Glossary • Psych N Sex

Glossary

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  • Abortifacient
    A drug, herb, or device that can cause an abortion (end a pregnancy).
  • Abortion
    Ending a pregnancy.      
  • Abortion pill
    Describes the process of medication abortion, which includes the use of two medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, to safely end a pregnancy.
  • Abstinence
    Not having sex with anyone.
  • Abstinence-only programs
    A form of “sex education” that teaches abstinence (not having sex) as the only morally correct option for unmarried people. They don’t include information about protection from STDs or pregnancy. See "abstinence-only-until-marriage programs."
  • Acceptance
    Conformity that involves both acting and believing in accord with social pressure.
  • Ace
    Short for asexual, meaning the sexual orientation, or spectrum of identities, associated with experiencing no sexual attraction towards anyone.
  • Acquaintance rape
    Sexual assault by someone the victim knows.
  • Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
    The most advanced stage of HIV.
  • Adaptation-level phenomenon
    The tendency to adapt to a given level of stimulation and thus to notice and react to changes from that level.
  • Adolescence
    The period of physical and emotional change between the beginning of puberty and early adulthood.
  • Adrenarche
    The time in early puberty when secondary sex characteristics, like pubic hair, begin to develop.
  • Afterbirth
    The placenta and other tissue that empty out of the uterus following childbirth.
  • Age of consent
    The age at which state law considers a person old enough to decide to have sex with someone.
  • Agender
    Not identifying with any gender.
  • Aggression
    Physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt someone. In laboratory experiments, this might mean delivering electric shocks or saying something likely to hurt another's feelings. By this social psychological definition, one can be socially assertive without being aggressive.
  • AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
    The most advanced stage of HIV.
  • AIS (androgen insensitivity syndrome)
    A biological intersex condition that makes a fetus with XY chromosomes unable to develop male sex organs, causing female genitals at birth and throughout life. Usually raised as girls, individuals with AIS do not have reproductive organs, do not menstruate, are infertile, and can have vaginas(...)
  • Alfred Kinsey (1894–1956)
    Influential American sex researcher of the 20th century. His research was unique and groundbreaking. In extensive interviews, he and his team of researchers took thousands of case histories to learn about people’s sexual identities and experiences. Although his sample did not precisely reflect(...)
  • Ally
    Someone who’s on the same side as you. Often used to describe someone who takes a stand against oppression or discrimination who is not a member of the oppressed group — for example, a white person who speaks out against racism or a straight person who speaks out against homophobia.
  • Alternative insemination
  • Altruism
    A motive to increase another's welfare without conscious regard for one's self-interests.
  • Amenorrhea
    Not having a period (menstruating).
  • Amniocentesis
    A prenatal test that examines the fluid that surrounds and protects the fetus. If done, it’s usually performed between 15–18 weeks of pregnancy to detect certain birth defects.
  • Amniotic fluid
    The liquid that surrounds the fetus within the amniotic sac.
  • Anal sex
    Sex in which the penis or a sex toy goes in the anus.
  • Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS)
    A biological intersex condition that causes a fetus with XY chromosomes to have a vulva at birth rather than a penis and scrotum Often raised as girls, individuals with AIS don’t have reproductive organs, don’t menstruate, are infertile, and can have vaginas that are too shallow for(...)
  • Androgens
    Hormones that stimulate male genital development in the womb and secondary male sex characteristics during puberty. Large amounts are produced in testicles and small amounts are produced in ovaries. The most common androgen is testosterone.
  • Androgynous
    Appearing to have both, neither, or in between traditionally male and female physical characteristics.
  • Andropause
    A gradual decline in sex drive as people with penises age, due to decreasing levels of testosterone. Similar to menopause.
  • Anilingus
    Oral sex with a partner’s anus. Also known by the slang term “rimming.”
  • Anorexia
    An eating disorder in which people don’t eat or eat dangerously little.
  • Anorgasmia
    Inability to have an orgasm or difficulty in having an orgasm.
  • Anti-choice
    Opposed to the belief that people have the right to make their own choices about whether and when to have a child.
  • Antibiotics
    Medicines that are used to cure infections caused by bacteria.
  • Antibody
    A protein developed by the immune system in response to a toxin in the body.
  • Antiretroviral
    A medicine that fights viruses. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a treatment for HIV patients that can help them stay healthy, and lower their chances of giving HIV to someone else.
  • Anus
    The opening from the rectum (butt) from which solid waste (poop) leaves the body.
  • Aphrodisiac
    A substance that increases sexual desire.
  • Areola
    The dark area surrounding the nipple.
  • ART (antiretroviral therapy)
    A combination of medicines that works to keep people living with HIV healthy by lowering the amount of the virus in their bodies.
  • Artificial insemination
    See the preferred term, “donor insemination.”
  • Asexuality
    Sexual orientation or identity associated with experiencing no sexual attraction for anyone.
  • Aspiration abortion
    A procedure that ends pregnancy by emptying the uterus with the gentle suction of a manual syringe or with machine-operated suction. Also called “in-clinic abortion.”
  • Asymptomatic
    Having no signs or symptoms. Many STDs are asymptomatic in their early stages.
  • Atrophic vaginitis
    Vaginal irritation without any discharge caused by lowered levels of estrogen. Sometimes caused by menopause and more rarely, by breastfeeding.
  • Attractiveness
    Having qualities that appeal to an audience. An appealing communicator (often someone similar to the audience) is most persuasive on matters of subjective preference.
  • Attribution theory
    The theory of how people explain others' behavior; for example, by attributing it either to internal dispositions (enduring traits, motives, and attitudes) or to external situations.
  • Autoerotic
    Being turned on by yourself or something you think of in your own mind.
  • Autoerotic asphyxiation
    Strangling or choking yourself for sexual arousal. It can be very dangerous. Hundreds of young people die of autoerotic asphyxiation every year.
  • Availability heuristic
    An efficient but fallible rule-of-thumb that judges the likelihood of things in terms of their availability in memory. If instances of something come readily to mind, we presume it to be commonplace.
  • Backup birth control
    Any birth control method — like condoms or withdrawal — that’s used while waiting for hormonal birth control methods to become effective (or to become effective again after a mistake or problem). Some people also refer to emergency contraception as backup birth control.
  • Bacterial vaginosis (bv)
    Inflammation of the vulva/vagina (vaginitis) caused by a change in the balance of vaginal bacteria. It’s not an STD. Things like douching or having sex with a new partner can lead to BV.
  • Balanitis
    An inflammation of the glans and foreskin of the penis that can be caused by infections (including STDs), harsh soaps, poor hygiene, etc. It’s most common in uncircumcised penises.
  • Barrier methods of birth control
    Birth control that blocks sperm from passing through the cervix (the barrier between the vagina and uterus). These include the condom, female condom, diaphragm, cervical cap, spermicide, and sponge.
  • Bartholin’s glands
    Two glands that provide lubrication (wetness) to the vagina during sexual excitement (arousal, being turned on). Located in the inner labia on each side of the opening to the vagina.
  • Basal body temperature method
    A birth control method that involves tracking your body temperature over time to predict ovulation. Can be used to prevent pregnancy or to plan a pregnancy.
  • Bdsm
    A term for a variety of sexual practices including bondage, discipline, domination/submission, and sadism/masochism.
  • Behavioral confirmation
    A type of self-fulfilling prophecy whereby people's social expectations lead them to act in ways that cause others to confirm their expectations.
  • Belief perseverance
    Persistence of one's initial conceptions, as when the basis for one's belief is discredited but an explanation of why the belief might be true survives.
  • Bi erasure / invisibility
    The tendency to ignore the existence or legitimacy of bisexuality.
  • Bigender
    Having two genders. Identifying as both a man and a woman, for example.
  • Bilateral mastectomy
    The surgical removal of both breasts. Performed to treat/prevent breast cancer or for gender affirmation. See "chest surgery" or “top surgery.”
  • Biphobia
    Fear, hatred, or mistrust of bisexuals.
  • Birth canal
    The passage from the uterus through the cervix and vagina through which a baby is born.
  • Birth center
    A special health facility for people giving birth and their families.
  • Birth Control
    Something that prevents pregnancy.
  • Birth defect
    A physical abnormality or health issue present at birth. May be considered outdated or offensive. “Congenital disorder” is the preferred term.
  • Bisexual
    Being sexually attracted to both men and women. Sometimes used to describe people who are sexually attracted to people of all genders, including non-binary genders.
  • Bladder
    The organ that collects and stores urine (pee). The bladder is emptied through the urethra.
  • Blastocyst
    The developing hollow ball of cells that grows from a fertilized egg, before it implants in the uterus.
  • Blue balls
    Slang for an uncomfortable — but not dangerous — feeling in the penis/testicles that may occur when you don’t ejaculate after being very turned on.
  • Body image
    Attitudes and feelings that a person has about their body and appearance.
  • Boner
    Slang for an erect (hard) penis.
  • Bottom surgery
    A general term for a variety of genital surgeries that transgender individuals may choose to get to align their physical body with their gender identity. See “gender-affirming surgery” or “gender-alignment surgery.”
  • Breastfeeding
    Feeding a baby with human milk from the breast. Can also be used as a birth control method for the first 6 months after birth, if done correctly.
  • Breasts
    The two glands on the chest. Considered sex organs because they’re often sexually sensitive and may inspire sexual desire. Like mammary glands in other mammals, they produce milk during and after pregnancy.
  • Bulbourethral glands
    The glands beneath the prostate gland that are attached to the urethra. They produce pre-ejaculate (pre-cum), preparing for ejaculation by temporarily stopping the ability to urinate (pee) and making it easier for semen to move. Also called “Cowper’s glands.”
  • Butch
    Slang for dressing like or taking on roles that are traditionally “masculine,” especially in regard to lesbians or gender-nonconforming individuals. Some people may call themselves butch, while others find the term offensive.
  • Butt plug
    A sex toy that goes in the anus. It’s designed to stay in place with a flared base.
  • Bv (bacterial vaginosis)
    Inflammation of the vulva/vagina (vaginitis) caused by a change in the balance of vaginal bacteria. It’s not an STD. Things like douching or having sex with a new partner can lead to BV.
  • Bystander effect
    The finding that a person is less likely to provide help when there are other bystanders.
  • C-section
    Giving birth when a doctor surgically removes the baby from the uterus. Short for cesarian section.
  • Calendar method
    A fertility awareness-based method for predicting fertility in which users chart their menstrual cycles on a calendar. Can be used to plan a pregnancy or as birth control if cycles are tracked over many months.
  • Cancer
    A disease in which abnormal cells grow out of control in a part of the body.
  • Candida
    A type of yeast that causes vaginal yeast infections when it becomes overgrown. Yeast infections may also occur in the penis or scrotum, or the mouth/throat. When they happen in the mouth or throat, they’re called “thrush.”
  • Cap
    Short for a cervical cap, a birth control method. A cervical cap is a cup made from soft silicone and shaped like a sailor's hat. It goes inside the vagina to cover the cervix. Used with spermicide, the cervical cap is a reusable barrier method of birth control that’s available by(...)
  • Castration
    Removal of the testicles. See "chemical castration."
  • Celibacy
    Not having sex.
  • Censorship
    When something is forbidden because it’s thought to be offensive or dangerous.
  • Cervical cap
    A cervical cap is a cup made from soft silicone and shaped like a sailor's hat. It goes inside the vagina and covers the cervix. Used with spermicide, the cervical cap is a reusable barrier method of birth control that’s available by prescription. The FemCap is the only cervical cap available(...)
  • Cervical mucus
    The secretion that comes from the divider between the uterus and vagina. The amount of cervical mucus and what it looks like changes throughout the menstrual cycle, especially around the time of ovulation. It can naturally help sperm move, or help stop sperm from moving if you’re using(...)
  • Cervical mucus method
    A fertility awareness-based method for predicting fertility by tracking changes in the appearance and quantity of cervical mucus. Can be used for planning a pregnancy or as birth control if tracked over many months.
  • Cervicitis
    An irritation of the cervix. May include abnormal discharge from the cervix that can look and feel like vaginal discharge.
  • Cervix
    The narrow, lower part of the uterus, with a small opening connecting the uterus to the vagina.
  • Cesarian section
    Giving birth when a doctor surgically removes the baby from the uterus. Called “c-section” for short.
  • Chancre
    A sore on the skin or mucus membrane that’s caused by syphilis during the first phase of infection.
  • Chancroid
    A sexually transmitted bacteria that causes open genital sores, called buboes. Chancroid is very rare today, especially in the U.S.
  • Chastity belt
    A device designed to prevent people from having sex. Used from medieval to modern times, these devices were also supposed to preserve morality. Some were meant to ensure fidelity in women. Others were designed to prevent masturbation.
  • Chemical castration
    Injecting progestin into someone with a penis/scrotum to decrease sexual desire and arousal. In some countries, sex offenders can be sentenced to chemical castration.
  • Chest binding
    Wrapping breast tissue in order to flatten it and create a more masculine-appearing chest.
  • Chest surgery / chest reconstruction surgery
    Surgical reconstruction to create a more female- or more male-appearing chest. Sometimes referred to as “top surgery.”
  • Child pornography
    Images of children designed to be sexually arousing. Making, distributing, and consuming child pornography are serious crimes.
  • Chlamydia
    A very common STD that’s caused by a bacteria and can be cured with antibiotics. If left untreated, chlamydia can cause infertility and arthritis.
  • Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
    A prenatal test that examines the tissue that attaches a fetus to the wall of the uterus. If a doctor or nurse recommends it, CVS is usually performed between 10–12 weeks of pregnancy to detect certain genetic or biological disorders.
  • Circumcision
    A surgical procedure to remove the foreskin of the penis or part of the clitoris. See ”female circumcision.”
  • Cis man
    Short for cisgender man. A man who identifies as the gender he was assigned at birth — in this case, male. A man who isn’t transgender.
  • Cis woman
    Short for cisgender woman. A woman who identifies as the gender she was assigned at birth — in this case, female. A woman who isn’t transgender.
  • Cisgender
    Those who identify as the gender they were assigned at birth. For example, a baby born with a vulva is categorized a girl. If she also identifies as a girl or woman throughout her life, she’s considered cisgender. In other words, cisgender describes someone who is not transgender.
  • Climax
    An orgasm or to have an orgasm.
  • Clinician
    A qualified health care professional, such as a doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Also called “health care provider.”
  • Clit
    Short for clitoris.
  • Clitoral hood
    A small flap of skin formed by the inner labia that covers and protects the clitoris.
  • Clitoral reduction
    A surgery to shorten the clitoris. Sometimes provided as part of gender affirming surgery. If it’s done without the patient’s consent, it’s a form of female genital mutilation.
  • Clitoridectomy
    Removal of the external clitoris. See "female genital mutilation."
  • Clitoris
    Sex organ whose only known purpose is sexual pleasure. The clitoris swells with blood during sexual excitement. The outer part of the clitoris is located at the top/front of the vulva, right next to urethra (hole you pee out of). The inner part of the clitoris, which is much larger, includes a(...)
  • Closet
    “Being in the closet,” or “being closeted,” means not sharing or not being able to share your LGBTQ identity with yourself or others.
  • CMV (cytomegalovirus)
    An infection that can be passed through sexual contact, childbirth, or breastfeeding. In healthy adults, CMV usually doesn’t cause any symptoms. In babies or adults with a compromised immune system, it can cause symptoms including pneumonia, seizures, etc.
  • Coercion
    Forcing someone to do something they don’t want to do, often with threats or emotional manipulation.
  • Cognitive dissonance
    Tension that arises when one is simultaneously aware of two inconsistent cognitions. For example, dissonance may occur when we realize that we have, with little justification, acted contrary to our attitudes or made a decision favoring one alternative despite reasons favoring another.
  • Cohesiveness
    A "we feeling"; the extent to which members of a group are bound together, such as by attraction for one another.
  • Coitophobia
    Fear of vaginal sex.
  • Coitus
    Sex in which the penis enters the vagina. Also called “vaginal sex” or ”vaginal intercourse.”
  • Collectivism
    Giving priority to the goals of one's groups (often one's extended family or work group) and defining one's identity accordingly.
  • Colostrum
    Breast milk produced towards the end of pregnancy and for a few days right after childbirth. It’s low in fat but high in cells that help infants fight infections.
  • Colposcope
    A tool with a bright light and magnifying lens that’s used to look at the cervix for a colposcopy. Colposcopes aren’t inserted into the body.
  • Combination pill
    A birth control pill that contains 2 hormones: estrogen and progestin.
  • Combined hormone contraceptives
    Birth control methods — the pill, the patch, the ring — that contain 2 hormones: estrogen and progestin.
  • Combined oral contraceptives
    Birth control pills that contain 2 hormones: estrogen and progestin.
  • Coming out
    The process of accepting and being open about one’s identity, such as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Short for “coming out of the closet.”
  • Companionate love
    The affection we feel for those with whom our lives are deeply intertwined.
  • Complementarity
    The popularly supposed tendency, in a relationship between two people, for each to complete what is missing in the other. The questionable complementarity hypothesis proposes that people attract those whose needs are different, in ways that complement their own.
  • Complete miscarriage
    A miscarriage (when a pregnancy ends on its own) in which all the pregnancy tissue is passed without medical treatment
  • Compliance
    Conformity that involves publicly acting in accord with social pressure while privately disagreeing. Obedience is acting in accord with a direct order.
  • Comprehensive sex education
    A medically accurate, age appropriate curriculum or intervention that includes information about abstinence, birth control, STD prevention, healthy relationships, sexual orientation/gender identity, accessing health care services, and helps build skills around communication and healthy(...)
  • Comstock act
    An 1873 law that made it a federal crime to use the U.S. mail to distribute anything considered “obscene, lewd, lascivious, indecently filthy, or vile,” including information about abortion, contraception, and sexual health. Many state “Comstock laws” were also passed around the turn of the(...)
  • Conception
    The beginning of pregnancy. The moment when the pre-embryo attaches to the lining of the uterus and pregnancy begins.
  • Condom
    Thin, stretchy pouches worn on the penis during sex. Mostly made from latex or plastics (like polyurethane and polyisoprene). Sometimes made from lambskin. Condoms are an over-the-counter barrier method of birth control that also provide protection from STDs with one exception — lambskin(...)
  • Confirmation bias
    A tendency to search for information that confirms one's preconceptions.
  • Conflict
    A perceived incompatibility of actions or goals.
  • Conformity
    A change in behavior or belief as a result of real or imagined group pressure.
  • Congenital syphilis
    Syphilis that’s passed from parent to fetus during pregnancy, leading to bone disorders, loss of sight or hearing, deformities, stillbirth, or death of a newborn.
  • Contraception/contraceptive
    Any behavior, device, medication, or procedure used to prevent pregnancy. Also known as birth control.
  • Contraceptive creams and jellies
    Substances containing spermicide, which block sperm and prevent it from joining with an egg. These are over-the-counter, one time use barrier methods of birth control. They work best if used with a cervical cap, diaphragm, or condom.
  • Contraceptive film
    A thin, two-inch square sheet of spermicide that’s inserted deep into the vagina, where it melts into a thick liquid that blocks the entrance to the uterus. It blocks sperm and prevents it from joining with an egg. An over-the-counter one time use barrier method of birth control. Most(...)
  • Contraceptive foam
    A substance that’s inserted deep into the vagina. Contraceptive foam blocks the entrance to the uterus with bubbles that contain a spermicide to block sperm, preventing it from joining with an egg. An over-the-counter, one time use barrier method of birth control. Most effective when used with(...)
  • Contraceptive suppository
    A solid capsule containing spermicide that’s­ inserted deep into the vagina, and melts into a liquid to block sperm, preventing it from joining with an egg. An over-the-counter, one time use barrier method of birth control. Most effective when used with a condom.
  • Contraction
    The on-again, off-again tightening of the uterus during childbirth, which causes intense cramping.
  • Copulation
    Another way of saying vaginal sex, or sometimes sexual activity in general.
  • Corpus cavernosa
    Two strips of erectile tissue in the glans, shaft, and crura of the clitoris and along the sides of the penis that extend back into the pelvic floor. During sexual excitement, they fill with blood and become erect.
  • Corpus luteum
    A mass of cells that temporarily form on an ovary and produce progesterone following the release of an egg each month.
  • Corpus spongiosum
    Erectile tissue that forms the glans of the clitoris and penis. In the penis, it runs from the glans along the underside of the shaft, surrounding the urethra.
  • Correlational research
    The study of the naturally occurring relationships among variables.
  • Counterfactual thinking
    Imagining what might have happened, but didn't.
  • Couvade syndrome
    Pregnancy symptoms experienced by the partner of a pregnant person. Also called “sympathetic pregnancy.”
  • Cowper’s glands
    Produce pre-ejaculate (AKA pre-cum), a clear fluid that prepares the urethra for ejaculation. Pre-ejaculate also reduces friction in the urethra, making it easier for semen to pass through. Also called “bulbourethral glands.”
  • Cremaster
    The muscle that elevates the testicles as the temperature gets colder or when the front or inner thigh is touched.
  • Cremaster reflex
    The automatic response of the cremaster muscle, which elevates the testicles when exposed to cold or stimulation.
  • Cross-dresser
    A person — typically a straight-identified, cisgender man — who sometimes wears clothing associated with the opposite gender for a variety of reasons.
  • Crura
    Internal extensions of the corpus cavernosa of the clitoris and penis that attach to the pubic bone.
  • Cryotherapy
    The removal of abnormal or unwanted tissue — like warts and other growths — by freezing them.
  • Cryptorchidism
    A condition in which one or both testicles do not descend into the scrotum within 3 months of birth.
  • Culture
    The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.
  • Cum
    Slang for "ejaculate," the sperm-containing fluid that comes out of the penis usually during an orgasm. Also another way of saying “to have an orgasm.”
  • Cunnilingus
    Oral sex using the mouth to stimulate the clitoris, vulva, and vagina.
  • Curette
    A small, metal loop used to scrape tissue. Used in dilation and curettage.
  • Cushing syndrome
    A condition associated with pituitary gland problems.
  • CVS (chorionic villus sampling)
    A prenatal test that examines the tissue that attaches the fetus to the wall of the uterus. If recommended by a doctor or nurse, it’s usually done between 10–12 weeks of pregnancy to detect certain genetic or biological conditions.
  • Cybersex
    Sexual encounters that take place online, using video cams, e-mail, or instant messaging.
  • Cyberstalking
    To track and follow someone’s online presence and communications in a threatening way.
