity
and/or gender expression. Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications

Given name The name that was given to a Real name

person at birth.

Heteronormativity This refers to cultural and social

attitudes whereby men and
women are led to believe that
heterosexuality is the only
conceivable sexuality; it implies
that heterosexuality is the only
way of being ‘normal’.

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Preferred Meaning/comments To avoid

Intersex Individuals born with any Hermaphrodite

of several variations in sex
characteristics including
chromosomes, gonads, sex
hormones or genitals that do
not fit the typical definitions for
male or female bodies.

Joint adoption When a couple is allowed

to apply for the adoption
of a child.

Lesbian A woman who is sexually and/

or emotionally attracted to
women.

Lesbian Use person-centred language, Lesbians

Gay such as ‘lesbian’, ‘gay’ or Gays
Bisexual ‘bisexual’ people rather than Bisexuals
‘lesbians’, ‘gays’ or ‘bisexuals’. Homosexuals
Opponents of LGBTI+
equality often use words like
‘homosexual’ to stigmatise gay
people by reducing their lives
to purely sexual terms.

LGBTI Acronym for Lesbian/Gay/

Bisexual/Transgender/Intersex.
LGBTI+ When the ‘+’ is added, other
realities/identities are included
such as (but not limited to)
asexual, pansexual, gender- Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications
nonconforming, etc.

Marriage equality Where national marriage Gay marriage

legislation also includes same-
sex couples – e.g. gender-
neutral reference to spouses.

Opponents Those who oppose protecting Anti-gay groups

LGBTI+ people from
discrimination.

Other gender/sex Opposite sex

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Preferred Meaning/comments To avoid

Parents/caregivers It is important to recognise Mother/father

diverse family formation.

Queer Although historically used

as a negative term, ‘queer’ is
now more commonly used
by the ‘Rainbow Community’
as an inclusive term to refer
to lesbian, gay, bisexual,
pansexual and transgender
people.

Same-sex relationships/ These terms cover relationships Homosexual couples

couples or couples consisting of two
people of the same sex.

Second parent adoption When a person is allowed to

adopt their partner’s biological
child/children.

Sex characteristics Genitals, chromosomes, Not to be confused with:

hormones, body hair and other sex/gender.
human body characteristics
which all people have.

Sexual orientation How one finds oneself feeling Sexual preference

drawn (or not drawn) to Lifestyle choice
another person in a sexual and/ Same-sex attraction
or romantic way. Sexual identity
Gay/lesbian/bisexual lifestyle

Social name/chosen name The name a trans person

prefers to use instead of their Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications
given name.

SOGIESC Sexual orientation, gender

identity, expression and sex
characteristics.

Successive adoption When a person is allowed to

adopt their partner’s adopted
child.

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Preferred Meaning/comments To avoid

Surrogacy 2 An arrangement in which a

woman carries and delivers a
child for a third person or third-
party couple.

Third gender/sex Used in relation to a gender

identity that describes
someone who considers
themselves, or is considered,
neither male nor female by
societal definition; in other
contexts, used to describe
individuals whose gender
identity does not match the sex
they were assigned at birth.

Trans/Transgender An overarching term for Transgendered

individuals whose gender A transgender
identity or expression differs ‘Transgenders’
from societal expectations of Transvestite
the sex they were assigned Sheboy
at birth. Ladyboy
A trans/transgender person ‘Trans’ is shorthand for Drag queen
‘transgender’ and is used as
an umbrella term to include
transgender/transexual people.
A trans/transgender man The term for a transgender
individual who identifies as a
man (or whose gender identity
is that of a man) and was
assigned female at birth. Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications

A trans/transgender woman The term for a transgender

individual who identifies as
a woman (or whose gender
identity is that of a woman)
and was assigned male at birth.

2
Surrogacy is outlawed in several EU Member States. In some others, surrogacy arrangements are void and unenforceable.

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Sources
An Ally’s Guide to Terminology, Talking About LGBT People and Equality (taken from the UN’s website:
http://www.uncares.org/unforall/resources-policies-and-inclusive-language)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Terminology Guidance
Council of Europe: Gender Equality Glossary
IGLA-Europe Glossary
‘The genderbread person‘ (website)

Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications

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Glossary of terminology
pertaining to race,
ethnicity and religion

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Terminology denoting race is contextual, and born from social processes of racialisation, therefore subject
to difference in opinion. However, these are some guidelines:

Preferred To avoid

Anti-gypsyism
(Anti-gypsyism is a specific form of racism
towards Roma, Sinti, Travellers and others
who are stigmatised as ‘gypsies’ in the public
imagination.)

Asian people Orientals

Asylum seeker/refugee/migrant
Immigrant
(depending on the specific legal status).

Bi-racial
Half-caste
Multiracial

Black European/people of African descent/

Negroes
Black people

French of Algerian descent/French Algerian

British Indian
(for people with more than one set of roots).

People of colour
Racial/ethnic/religious minorities
Coloured
People with a migrant background
Non-white
(commonly used in German and Swedish
contexts; not generally applicable).

Members of minority groups Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications
(‘Minorities’ is not a contested term.)

Roma/Sinti/Travellers Itinerant
Roma community Tinker
Sinti community Gyppo

Romani people
Gypsies (not acceptable when used by people
Traveller community
outside of the gypsy community).
Travellers

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Preferred To avoid

Undocumented/irregular migrant Illegal migrant

White people Caucasians

Comments regarding race, ethnicity and religion:

• Call people by the term that they prefer. If in doubt, just ask them.

• Avoid identifying people by race or ethnic group unless it is relevant.

• Refer to specific minority groups when possible (e.g. Roma).

• Use the names of countries or regions when referring to nationalities, i.e. Nigerian or North
African. Do not overgeneralise by referring to ‘Africans’ or ‘Arabs’.

• It is acceptable to say Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, etc. Sometimes people can be
offended when religious terms are used to describe people’s personalities, such as:
‘He is such a Jew’.

Sources
Language and the British Sociological Association: Ethnicity and Race Glossary of Sensitive Language for Internal and External Communications
Citizens Advice, United Kingdom
Council of Europe
Consultation with the European Network against Racism

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