Promoting and Protecting Human Rights in relation to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions 1.5. UMBRELLA TERMS USED IN THIS MANUAL Within countries and across the Asia Pacific region, there are no umbrella terms that are universally used to describe people of diverse sexual orientations or gender identities or people with intersex variations. That is to be expected, as the rich diversity of humanity cannot easily be conveyed in a few words. This manual uses the terms ‘communities’ and ‘populations’ rather than ‘community’ and ‘population’ to reflect the multiple lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities being discussed. For the purpose of this manual, using consistent terms helps people understand exactly which issues and communities are being discussed. This is important because, while there are some common issues experienced within all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities, there are some distinct differences too. Umbrella terms are designed to include anyone who shares a specific characteristic, whatever specific term they use to describe themselves. They do not replace local terms from a specific cultural tradition or language, including terms that have existed for a long time. Umbrella terms make systemic human rights issues more visible, while respecting people’s individual choice to define themselves.56 GOOD PRACTICE: USING UMBRELLA TERMS Umbrella terms are shorter than listing all commonly used identity terms. They save time and, in written resources, space. They also reduce the risk of using outdated and possibly contentious terms. However, umbrella terms can still exclude people who do not see their identity reflected in the terms used. When speaking at a public or community meeting, it can be easier to start by using the concepts of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics rather than specific identity terms. This may avoid any community debates or divisions around particular words. It also conveys an inclusive approach. One example could be welcoming everyone, acknowledging that participants represent the rich diversity of sex characteristics, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions in the community. Before introducing an umbrella term in a written resource, it is useful to: • give examples of the breadth of identities and characteristics that it encompasses • acknowledge that people use a diversity of terms and have the right to identify their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or intersex status as they choose, and then • introduce the term or terms chosen for that specific resource. Umbrella terms should be used accurately. Avoid using abbreviations, such as ‘SOGII’ or ‘LGBTI’, if the material you are presenting relates to only one of the concepts or groups of people. For example, a report focused solely on sexual orientation issues for men who have sex with men is not accurately described as a ‘SOGII’ or ‘LGBTI’ resource. Clarifying its narrower scope identifies what material it does provide, as well as information gaps that may signal a need for further research. 56 20 Australian Human Rights Commission, Resilient Individuals: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Rights, 2015.