  • Cystitis
    An infection of the bladder. Also called a “urinary tract infection” or “UTI.”
  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
    An infection that can be passed through sexual contact, childbirth, or breastfeeding. In healthy adults, CMV usually doesn’t cause any symptoms. In babies or adults with a compromised immune system, it can cause symptoms including pneumonia, seizures, etc.
  • D & c (dilation and curettage)
    The use of a curette — a metal medical instrument with a narrow loop — to gently scrape away the uterine lining, and the use of suction to remove tissue from the uterus. Can be used for abortion care or for treatment of a miscarriage.
  • D & e (dilation and evacuation)
    The use of suction and medical tools to remove tissue from the uterus during an abortion.
  • Date rape
    Forced sexual contact from someone the victim is knows or is dating. Also sometimes called “acquaintance rape.”
  • Deindividuation
    Loss of self-awareness and evaluation apprehension; occurs in group situations that foster responsiveness to group norms, good or bad.
  • Dental dam
    A thin, square piece of latex that helps prevent the spread of STDs when placed over the vulva or anus during oral sex.
  • Dependent variable
    The variable being measured, so-called because it may depend on manipulations of the independent variable.
  • Depo-provera
    The brand name of the birth control shot. The shot is a hormone that’s injected into the butt or arm every 3 months to prevent pregnancy.
  • Depotmedroxyprogesterone acetate (dmpa)
    A type of the hormone progestin, which is found in Depo-Provera (the birth control shot).
  • Depressive realism
    The tendency of mildly depressed people to make accurate rather than self-serving judgments, attributions, and predictions.
  • Desire phase
    The first stage of the sexual response cycle.
  • Diaphragm
    A birth control device made of soft silicone and shaped like a shallow cup. The diaphragm t covers the cervix to prevent pregnancy. Used with spermicide, the diaphragm is a reversible barrier method of birth control available only by prescription.
  • Dilation and curettage (d & c)
    The use of a curette — a metal medical instrument with a narrow loop — to gently scrape away the uterine lining, and the use of suction to remove tissue from the uterus. Can be used for abortion care or for treatment of a miscarriage.
  • Dilation and evacuation (d & e)
    The use of medical instruments and suction to gently remove tissue from the uterus during an abortion.
  • Dilators
    A series of increasingly thick rods made of plastic, metal, or natural fiber that are used to stretch open the cervix.
  • Dildo
    A penis-shaped sex toy used to stimulate the vagina or anus.
  • Disclosure reciprocity
    The tendency for one person's intimacy of self-disclosure to match that of a conversational partner.
  • Discrimination
    Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group or its members.
  • Displacement
    The redirection of aggression to a target other than the source of the frustration. Generally, the new target is a safer or more socially acceptable target.
  • Dmpa
    A type of the hormone progestin, which is in Depo-Provera (the birth control shot). The D stands for depot, the solution in which the hormone is suspended. MPA stands for the hormone medroxyprogesterone acetate.
  • Doe v. bolton
    The U.S. Supreme Court decision, issued on the same day as Roe v. Wade, that struck down restrictions on facilities that can be used for abortion services, which allowed them to be performed in clinics as well as hospitals.
  • Domestic partnership
    A committed, long-term relationship of two unmarried people who live together.
  • Donor insemination
    Putting semen in the vagina or uterus without vaginal intercourse in order to produce a pregnancy. Also called "alternative insemination."
  • Door-in-the-face technique
    A strategy for gaining a concession. After someone first turns down a large request (the door-in-the-face), the same requester counter offers with a more reasonable request.
  • Double standard
    Unequal expectations, moral standards, or rules that allow one group to have more privileges than another group within a society. A sexual double standard, for example, usually places more restrictions on women than on men.
  • Douche
    A spray of water, medication, or cleanser, which goes into the vagina.
  • Doula
    A person who gives emotional support during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth and for some time after.
  • Down syndrome
    A range of conditions caused by a fetus having an extra copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21).
  • Drag
    Exaggerated cross-dressing for entertainment.
  • Dry days
    Days during the menstrual cycle when little cervical mucus is produced.
  • Dry humping
    Body rubbing with clothes on.
  • Dry orgasm
    Orgasm from a penis without ejaculation (when semen comes out of the penis).
  • Dual attitudes
    Differing implicit (automatic) and explicit (consciously controlled) attitudes toward the same object. Verbalized explicit attitudes may change with education and persuasion; implicit attitudes change slowly, with practice that forms new habits.
  • Dysmenorrhea
    Pain or discomfort during menstruation.
  • Dyspareunia
    Painful vaginal sex.
  • Dysplasia
    Abnormal cell growth that can be an early sign of cancer.
  • Eclampsia
    A life-threatening medical condition that can happen during the second half of pregnancy. Symptoms include bluish skin, dizziness, mental confusion, pains in the stomach, problems with eyesight, twitching muscles, and vomiting. Eclampsia can be prevented by good prenatal care.
  • Ectopic pregnancy
    A life-threatening pregnancy that develops outside the uterus, often in a fallopian tube. See “tubal pregnancy.”
  • Egg
    The reproductive cell stored in the ovaries and released during ovulation. Pregnancy happens when sperm enters an egg, grows into a ball of cells, and implants into the uterus.
  • Egoism
    A motive (supposedly underlying all behavior) to increase one's own welfare. The opposite of altruism, which aims to increase another's welfare.
  • Eisenstadt v. baird
    The 1972 U.S. Supreme Court decision that made it legal for unmarried people to use birth control.
  • Ejaculation
    The moment when semen spurts out of the opening of the urethra in the glans of the penis.
  • Ejaculatory inevitability
    The moment during sex or masturbation when it becomes impossible to stop ejaculation. It happens when the prostate begins to contract and pulse out seminal fluid. Also called “point of no return.”
  • Embryo
    The organism that develops from a pre-embryo during the second month of pregnancy. This stage of the pregnancy lasts about 5 weeks. Embryos then develop into fetuses.
  • Emergency contraception
    A safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. Emergency contraception pills made from hormones and copper IUDs are the two methods of emergency contraception.
  • Empathy
    The vicarious experience of another's feelings; putting oneself in another's shoes.
  • Endometriosis
    A condition in which endometrial tissue (the tissue that lines the uterus) grows outside the uterus, causing pain, especially before and during menstruation.
  • Endometrium
    The lining of the uterus, which grows every month in order to nourish a fertilized egg. The lining is shed during menstruation (your period) if a fertilized egg doesn’t implant (pregnancy).
  • Endorphin
    A hormone that keeps pain away.
  • Enovid
    The brand name of the first birth control pill.
  • Epididymis
    The tube that leads from the testes to the vas deferens. Sperm are stored in the epididymis before ejaculation. It’s tightly coiled on top of and behind the testes.
  • Epididymitis
    An inflammation of the epididymis.
  • Epidural
    An injection of painkillers used during childbirth.
  • Episiotomy
    A surgical cut into the perineum (the tissue between the bottom of the vulva and the anus) to help childbirth and reduce damage to vaginal and perineal tissue.
  • Equal rights amendment (ERA)
    A proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution which has never been adopted. It was originally pushed forward by the National Women’s Party in 1923, which would have guaranteed that “equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account(...)
  • Equal-status contact
    Contact on an equal basis. Just as a relationship between people of unequal status breeds attitudes consistent with their relationship, so do relationships between those of equal status.
  • Equity
    A condition in which the outcomes people receive from a relationship are proportional to what they contribute to it. Note: Equitable outcomes needn't always be equal outcomes.
  • ERA (equal rights amendment)
    A proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution which has never been adopted. It was originally pushed forward by the National Women’s Party in 1923, which would have guaranteed that “equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account(...)
  • Erectile dysfunction
    The inability to get or keep a hard penis.
  • Erectile tissue
    Spongy tissue in the penis/clitoris that stiffens when filled with blood.
  • Erection
    A “hard” penis — when it’s becomes full of blood and stiffens. See "vasocongestion."
  • Erogenous zone
    Any area of the body that’s sensitive to sensual touch, or feels sexual.
  • Erotic
    Sexually arousing.
  • Erotica
    Literature or art that is meant to be sexually arousing.
  • Erotophobia
    Fear of the erotic.
  • Escort
    Someone who takes someone somewhere. At reproductive health centers, escorts are volunteers who help people get safely inside during anti-choice demonstrations. Escort can also sometimes mean sex worker.
  • Estrogen
    A hormone made in the ovaries, and in much smaller amounts in the adrenal glands at the top of your kidneys, and sometimes even fat tissue. Estrogen plays a part in puberty, the menstrual cycle, and pregnancy. Many people take extra estrogen after menopause or as part of transgender care.
  • Ethnocentrism
    A belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic and cultural group, and a corresponding disdain for all other groups.
  • Eunuch
    A person whose testicles, and less often, penis, have been removed.
  • Evaluation apprehension
    Concern for how others are evaluating us.
  • Evolutionary psychology
    The study of the evolution of behavior using principles of natural selection.
  • Excitement
    The body’s physical response to desire and to stimulation. The second stage of the sexual response cycle.
  • Exhibitionists
    People who expose their sex organs to other people in public places.
  • Explanatory style
    One's habitual way of explaining life events. A negative, pessimistic, depressive explanatory style attributes failures to stable, global, and internal causes.
  • External sex and reproductive organs
    The sex organs and structures that you can see. These include the vulva, penis, and scrotum.
  • Extramarital sex
    Sex by a married person with someone other than their spouse.
  • Fallopian tube
    One of two narrow tubes that carry an egg from the ovary to the uterus during ovulation.
  • False consensus effect
    The tendency to overestimate the commonality of one's opinions and one's undesirable or unsuccessful behaviors.
  • False negative
    A test result that incorrectly says that the condition tested for is not present.
  • False positive
    A test result that incorrectly says that the condition tested for is present.
  • False uniqueness effect
    The tendency to underestimate the commonality of one's abilities and one's desirable or successful behaviors.
  • Family planning
    Making plans and taking actions, like using birth control, to have the number of children you want, when you want them.
  • Fams (fertility awareness-based methods)
    A name for several ways to track ovulation — the release of an egg — in order to prevent pregnancy. Some people call FAMs "natural family planning.”
  • Fantasy
    A thought, idea, or daydream that causes sexual excitement.
  • Federal abortion ban
    The federal law passed in 2003 and upheld in 2007 that bans certain kinds of abortion procedures as early as 12 to 15 weeks in pregnancy. The federal ban includes no exception for the patient’s health and forces doctors to stop using procedures they believe are safest and best for their patients.
  • Fellatio
    Oral sex on a penis. Also called a “blow job.”
  • Female
    One of two possible legal/medical gender categories, assigned at birth. Also describes when someone has XX chromosomes.
  • Female circumcision
    The practice of removing part or all of the clitoral hood, clitoris, or vulva as part of a cultural or religious ritual. In some cases, the vulva is sewn together to preserve virginity. See “female genital mutilation.”
  • Female condom
    A polyurethane pouch that goes inside the vagina or anus for pregnancy and/or STD prevention. Female condoms are sometimes called internal condoms or referred to by their brand name, FC2 Female Condom®.
  • Female ejaculation
    The release of fluid out of the urethra during intense sexual excitement or orgasm. The fluid comes from the Skene’s glands, which are located in the vulva near the opening of the urethra. Sometimes called “squirting.”
  • Female genital mutilation (fgm)
    The practice of removing part or all of the clitoral hood, clitoris, or vulva as part of a cultural or religious ritual. In some cases, the vulva is sewn together to preserve virginity. See “female circumcision.”
  • Female prostate glands
    Term used by some scientists to describe the Skene’s glands in a woman’s vulva, which may secrete a fluid similar to the fluid produced by the prostate gland.
  • Female-to-male trans (ftm) (f2m)
    A trans person whose sex assignment at birth was female but whose gender identity is male. May prefer the identity trans man, or simply man. These identities can also refer to someone who was surgically assigned female at birth, in the case of intersex people, but whose gender identity is male.
  • Femcap (FemCap)
    The brand of cervical cap available in the US; a silicone cup shaped like a sailor’s cap that fits inside the vagina to cover the cervix. Used with spermicide, the cervical cap is a reusable barrier method of birth control that’s available by prescription.
  • Feminine
    Characteristics and ways of appearing and behaving that a culture associates with being a girl or a woman.
  • Feminism
    The belief that people of all genders should have equitable economic, political, sexual, and social rights.
  • Femme
    An identity associated with a gender presentation that is considered “feminine.”
  • Fertility
    The ability to have children or cause a pregnancy.
  • Fertility awareness-based methods (fams)
    A name for several ways to track ovulation — the release of an egg — in order to prevent pregnancy. Some people call FAMs "natural family planning.”
  • Fertility cycle
    Another way of saying the menstrual cycle. The monthly pattern of ovulation, the shedding of the lining of the uterus (menstruation), and the body’s preparation for another ovulation.
  • Fertility rate
    The number of live births per 1,000 women of reproductive age (15–44).
  • Fertilization
    The joining of an egg and sperm.
  • Fetus
    Develops from the embryo at 10 weeks of pregnancy and receives nourishment through the placenta.
  • Fibroid
    A benign tumor that grows on the walls of the uterus.
  • First trimester
    The first 3 months of pregnancy.
  • Fisting
    Putting several fingers or a hand into the vagina or anus of a sex partner.
  • Flashing
    Exposing one’s breasts or sex organs. See "exhibitionists."
  • Follicle
    A sac in the ovary that holds a maturing egg.
  • Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
    Made by the pituitary gland, this hormone stimulates the growth of an egg/the development of sperm in men.
  • Fondling
    Touching someone in a sexual way.
  • Fordyce spots
    Small yellowish or white bumps or spots on the inside of the cheeks or lips, on the glans or shaft of the penis, or on the vulva. 50 to 100 may appear in one area. They’re completely harmless, aren’t sexually transmitted, and aren’t infectious.
  • Foreplay
    Kissing, rubbing, stroking, and/or touching that leads to sex. Foreplay can prolong and/or increase sexual excitement and pleasure.
  • Foreskin
    A tube of skin that covers and protects the glans (head) of the penis, and rolls back when the penis becomes erect. A circumcised penis has had the foreskin removed.
  • Fornication
    Sex between unmarried people that’s considered wrong by a cultural or religious group.
  • Frenulum
    On the vulva, it’s the highly sensitive tissue where the inner labia join below the glans of the clitoris. On the penis, it’s the highly sensitive, triangular piece of skin just below the glans (head).
  • Frottage
    Sexual body rubbing. Also called “dry humping.”
  • Fsh (follicle stimulating hormone)
    Made by the pituitary gland, this hormone stimulates the growth of an egg/the development of sperm in men.
  • Ftm (f2m)
    A trans person whose sex assignment at birth was female but whose gender identity is male. May prefer the identity trans man, or simply man. These identities can also refer to someone who was surgically assigned female at birth, in the case of intersex people, but whose gender identity is male.
  • Fundamental attribution error
    The tendency for observers to underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional influences upon others' behavior. (Also called correspondence bias, because we so often see behavior as corresponding to a disposition.)
  • G spot (grafenburg spot)
    An area inside the vagina that’s highly sensitive to touch, along the upper wall of the vagina. Stimulation of the G spot can lead to intense sexual arousal and orgasm for some people.
  • Gamete
    A cell that fuses with another cell during fertilization. In humans, eggs and sperm are gametes.
  • Gamete intrafallopian tube transfer (GIFT)
    A type of assisted reproductive procedure, in which an egg is taken from a person’s ovary, mixed with semen, and then put back in one of their fallopian tubes.
  • Gang rape
    A sexual assault perpetrated by 2 or more people.
  • Gay
    When someone is only attracted to people of the same gender.
  • Gay bashing
    Physical or verbal violence against people who are perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
  • Gay liberation movement
    The national call to establish civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender women and men from the late 1960s to the mid 1980s.
  • Gender
    A social and legal status of male or female. A set of expectations from society about behaviors and characteristics. Each culture has standards about the way that people should behave based on whether they’re male or female.
  • Gender affirming surgery
    Surgery on sex organs or secondary sex characteristics to match one’s gender identity.
  • Gender assignment
    The medical and legal description of one’s sex, determined at birth.
  • Gender binary
    The idea that there are only 2 categories of gender (male and female) that are mutually exclusive and different from each other.
  • Gender dysphoria
    A diagnosis, often used by psychologists and doctors, to describe the distress, unhappiness, and anxiety that transgender people may feel about the mismatch between their bodies and their gender identity. A person may need to be formally diagnosed with gender dysphoria in order to receive(...)
  • Gender fluidity
    The flexibility of gender expressions and identities that may change over time or even from day to day. A gender fluid person may feel male on some days, female on others, both male and female, or neither. A gender fluid person might also identify as genderqueer.
  • Gender identity
    An individual’s inner feelings and outer expressions of their gender.
  • Gender identity disorder (GID)
    An outdated psychiatric diagnosis (see “gender dysphoria”).
  • Gender nonconforming or non-binary
    When a person’s gender expression doesn’t fit inside traditional male or female categories (sometimes called the gender binary). These labels can include someone who identifies as both male and female, neither male nor female, or some other gender altogether. It’s not the same as being(...)
  • Gender normative
    Someone or something that conforms to social standards on appropriate feminine and masculine behavior.
  • Gender norms
    Social standards on appropriate feminine and masculine behavior.
  • Gender role
    A set of behavior expectations (norms) for males and females.
  • Gender roles
    Social standards on appropriate feminine and masculine behavior.
  • Gender scripting
    The socialization process by which one is conditioned over their lifetime to adopt certain attitudes, behaviors, and preferences considered appropriate for one’s gender, either feminine or masculine.
  • Gender stereotype
    Exaggerated expectations of the way boys/men or girls/women should behave.
  • Genderqueer
    A term for people who don’t identify as a man or a woman or whose identity lies outside the traditional gender binary of male and female. Some people use genderqueer, gender non-conforming, and non-binary interchangeably, but others don’t. Genderqueer has a political history, so many use the(...)
  • Genes
    Microscopic chains in your cells that carry information about you that’s unique to you, but includes pieces from your biological family - everything from eye color, to height, to body type, to personality.
  • Genital herpes
    A common STD in the area of the anus, cervix, penis, vagina, or vulva. Very often there are no symptoms, while the most common symptom is a cluster of blistery sores. Since it’s a virus, there is no cure, but there is treatment available.
  • Genital reconstruction surgery (GRS)
    Surgery on the genitals. Sometimes done for intersex or transgender people to align their genitals with their gender identity (also known as “gender affirmation surgery”). Can also be done after genital injury, circumcision, or mutilation.
  • Genital warts
    Soft, flesh-colored growths on or near the penis/vulva, caused by some types of HPV (human papilloma virus). They are usually painless, but may itch.
  • Genitals
    External sex and reproductive organs, like the the vulva, penis, and scrotum.
  • Genophobia
    Fear of sex.
  • Gestation
    The period of time when a fetus is developing in the womb.
  • Gestational age
    The length of a pregnancy. Measured from the first day of the last menstrual period.
  • GID (gender identity disorder)
    An outdated psychiatric diagnosis (see “gender dysphoria”).
  • GIFT (gamete intrafallopian tube transfer)
    A type of assisted reproductive procedure, in which an egg is taken from a person’s ovary, mixed with semen, and then put back in one of their fallopian tubes.
  • Gigolo
    An old fashioned word for a male sex worker.
  • Glans
    The soft, highly sensitive tip of the clitoris or penis. Also called the “head” of the penis.
  • Gonadotropins
    Hormones released by the pituitary gland. They trigger puberty by stimulating the ovaries or testes.
  • Gonads
    The organs that produce reproductive cells — the ovaries and testes.
  • Gonorrhea
    A bacterial STD that’s easy to treat, but if left untreated can lead to infertility, arthritis, and heart problems. Often has no symptoms.
  • Gräfenburg spot (G spot)
    An area inside the vagina that’s highly sensitive to touch, along the upper wall of the vagina. Stimulation of the G spot can lead to intense sexual arousal and orgasm for some people.
  • Group-serving bias
    Explaining away outgroup members' positive behaviors; also attributing negative behaviors to their dispositions (while excusing such behavior by one's own group).
  • Groupthink
    "The mode of thinking that persons engage in when concurrence-seeking becomes so dominant in a cohesive in-group that it tends to override realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action." -Irving Janis (1971).
  • GRS (genital reconstruction surgery)
    Surgery on the genitals. Sometimes done for intersex or transgender people to align their genitals with their gender identity (also known as “gender affirmation surgery”). Can also be done after genital injury, circumcision, or mutilation.
  • Guiche
    A slang word for the perineum, the skin between the vulva and anus or scrotum and anus. May also refer to piercing that area with a metal ring to increase sexual pleasure.
  • Gynecologist
    A doctor who specializes in health care for the vulva, vagina, uterus, ovaries, and breasts.
  • Gynecology
    Health care specializing in the vulva, vagina, uterus, ovaries, and breasts.
  • Gynecomastia
    The swelling of breast tissue in people assigned male at birth. It’s caused by a change in hormone balance — common during puberty, and eventually goes away.
  • Gynophobia
    Fear of women.
  • Hand job
    Slang for someone using their hand to rub/stimulate someone else’s penis.
  • HBV (hepatitis b virus)
    A viral infection that can be sexually transmitted. It can lead to dangerous liver problems in some people.
  • Health care provider
    A licensed doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, or physician assistant.
  • Health insurance
    A plan or program that helps pay for the medical expenses of their members, like medicine, doctor visits, and surgery.
  • Heavy petting
    Touching a partner’s genitals in a sexual way.
  • Hedonism
    The belief that pleasure is the most valuable thing to pursue.
  • Hepatitis b virus (HBV)
    A viral infection that can be sexually transmitted. It can lead to dangerous liver problems in some people.
  • Hermaphrodite
    An outdated and offensive word. A better term is “intersex.”
  • Herpes
    A common STD caused by two different but similar viruses: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Both kinds can make blistery sores show up on and around the genitals or mouth.
  • Heteronormativity
    The cultural assumption that everyone is straight (heterosexual) until they tell you otherwise.
  • Heterosexism
    The belief that heterosexuality is better than other sexual orientations.
  • Heterosexual
    Being attracted to people of the other gender.
  • Heuristic
    A rule-of-thumb strategy that enables quick, efficient judgments.
  • High-risk pregnancy
    A pregnancy that is more likely to have complications for the pregnant person or their fetus.
  • Hindsight bias
    The tendency to exaggerate, after learning an outcome, one's ability to have foreseen how something turned out. Also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon.
  • HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
    A chronic virus that breaks down the immune system. Can lead to AIDS if not treated.
  • Homophobia
    Fear or hatred of people who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
  • Homosexual
    Being attracted to people of the same gender.
  • Hormonal contraceptives
    Birth control methods that use hormones to prevent pregnancy. These include the implant, the hormonal IUD, the pill, the patch, the ring, and the shot.
  • Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
    A combination of hormones (like estrogen or testosterone) or hormone-blockers used in transgender care to help patients have secondary sex characteristics in line with their gender identity. In menopause and postmenopause, estrogen and sometimes progestin can relieve symptoms such as(...)
  • Hormone therapy
    A combination of hormones (like estrogen or testosterone) or hormone-blockers used in transgender care to help patients have secondary sex characteristics in line with their gender identity. In menopause and postmenopause, estrogen and sometimes progestin can relieve symptoms such as(...)
  • Hormones
    Chemicals that cause changes in our bodies and brains. They naturally exist and can also be made in a lab.
  • Horny
    Slang for wanting to have sex or for being sexually aroused.
  • Hot flashes / hot flushes
    A sudden, sometimes intense feeling of heat in the face or upper body that happens during perimenopause and menopause.
  • HPV (human papilloma virus)
    The most common STD. Some types of HPV may cause genital warts. Others may cause cancer of the anus, cervix, penis, throat, or vulva. Most of the time HPV is harmless and goes away on its own.
  • HRT (hormone replacement therapy)
    A combination of hormones (like estrogen or testosterone) or hormone-blockers used in transgender care to help patients have secondary sex characteristics in line with their gender identity. 2. In menopause and postmenopause, estrogen and sometimes progestin can relieve symptoms such(...)
  • HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus-1)
    One type of the herpes virus. HSV-1 typically infects the mouth, causing cold sores. More rarely, HSV-1 can infect the genitals. HSV-1 is extremely common and may not always be transmitted sexually, as skin-to-skin contact is all that’s needed to pass it on.
  • HSV-2 (herpes simplex virus-2)
    One type of the herpes virus. HSV-2 typically infects the genitals, causing clusters of sores. More rarely, HSV-2 can infect the mouth. It’s generally passed by sexual skin-to-skin contact.
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
    A chronic virus that breaks down the immune system. Can lead to AIDS if not treated.
  • Human papilloma virus (HPV)
    The most common STD. Some types of HPV may cause genital warts. Others may cause cancer of the anus, cervix, penis, throat, or vulva. Most of the time HPV is harmless and goes away on its own.
  • Hyde amendment
    A 1977 law, first sponsored by Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL), that forbids the use of federal funds to pay for abortion services.
  • Hymen
    A thin, fleshy piece of tissue that stretches across part of the opening to the vagina.
  • Hyperfemininity
    The exaggeration of gender-stereotyped feminine behavior.
  • Hypermasculinity
    The exaggeration of gender-stereotyped masculine behavior.
  • Hypersexual
    Having more libido or a higher sex drive than most people.
  • Hyposexual
    Having less libido (sexual desire) than most people.
  • Hypothalamus
    A part of the brain that controls hormones, including hormones related to sexual desire and mood.
  • Hysterectomy
    Surgery to remove the uterus.
  • Hysteroscope
    A long, thin tool that lets a nurse or doctor see inside the uterus
  • Hysteroscopic tubal sterilization
    A non-incision method of permanent birth control. A doctor puts tiny coils into the fallopian tubes, causing scar tissue to grow and block the tubes. Known by the brand name Essure.
  • Illusion of control
    Perception of uncontrollable events as subject to one's control or as more controllable than they are.
  • Illusory correlation
    Perception of a relationship where none exists, or perception of a stronger relationship than actually exists.
  • Immune system
    The body’s natural protection against infection and disease.
  • Implanon
    The brand name of an older birth control implant. The newer version of Implanon is called Nexplanon. The implant is a small rod, about the size of a matchstick, that prevents pregnancy for up to 4 years. A doctor or nurse inserts the implant under the skin of the upper arm. It releases the(...)
  • Implant
    A small rod, about the size of a matchstick, that prevents pregnancy for up to 4 years. A doctor or nurse inserts the implant under the skin of the upper arm. It releases the hormone progestin to prevent pregnancy.
  • Implantation
    When a pre-embryo attaches to the lining of the uterus. This is when pregnancy begins. Usually starts about 6 days after fertilization (when egg and sperm meet) and takes 3 to 4 days to complete.
  • Implantation bleeding
    Light vaginal bleeding that sometimes happens when a pre-embryo attaches to the lining of the uterus and pregnancy begins.
  • Impotence
    The inability to have an erection (get hard). “Erectile dysfunction” is now the preferred term.
  • In vitro fertilization (IVF)
    Any method of assisted reproduction in which fertilization takes place outside the body (usually in a lab) in an effort to get someone pregnant.
  • In-clinic abortion
    A procedure done in a health center, doctor’s office, or hospital that ends a pregnancy.
  • Incest
    Sexual activity between members of the same family.
  • Incomplete abortion
    A kind of miscarriage or abortion in which some pregnancy tissue passes out of the uterus but some stays inside. Sometimes treatment is needed to remove the remaining tissue.
  • Incontinence
    Being unable to control urination or bowel movements.
  • Indecent exposure
    Illegal, public display of genitals or breasts. Also called “flashing.”
  • Independent variable
    The experimental factor that a researcher manipulates..
  • Individualism
    Giving priority to one's own goals over group goals and defining one's identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications.
  • Induced abortion
    The intentional termination of pregnancy.
  • Induced menopause
    Menopause that happens as a result of ovaries being removed or damaged.
  • Inevitable miscarriage
    Miscarriage that’s medically certain to happen in the near future.
  • Infant mortality rate
    Number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births.
  • Infatuation
    Intense, usually short-lived, emotional or sexual attraction to another person.
  • Infertility
    The inability to become pregnant or to cause a pregnancy.
  • Infibulation
    The most severe form of female genital mutilation. It includes removing the outside clitoris and labia, and sewing the opening of the vagina closed.
  • Infidelity
    Failing to keep a promise to be monogamous, usually in the context of a marriage.
  • Informational influence
    Conformity occurring when people accept evidence about reality provided by other people.
  • Ingroup
    "us"-a group of people who share a sense of belonging, a feeling of common identity.
  • Ingroup bias
    The tendency to favor one's own group.
  • Inhibited sexual arousal
    The inability to become physically sexually aroused, despite one’s desire. May affect vaginal lubrication or the ability to have an erection. Not the same thing as asexuality.
  • Inner lips
    The labia of the vulva that surround the clitoris and the openings to the urethra and vagina. Also called "labia minora."
  • Insemination
    Putting sperm into the vagina, cervix, uterus, or fallopian tubes to cause a pregnancy.
  • Instinctive behavior
    An innate, unlearned behavior pattern exhibited by all members of a species.
  • Insufficient justification effect
    Reduction of dissonance by internally justifying one's behavior when external justification is "insufficient."
  • Intact penis
    A penis with a foreskin, also called uncircumcised.
  • Intercourse
    Sexual activity in which the penis goes into the vagina (vaginal intercourse) or the anus (anal intercourse).
  • Internal sex and reproductive organs
    The organs inside the body that are responsible for reproduction. Internal reproductive organs that respond to sexual stimulation (like the vagina) are also called sex organs.
  • Internalized homophobia
    Fear of being homosexual or negative feelings towards oneself for being homosexual.
  • Intersex
    A general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit the typical definitions of female or male. Sometimes a female or male gender is assigned to an intersex person at birth through surgery, if external genitals are not(...)
  • Intimacy
    The closeness you feel when you share your private and personal self with someone else.  
  • Intimate partner violence (IPV)
    A pattern of emotional, verbal, physical, or sexual abuse in the context of an intimate relationship. Also called "domestic violence," "partner abuse," "relationship abuse," and "dating violence."
  • Intrauterine contraceptive (IUC)
    Another way of saying IUD. A tiny device that’s placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It’s safe, long-term, reversible, and one of the most effective birth control methods available. One IUD, the ParaGard, use copper to prevent pregnancy. Others use hormones to prevent pregnancy.
  • Intrauterine device (IUD)
    A tiny device that’s placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It’s safe, long-term, reversible, and one of the most effective birth control methods available. One IUD, the ParaGard, use copper to prevent pregnancy. Others use hormones to prevent pregnancy.
  • Intrauterine system (IUS)
    Another way of saying IUD. A tiny device that’s placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It’s safe, long-term, reversible, and one of the most effective birth control methods available. One IUD, the ParaGard, use copper to prevent pregnancy. Others use hormones to prevent pregnancy.
  • IPV (intimate partner violence)
    A pattern of emotional, verbal, physical, or sexual abuse in the context of an intimate relationship. Also called "domestic violence," "partner abuse," "relationship abuse," and "dating violence."
  • IUC (intrauterine contraceptive)
    Another way of saying IUD. A tiny device that’s placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It’s safe, long-term, reversible, and one of the most effective birth control methods available. One IUD, the ParaGard, use copper to prevent pregnancy. Others use hormones to prevent pregnancy.
  • IUD (intrauterine device)
    A tiny device that’s placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It’s safe, long-term, reversible, and one of the most effective birth control methods available. One IUD, the ParaGard, use copper to prevent pregnancy. Others use hormones to prevent pregnancy.
  • IUS (intrauterine system)
    Another way of saying IUD. A tiny device that’s placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It’s safe, long-term, reversible, and one of the most effective birth control methods available. One IUD, the ParaGard, use copper to prevent pregnancy. Others use hormones to prevent pregnancy.
  • IVF (in vitro fertilization)
    Any method of assisted reproduction in which fertilization takes place outside the body (usually in a lab) in an effort to get someone pregnant.
  • Jaundice
    Yellowing of eyes, skin, and mucous membranes due to diseases of the liver. Can also happen in newborn infants if the liver isn’t fully functional yet. In infants treatment often isn’t needed, but treatment is available.
  • Jealousy
    Feelings of anxiety about a partner or crush’s attention, love, or commitment. Fear that a partner has feelings for someone else.
  • Jock itch
    A very common fungal skin infection on the scrotum, penis, or groin area. Caused by wearing tight clothing, sweating a lot, or not drying the genitals carefully after bathing. Jock itch can cause a reddish, scaly rash that can become inflamed, itchy, and painful.
  • Just-world phenomenon
    The tendency of people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get.
  • Kegel exercises
    The tightening and releasing of the muscles that stop urination in order to prevent and improve urinary incontinence, improve sexual sensation, and aid recovery of vaginal muscle tone after childbirth. Because they exercise internal muscles, kegels can be done anywhere, anytime.
  • Kin selection
    The idea that evolution has selected altruism toward one's close relatives to enhance the survival of mutually shared genes.
  • Kink / kinky
    An uncommon sexual behavior or preference.
  • Kinsey scale
    A scale used to demonstrate the spectrum of sexual orientations. Designed by Alfred Kinsey and his associates in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The seven points on the scale show the range that people reported in Kinsey's surveys, from “exclusively heterosexual” to “exclusively homosexual.”
  • Klinefelter’s syndrome
    An intersex condition where someone is born with one Y and two X chromosomes (XXY). Sometimes diagnosed during puberty, sometimes not until adulthood, depending on symptoms. Symptoms can include a small penis, abnormal body proportions, and infertility.
  • Labia
    The lips of the vulva.
  • Labia majora
    The outer lips of the vulva.
  • Labia minora
    The inner lips of the vulva.
  • Labor
    The process of childbirth, including everything from the contractions of the uterus and dilation of the cervix to delivery of the infant and finally the placenta.
  • Lactational amenorrhea method (LAM)
    Using exclusive breastfeeding about every 4 hours as a method of birth control. Works for up to 6 months after childbirth, or until you get your period (whichever comes first).
  • Lactobacillus
    A healthy bacteria found in the vagina. Helps prevent vaginitis by limiting the growth of candida, a yeast.
  • LAM (lactational amenorrhea method)
    Using exclusive breastfeeding about every 4 hours as a method of birth control. Works for up to 6 months after childbirth, or until you get your period (whichever comes first).
  • Laparoscope
    A tool used in medical procedures, like tubal sterilizations, to see inside the belly or pelvis. It’s a thin rod with a light and a camera that’s inserted through a small cut in the belly.
  • Laparoscopy
    A safe and non-invasive procedure. Uses a laparoscope (thin rod that goes through a small incision in the belly) to examine or do a biopsy of the uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes. Can also be used for certain types of tubal sterilization.
  • Laparotomy
    A method of tubal sterilization that involves major surgery, requiring a two- to five-inch belly incision through which the fallopian tubes are located and blocked.
  • Learned helplessness
    The hopelessness and resignation learned when a human or animal perceives no control over repeated bad events.
  • Lesbian
    A woman who’s sexually or romantically attracted to other women.
  • Lesbophobia
    Fear of lesbians.
  • Lesophobia
    Fear of strong women.
  • Leukorrhea
    A white or yellow colored vaginal discharge that happens during puberty, pregnancy, and other times when hormone levels are changing.
  • Levonorgestrel
    A synthetic progestin similar to the hormone progesterone, which the body makes to regulate the menstrual cycle. Used in hormonal birth control, including most brands of emergency contraception.
  • LGBTQ
    Stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (or, alternatively, “queer.”)
  • LH (luteinizing hormone)
    One type of gonadatropin, a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. A quick rise in this hormone in the body, known as the “LH surge,” triggers ovulation in females. In males, LH regulates testosterone.
  • Libido
    Feeling of sexual desire.
  • Limbic system
    The area of the brain and nerve system that controls emotions, drives, and desires.
  • Limerence
    An obsessive infatuation; lovesickness.
  • Lobes
    Groups of tissue (about 15-20 in each breast) inside female breasts. Where breast milk is made.
  • Locus of control
    The extent to which people perceive outcomes as internally controllable by their own efforts and actions or as externally controlled by chance or outside forces.
  • Love
    A strong caring for someone else. It comes in many forms. There can be love for romantic partners and also for close friends, for parents and children, for pets, for nature, or for something religious/spiritual.
  • Low birth weight
    Weighing less than 5.5 pounds (5 lbs 8 oz) when born. About 1 out of 12 babies are born with low birth weight. Low birth weight babies are at higher risk of many health problems.
  • Low-ball technique
    A tactic for getting people to agree to something. People who agree to an initial request will often still comply when the requester ups the ante. People who receive only the costly request are less likely to comply with it.
  • Lube / lubricant
    A water-based, silicone-based, or oil-based product used to increase slipperiness and reduce friction during sex.
  • Lumpectomy
    When part of the breast is removed because it contains cancer or other abnormal tissue.
  • Lust
    Sexual desire for someone.
  • Luteinizing hormone (LH)
    One type of gonadatropin, a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. A quick rise in this hormone in the body, known as the “LH surge,” triggers ovulation in females. In males, LH regulates testosterone.
  • Male menopause
    Andropause, the gradual decline in sexual vigor as men age, due to decreasing levels of testosterone.
  • Male-to-female trans (MTF) (M2F)
    A trans person who was assigned male at birth, but whose gender identity is female. May prefer the identity trans woman, or simply woman. Can also refer to someone who was surgically assigned male at birth, in the case of intersex people, but whose gender identity is female.
  • Mammary glands
    The organs that produce breast milk.
  • Mammogram
    Breast cancer screening that takes X-rays of the breasts to detect cancer before they can be felt.
  • Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA)
    An early abortion procedure in which a small, hand-held suction device or suction machine gently takes the pregnancy tissue out of the uterus.
  • Marital rape
    Forced sex within marriage.
  • Masculine
    Characteristics and ways of appearing and behaving that society associates with being a boy or a man.
  • Mastectomy
    The surgical removal of a breast.
  • Mastitis
    An inflammation of the breast usually caused by an infection.
  • Masturbation
    Touching one’s own body/genitals for sexual pleasure.
  • Matching phenomenon
    The tendency for men and women to choose as partners those who are a "good match" in attractiveness and other traits.
  • Maternal mortality
    Death during or shortly after pregnancy.
  • Medication abortion / medical abortion
    The use of a combination of drugs to end a pregnancy. Also called the “abortion pill.”
  • Ménage à trois
    Three people in a sexual encounter. Also called a threesome or threeway.
  • Menarche
    The first time a person gets their period.
  • Menopause
    When menstruation stops because of hormonal changes. Usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55, but sometimes menopause happens earlier due to certain medical conditions.
  • Menorrhagia
    Menstrual bleeding that’s heavier or longer lasting than usual.
  • Menses
    The blood and discharge that comes out of the uterus and through the vagina during menstruation.
  • Menstrual cup
    A latex or silicone receptacle that fits in the vagina to collect menstrual flow.
  • Menstrual cycle
    The time from the first day of one period to the first day of the next period. During the menstrual cycle, the lining of the uterus grows, an egg is released by the ovaries, and the uterine lining sheds.
  • Menstrual flow
    Blood and discharge that are passed out of the uterus through the vagina during the beginning of the menstrual cycle.
  • Menstrual synchrony
    When 2 or more people have their periods at the same time.
  • Menstruation
    The flow of blood, fluid, and tissue out of the uterus and through the vagina that usually lasts from 3 to 7 days. Often called a period.
  • Mere-exposure effect
    The tendency for novel stimuli to be liked more or rated more positively after the rater has been repeatedly exposed to them.
  • Merkin
    A wig for the pubic area.
  • Metastasize
    To spread from one part of the body to another, as in when cancer spreads.
  • Method effectiveness
    How well a particular type of birth control prevents pregnancy.
  • Micropenis
    A penis that’s small enough to be considered abnormal.
  • Midwife
    A person trained to assist in childbirth.
  • Mifepristone
    One of two drugs (the other is misoprostol) used for a medication abortion. Commonly known as “the abortion pill.” The brand name in the U.S is Mifeprex.
  • Mini-laparotomy
    A surgical procedure that can used for tubal sterilization. It involves making a small incision on the lower abdomen through which the fallopian tubes can be located and blocked.
  • Mini-pills
    Birth control pills that contain only the hormone progestin. More correctly called “progestin-only pills.”
  • Mirror-image perceptions
    Reciprocal views of one another often held by parties in conflict; for example, each may view itself as moral and peace-loving and the other as evil and aggressive.
  • Miscarriage
    When an embryo or fetus dies before the 20th week of pregnancy.
  • Misogyny
    Dislike, contempt for, or hatred of women.
  • Misoprostol
    A medication that can be used to complete a medication abortion that’s been induced with mifepristone. This process is commonly known as the abortion pill. Although less effective than mifepristone, misoprostol is used alone for abortion in some countries.
  • Missed abortion / missed miscarriage
    When a pregnancy ends, but the tissue remains in the uterus. Sometimes this can lead to a person continuing to experience pregnancy symptoms for a time. Treatment is sometimes needed to remove the tissue from the uterus.
  • Missionary position
    The position for vaginal sex in which the man lies on top of the woman, face-to-face.
  • Mittelschmerz
    Lower belly pain that some people experience during ovulation.
  • Molar pregnancy
    When a fertilized egg grows into a benign tumor instead of an embryo/placenta.
  • Molluscum contagiosum
    A virus that can be sexually transmitted, causing small, pinkish-white, waxy, round, polyp-like growths in the genital area or on the thighs.
  • Monogamy
    When 2 people decide to have sex only with each other and no one else.
  • Mons veneris
    The fleshy, triangular mound above the vulva that’s covered with pubic hair in adults. It cushions the pubic bone.
  • Mooning
    Exposing one’s butt to other people.
  • Morning sickness
    Nausea and vomiting that happens during the first trimester of pregnancy.
  • Morning wood
    Slang for having an erect penis when waking up. People who have penises can have several erections at night as part of their sleep cycle. Very often, when they wake up, they’re still erect. Also called “nocturnal penile tumescence.”
  • Morning-after pill
    Emergency contraception that can be used within 120 hours (5 days) of unprotected vaginal sex to decrease the chance of pregnancy.
  • Morula
    A ball of cells that develops from a fertilized egg, and eventually grows into an embryo.
  • MTF (M2F) (male-to-female trans)
    A trans person who was assigned male at birth, but whose gender identity is female. May prefer the identity trans woman, or simply woman. Can also refer to someone who was surgically assigned male at birth, in the case of intersex people, but whose gender identity is female.
  • Mucus method
    A fertility awareness-based method for predicting fertility by tracking changes in the appearance and quantity of cervical mucus. Can be used for planning a pregnancy or as birth control if tracked over many months.
  • Multiparous
    Having given birth more than once.
  • Multiple marker screening
    A prenatal blood test that happens between 15-20 weeks of pregnancy to look for indications of conditions like Down syndrome, brain and spine defects, and others. Also called a triple test or quad test.
  • Multiple orgasms
    The occurrence of more than 1 orgasm within one sexual experience.
  • Mutual masturbation
    When people masturbate in each other’s presence.
  • Natural childbirth
    Using little or no medication during labor and delivery. Reducing pain by addressing fear and tension, exercising and training abdominal and uterine muscles beforehand, and using relaxed breathing during labor.
  • Natural family planning
    Using fertility awareness-based methods of contraception (See “fertility awareness-based methods”).
  • Natural selection
    The evolutionary process by which nature selects traits that best enable organisms to survive and reproduce in particular environmental niches.
  • Naturalist fallacy
    The error of defining what is good in terms of what is observable. For example: What's typical is normal; what's normal is good.
  • Necrofilia
    When a person needs is sexually aroused by dead bodies.
  • Necrophilia
    When a person needs is sexually aroused by dead bodies.
  • Need to belong
    A motivation to bond with others in relationships that provide ongoing, positive interactions.
  • Negative result
    A test finding that shows that the condition tested for is not present.
  • Neonatal
    Regarding a newborn infant.
  • Neurula
    The stage of pregnancy when a neural tube develops, marking the beginning of an embryo.
  • Nipple
    The dark tissue in the center of the areola of each breast in someone of any gender. Nipples can stand erect when stimulated by touch or cold. The nipples can also release milk in people who are breastfeeding.
  • Nocturnal emission
    Commonly known as a “wet dream;” ejaculation while sleeping, which most often occurs during puberty.
  • Nocturnal orgasm
    A sexual climax during sleep.
  • Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT)
    Spontaneous erection of the penis during sleep. NPT usually happens several times per night as part of the sleep cycle.
  • Non-op / non-operative
    Trans people who haven’t had, and may not desire, gender affirming surgery. Does not imply anything about hormone treatment.
  • Nonoxynol-9
    A chemical that immobilizes sperm. Used in spermicide.
  • Norgestrel
    A kind of progestin used in some hormonal contraceptives.
  • Normative influence
    Conformity based on a person's desire to fulfill others' expectations, often to gain acceptance.
  • Norms
    Rules for accepted and expected behavior. Norms prescribe "proper" behavior. (In a different sense of the word, norms also describe what most others do-what is normal.)
  • NPT (nocturnal penile tumescence)
    Spontaneous erection of the penis during sleep. NPT usually happens several times per night as part of the sleep cycle.
  • Nulliparous
    Never having given birth.
  • Nurse practitioner
    A registered nurse who has been trained to provide primary health care, including many services also performed by doctors.
  • Nurse-midwife
    A registered nurse who has been trained to facilitate childbirth.
  • NuvaRing
    The brand name of the hormonal birth control ring available in the U.S. The NuvaRing is placed inside the vagina, and needs to be replaced each month.
  • Obscenity
    Sexually arousing imagery that’s deemed offensive to the public.
  • Obstetrician
    A doctor who’s specially trained to provide care during pregnancy and childbirth.
  • One-night stand
    Slang for having sex with someone right after meeting them and never seeing them again.
  • Oocyte
    A not fully developed egg cell.
  • Oophorectomy
    The surgical removal of an ovary.
  • Open relationship / open marriage
    When 2 people in an intimate relationship or marriage agree that they can have other sexual or romantic partners. See: polyamory.
  • Oral contraceptive
    Another name for the birth control pill.
  • Oral herpes
    An infection of the mouth with herpes simplex virus 1 or herpes simplex virus 2. Symptoms are commonly known as cold sores.
  • Oral sex
    Sex involving the mouth and genitals, including cunnilingus, anilingus, and fellatio.
  • Orchitis
    Inflammation of a testicle.
  • Orgasm
    The peak of sexual arousal, when all the muscles that were tightened during sexual arousal relax, usually causing a very pleasurable feeling.
  • Orgy
    Sex among 3 or more people.
  • Outer lips
    The labia that surround the inner lips of the vulva. Also called the "labia majora."
  • Outercourse
    Sexual activity that doesn’t include vaginal or anal sex.
  • Outgroup
    "them"-a group that people perceive as distinctively different from or apart from their ingroup.
  • Outgroup homogeneity effect
    Perception of outgroup members as more similar to one another than are ingroup members. Thus "they are alike; we are diverse."
  • Outing
    Revealing someone else’s sexual orientation or gender identity that they may not have shared or want to be shared.
  • Ovarian cyst
    A growth on an ovary. Usually benign (not cancerous). May cause belly pain or irregular periods, and sometimes requires treatment. Most often goes away on its own.
  • Ovaries
    The 2 organs that store and release eggs. Ovaries also produce hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
  • Over-the-counter
    Available without a prescription from a nurse or doctor.
  • Overconfidence phenomenon
    The tendency to be more confident than correct to overestimate the accuracy of one's beliefs.
  • Overjustification effect
    The result of bribing people to do what they already like doing; they may then see their action as externally controlled rather than intrinsically appealing.
  • Oviduct
    Also known as the fallopian tube, it carries an egg from the ovary to the uterus.
  • Ovulation
    When an ovary releases an egg.
  • Own-race bias
    The tendency for people to more accurately recognize faces of their own race.
  • Pansexual
    Having sexual or romantic attraction to people of all genders.
  • Pap smear
    A term commonly used to describe a Pap test, which looks for abnormal, precancerous, or cancerous growths on the cervix.
  • Pap test
    A test to look for abnormal, precancerous, or cancerous growths on the cervix. Sometimes called a Pap smear.
  • Paragard
    A brand of IUD that contains copper and can prevent pregnancy for up to 12 years.
  • Paraphilia
    A sex practice that a person needs for sexual arousal, but isn’t considered socially normal or acceptable.
  • Parental consent
    A requirement that 1 or both parents give permission for a minor (someone under the age of 18) to do something. Many states have mandatory parental consent laws regarding abortion services for minors. Most states don’t require parental consent for services like birth control or STD testing.
  • Parous
    Having given birth.
  • Parturition
    Childbirth.
  • Passing
    Being perceived as the gender with which one identifies, regardless of sex assignment at birth. Can also refer to someone being assumed to be cisgender, or being assumed to be heterosexual. Many trans people object to the term “passing” because it suggests that someone is not genuinely what(...)
  • Passionate love
    A state of intense longing for union with another. Passionate lovers are absorbed in one another, feel ecstatic at attaining their partner's love, and are disconsolate on losing it.
  • Pearl necklace
    Slang for ejaculate (cum) spilled onto a person’s neck or chest.
  • Pearly pink papules / pearly penile papules
    Tiny flesh-colored bumps that ring the edge of the head of the penis. 1 in 3 people with penises have papules. Although they may be sensitive to touch, they’re not harmful and aren’t sexually transmitted. They can be removed with laser treatment.
  • Pelvic exam
    A physical exam of the vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, and ovaries. May include a Pap or HPV test, but not always.
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
    An infection in the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries that can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pain. It’s often caused by untreated STDs like gonorrhea and chlamydia.
  • Penis
    A reproductive and sex organ that’s made of spongy tissue. The spongy tissue fills with blood during sexual excitement, a process known as erection (getting hard). Urine and semen pass through the penis.
  • PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis)
    Medicine that helps prevent HIV (or other infections) if started within a few days after being exposed.
  • Perfect use
    How effective a birth control method would be if always used exactly the right way. See "typical use."
  • Performance anxiety
    Fear of being unable to please a sex partner.
  • Perimenopause
    The period of time leading up to menopause during which some symptoms of menopause may start.
  • Perinatal
    Around the time of childbirth.
  • Perineum
    The area of skin between the anus and the vulva or scrotum.
  • Period
    Menstruation. The monthly flow of blood and tissue from the uterus and out the vagina.
  • Peripheral route to persuasion
    Persuasion that occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness.
  • Personal space
    The buffer zone we like to maintain around our bodies. Its size depends on our familiarity with whoever is near us.
  • Persuasion
    The process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors.
  • Petting
    Old fashioned slang for outercourse.
  • Peyronie’s disease
    A rare condition that’s caused by fibrous growths or scar tissue inside the penis. Symptoms including a severe curve to the penis and painful erections.
  • Phallic
    Shaped like a penis.
  • Phallophobia
    Fear of the penis.
  • Phalloplasty
    In genital reconstructive surgery, the creation of a penis from the person’s existing genital tissue.
  • Pheromones
    Odors given off by animals, including humans, to attract others sexually.
  • Phimosis
    A condition in which the foreskin of the penis is too tight to be pulled back, usually diagnosed in young children.
  • Phone sex
    Sexually arousing phone conversations in which people fantasize about having sex with each other and masturbate.
  • Physical-attractiveness stereotype
    The presumption that physically attractive people possess other socially desirable traits as well: What is beautiful is good.
  • Physician assistant
    A health care provider who’s trained to provide basic medical services, usually under the supervision of a physician.
  • PID (pelvic inflammatory disease)
    An infection in the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries that can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pain. It’s often caused by untreated STDs like gonorrhea and chlamydia.
  • Pill, the
    Short for the birth control pill.
  • Pimp
    The abusive, exploitive “manager” of a sex worker.
  • Pituitary gland
    The organ that makes hormones that regulate growth and development, including puberty and sexual maturation. Located underneath the brain.
  • Placenta
    The organ formed on the wall of the uterus that provides oxygen and other nourishment to a fetus during pregnancy, and through which waste products are eliminated from a fetus.
  • Plan B
    A brand of emergency contraception pill made from levonorgestrel, the same kind of hormone found in birth control pills. Available over the counter to anyone of any age or gender in the US.
  • Plateau
    The stage of sexual arousal in which a sexually excited person may approach orgasm. The third stage of the sexual response cycle.
  • Platonic
    Not sexual.
  • Pluralistic ignorance
    A false impression of how other people are thinking, feeling, or responding.
  • PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
    Emotional and physical symptoms that appear a few days before and during menstruation, including depression, fatigue, bloating, and irritability.
  • Point of no return
    The moment during sexual excitement when a person with a penis can’t stop their ejaculation. It occurs when the prostate begins to contract and pulse out seminal fluid. Also known as ejaculatory inevitability.
  • Polyamory
    Having sexual or romantic relationships with more than 1 person at a time with the consent of all people involved.
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
    A hormone imbalance where the ovaries release too much androgen (a hormone). Common symptoms include missed or irregular periods, benign ovarian cysts, infertility, acne, excessive hair growth, and weight gain.
  • Polygamy
    Having more than 1 spouse.
  • Polyps
    Small, usually harmless growths that are common in many parts of the body, including the uterus and cervix.
  • Pornography (porn)
    Video, photos or words that are made for sexual excitement.
  • Positive result
    A test finding that indicates that the condition tested for is present.
  • Possible selves
    Images of what we dream of or dread becoming in the future.
  • Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
    Medicine that helps prevent HIV (or other infections) if started within a few days after being exposed.
  • Post-ovulation method
    A fertility awareness-based method of birth control using abstinence or barrier methods from the beginning of menstruation until the morning of the fourth day after predicted ovulation — more than half of the menstrual cycle.
  • Postpartum
    Following childbirth.
  • Postpartum depression
    Depression that happens after giving birth.
  • Postpartum psychosis
    Severe postpartum depression that may include withdrawal from reality, delusions, and hallucinations.
  • Pre-cum
    Slang for pre-ejaculate, ­the liquid that oozes out of the penis during sexual excitement before ejaculation. Sometimes, for some people, it has a small amount of sperm in it.
  • Pre-eclampsia
    An condition during pregnancy that includes fluid buildup, high blood pressure, and protein deposits in the urine of a pregnant person. The complications may include brain hemorrhage, eye damage, heart problems, fetal malnutrition, low birth weight, and death.
  • Pre-ejaculate
    The liquid that oozes out of the penis during sexual excitement before ejaculation. Sometimes, for some people, it has a small amount of sperm in it. Also called “pre-cum.”
  • Pre-embryo
    The organism that starts developing at fertilization when the zygote is formed by the joining of an egg and a sperm. It attaches to the lining of the uterus after about 7 days. It continues to develop until it forms an embryo, 9 to 11 days later. Up to 50 percent of all pre-embryos end up(...)
  • Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
    A medicine taken daily to reduce the risk of getting HIV.
  • Pregnancy
    When someone is carrying a developing fetus in their uterus. It begins with the implantation of the pre-embryo and progresses through the embryonic and fetal stages until birth, unless it’s ended by miscarriage or abortion. It lasts about 40 weeks from implantation to birth.
  • Prejudice
    A negative prejudgment of a group and its individual members.
  • Premature delivery
    Early childbirth, before the 37th week of pregnancy.
  • Premature ejaculation
    When a person with a penis ejaculates before they want to, or has little control over how quickly they ejaculate during sex.
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
    A severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that causes depression and anxiety during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (after ovulation).
  • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
    Emotional and physical symptoms that appear a few days before and during menstruation, including depression, fatigue, bloating, and irritability.
  • PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)
    A medicine taken daily to reduce the risk of getting HIV.
  • Prepuce
    Foreskin.
  • Priapism
    An unwanted and long-lasting erection. Caused by too much blood flow into the corpus cavernosa, often from medications.
  • Primacy effect
    Other things being equal, information presented first usually has the most influence.
  • Primary sex characteristics
    Body parts that are related to reproduction or sexual functioning (like the penis, scrotum, vulva, vagina, uterus, and ovaries). It also includes the ability to produce eggs or sperm.
  • Primary syphilis
    The first stage of a syphilis infection, during which an open sore called a chancre develops.
  • Priming
    Activating particular associations in memory.
  • Pro-choice
    Supporting the right to a safe, legal abortion.
  • Procreative sex
    Having vaginal sex for the purpose of having a child.
  • Progesterone
    A hormone produced in the ovaries that helps regulate puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy.
  • Progestin
    A synthetic progesterone found in all hormonal birth control methods.
  • Prolapsed uterus
    A condition in which the uterus sags or slips out of its normal position into the vagina. Caused by weakened pelvic muscles. Most common after menopause in people who have given birth.
  • Promiscuous
    Having casual sex frequently with different people.
  • Prophylactic
    A device or treatment used to prevent infection, like a condom.
  • Prostate
    A gland that produces a fluid which helps sperm move. The prostate can be very sensitive to the touch, and many people enjoy stimulating the prostate for sexual pleasure.
  • Prostatitis
    An enlargement and inflammation of the prostate gland that can cause problems peeing and pain in the groin. Sometimes goes away on its own, and sometimes antibiotics or other medications can treat it.
  • Prostitute
    Someone who gets paid to provide sex. Often considered offensive and outdated. The preferred term is “sex worker.”
  • Prostitution
    The act of providing sex for pay. Often considered offensive and outdated. The preferred term is “sex work.”
  • Puberty
    The time between childhood and adulthood when people mature physically and sexually. Puberty is marked by changes such as breast development and menstruation or hair growth and ejaculation.
  • Pubic hair
    Hair that grows around the sex organs. Pubic hair is a secondary sex characteristic that appears during puberty.
  • Pubic lice
    Tiny insects that can be sexually transmitted. They live in pubic hair and cause intense itching in the genitals.
  • Pulling out / pull-out method
    Pulling the penis out of the vagina before ejaculation in order to avoid pregnancy. Also called “withdrawal.”
  • Queef
    The sound made when air is released from the vagina. Air is often pushed into the vagina during vaginal sex or penetration with tampons, fingers, or sex toys.
  • Queer
    A word that can refer to a variety of sexual identities and gender identities that are anything other than straight and cisgender. In the past queer was used as a slur, and may still be offensive to some. However, many people use the word with pride to identify themselves.
  • Questioning
    Being unsure about your sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • Quickening
    The moment during pregnancy when a pregnant person first notices the fetus moving in their uterus.
  • Racism
    (1) An individual's prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behavior toward people of a given race, or (2) institutional practices (even if not motivated by prejudice) that subordinate people of a given race.
  • Reactance
    (1) A motive to protect or restore one's sense of freedom. Reactance arises when someone threatens our freedom of action. (2) The desire to assert one's sense of freedom.
  • Realistic group conflict theory
    The theory that prejudice arises from competition between groups for scarce resources.
  • Recency effect
    Information presented last sometimes has the most influence. Recency effects are less common than primacy effects.
  • Reciprocity norm
    An expectation that people will help, not hurt, those who have helped them.
  • Rectovaginal exam
    A physical exam of the reproductive organs and the tissues that separate the vagina and rectum.
  • Rectum
    The lowest end of the intestine before the anus, where solid waste (feces) is stored.
  • Refractory period
    The brief time after ejaculation during which getting another erection is impossible.
  • Relative deprivation
    The perception that one is less well off than others to whom one compares oneself.
  • Representativeness heuristic
    The tendency to presume, sometimes despite contrary odds, that someone or something belongs to a particular group if resembling (representing) a typical member.
  • Reproductive cell
    Unique cells — egg and sperm — that can join to make reproduction possible.
  • Reproductive organs
    The fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, vagina, penis, and testes. Organs that relate to reproduction.
  • Resolution
    The period after orgasm in which the body returns to a non-stimulated state.
  • Retrograde ejaculation
    When ejaculate goes into the bladder instead of out the urethra/penis.
  • Reward theory of attraction
    The theory that we like those whose behavior is rewarding to us or whom we associate with rewarding events.
  • Rhythm method
    Also known as the calendar method; a fertility awareness-based method of birth control.
  • Right-to-life
    An expression that people who oppose safe and legal abortion use to describe their position.
  • Roe v. Wade
    The 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
  • Role
    A set of norms that define how people in a given social position ought to behave.
  • Role-play
    Acting out a sexual fantasy with a partner.
  • Romantic attraction
    A desire for an intimate (but not necessarily sexual) connection with another person.
  • S&M (sadomasochism)
    The consensual use of domination and/or pain for sexual stimulation in sex. The “sadist” dominates/inflicts pain. The “masochist” is submissive/receives pain.
  • Sadomasochism (S&M)
    The consensual use of domination and/or pain for sexual stimulation in sex. The “sadist” dominates/inflicts pain. The “masochist” is submissive/receives pain
  • Safe word
    A previously agreed upon word or phrase that means a partner is no longer enjoying an activity during and it must stop.
  • Safer sex
    Ways in which people reduce the risk of getting sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. A more precise term than “safe sex,” because no sex act is completely safe from the possibility of passing a sexually transmitted infection.
  • Sanitary pad
    An absorbent reusable or disposable lining made of cotton or similar fibers that’s worn against the vulva to absorb menstrual flow.
  • Scabies
    An itchy skin condition caused by tiny parasites. It's passed through skin-to-skin contact, usually during sex. Scabies isn't dangerous and can be cured.
  • Scrotum
    A sac of skin, divided into 2 parts, that holds the testicles.
  • Second trimester
    The second 3 months of pregnancy.
  • Secondary sex characteristics
    Features of the body that are caused by hormones. They develop during puberty, or can be brought on by hormone replacement therapy (HRT). For people with vaginas, these include breast development and widened hips. For people with penises, they include facial hair development and voice(...)
  • Secondary syphilis
    The second stage of the infection, during which a rash and fever develop.
  • Self-awareness
    A self-conscious state in which attention focuses on oneself. It makes people more sensitive to their own attitudes and dispositions.
  • Self-concept
    A person's answers to the question "Who am I?".
  • Self-disclosure
    Revealing intimate aspects of oneself to others.
  • Self-efficacy
    A sense that one is competent and effective, distinguished from self-esteem, one's sense of self-worth. A bombardier might feel high self-efficacy and low self-esteem.
  • Self-esteem
    Feeling worthwhile.
  • Self-handicapping
    Protecting one's self-image with behaviors that create a handy excuse for later failure.
  • Self-monitoring
    Being attuned to the way one presents oneself in social situations and adjusting one's performance to create the desired impression.
  • Self-perception theory
    The theory that when we are unsure of our attitudes, we infer them much as would someone observing us, by looking at our behavior and the circumstances under which it occurs.
  • Self-presentation
    The act of expressing oneself and behaving in ways designed to create a favorable impression or an impression that corresponds to one's ideals.
  • Self-reference effect
    The tendency to process efficiently and remember well information related to oneself.
  • Self-schema
    Beliefs about self that organize and guide the processing of self-relevant information.
  • Self-serving bias
    The tendency to perceive oneself favorably.
  • Semen
    Fluid containing sperm that’s ejaculated from the penis during orgasm. Semen is composed of fluid from the seminal vesicles, fluid from the prostate, and sperm from the testes.
  • Seminal fluid
    A liquid that nourishes and helps sperm to move. Made in the seminal vesicles.
  • Seminal vesicle
    One of 2 small organs located beneath the bladder and connected to the urethra that produce seminal fluid.
  • Seminiferous tubules
    A network of tiny tubules in the testes that produce sperm and the androgens (a kind of hormone).
  • Septic abortion
    An abortion or miscarriage that leads to infection. Usually associated with illegal and unsafe abortion, aggressive medical treatment is often required to save the life of the patient.
  • Sex addiction
    A compulsion to have frequent sex that gets in the way of daily life, such as work, school, and spending time with family and friends.
  • Sex assignment
    The designation of biological sex — female, male, or intersex — usually made by a doctor at the birth of a child. The sex that appears on a person’s birth certificate.
  • Sex cell
    A reproductive cell - egg or sperm.
  • Sex change operation
    Outdated and offensive term for “gender affirming surgery.”
  • Sex chromosomes
    The cell structures that carry hereditary information that typically differentiate female from male in humans and other mammals. XX chromosomes are typically associated with females. XY chromosomes are typically associated with males.
  • Sex drive
    The urge and desire to have sex. Also called libido.
  • Sex flush
    The temporary reddening or darkening of the skin that may happen from sexual arousal during the plateau stage of the sexual response cycle. It may occur on the belly, breasts/chest, face, hands, and soles of the feet.
  • Sex selection
    The attempt to control the sex of your future children.
  • Sex therapy
    Treatment to resolve a sexual problem or dysfunction, such as premature ejaculation, inability to have orgasm, or a low level of sexual desire.
  • Sex worker
    A person who’s paid for providing sex or sexually arousing activities, including phone or camera sex, erotic massage, lap dancing, or striptease.
  • Sex-negative
    Believing that sex and sexuality are bad or dangerous.
  • Sex-positive
    Accepting sex and sexuality as a natural, good part of life.
  • Sexism
    Systemic and individual discrimination against women.
  • Sexology
    The scientific study of sex and sexuality through many disciplines including, but not limited to, anthropology, biology, history, law, medicine, psychology, and sociology.
  • Sexophobia
    Fear of sex/sexuality.
  • Sexting
    Sending sexual text messages or images.
  • Sexual abuse
    Sexual activity that’s harmful, exploitative, or not consensual.
  • Sexual arousal
    Erotic excitement.
  • Sexual assault
    The use of force or coercion, physical or psychological, to make a person engage in sexual activity.
  • Sexual dysfunction
    A psychological or physical disorder that affects sexual anatomy, behavior, health, or well-being.
  • Sexual harassment
    Unwanted sexual advances from someone. Includes suggestive gestures, language, or touching.
  • Sexual health
    Enjoying emotional, physical, and social well-being in regard to one’s sexuality, including free and responsible sexual expression that enriches one’s life. (Sexual health is not only the absence of sexual dysfunction or disease.)
  • Sexual identity
    Your understanding of your own sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual expression/preferences.
  • Sexual intercourse
    Usually, sex that includes penetration of the vagina with a penis. Can also describe penetration of the anus with a penis.
  • Sexual minority
    An individual or group whose gender identity, sexual behavior, sexual orientation, or sexual preference is thought to be outside socially accepted norms. Generally any group/identity that is outside of heterosexual, cisgender, or monogamous.
  • Sexual norms
    Social standards based on a society’s attitudes, customs, and expectations regarding sex and sexuality. In other words, things that are considered sexually “normal.”
  • Sexual orientation
    Identities that describe what gender(s) a person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to. There are many sexual orientations. Some common sexual orientations include gay, lesbian, straight, and bisexual.
  • Sexual preference
    People, activities, or other things that you like, sexually.
  • Sexual response cycle
    A long researched and commonly used framework of human response to sexual stimulation, originally mapped by Masters & Johnson. The 5 stages of the cycle are desire, excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution.
  • