Glossary Gender affirmation is an umbrella term for a range of actions and possibilities involved in living, surviving, and thriving as your authentic gendered self. What this looks like for each individual trans person is unique and based on what is personally affirming for them, what feels safe to do, and what is accessible and available. It may include changing a name or pronoun, wearing different clothes or cutting/growing hair, engaging in speech and language therapy, taking gender-affirming hormones, or having surgery(s). Gender expression refers to a person’s physical presentation of gender – including dress, hairstyles, accessories and cosmetics – and mannerisms, speech, behavioural patterns, names and personal references. Gender expression may or may not conform to a person’s gender identity. Gender identity refers to a person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at their birth. This includes their sense of their body and other expressions of gender including dress, speech and mannerisms. Gender marker refers to the way someone’s gender is recorded in a dataset, like in a school administrative database. Typically, “M” and “F” are used as gender markers to denote “male” and “female” respectively. Different databases will use different gender markers to denote genders other than these, such as “N” for “non-binary”. MVPFAFF+ is an acronym to describe Pasifika identities; Mahu (Hawai’i and Tahiti), Vaka sa lewa lewa (Fiji), Palopa (Papua New Guinea) Fa’afafine (Samoa) Akava’ine (Rarotonga), Fakaleiti (Tonga), Fakafifine (Niue). The abbreviation is gaining increasing use to signify the existence of different Pacific cultures that have a strong presence in Aotearoa. Takatāpui is used by some Māori that identify with a minority sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics. The term has been reclaimed and expanded from its original meaning, which was “intimate companion of the same sex”. Sexual orientation refers to each person’s capacity for emotional and sexual attraction to, and intimate and sexual relations with, people of the same or different gender or more than one gender. Sexuality refers to a person’s sexual feelings, thoughts, attractions and behaviours towards other people. More definitions can be found in the InsideOut Terminology Handbook or Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission website. LGBTQIA+ is an acronym of different identities including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual. The plus is used to include other terms not listed. The LGBTQIA+ community is also sometimes called the ‘rainbow community’. There are many examples of identities that reach beyond the Eurocentric acronym of LGBTQIA+ across South Asian regions. These include Hijra (a thriving ‘third gender’), Aravani, Thirunangaigal, Khwajasara, Kothi, Thirunambigal, Jogappa, Jogatha, Nachchi, and Shiva Shakti.41 10 10 Conversion Practices Guidance for those working with rangatahi and their whānau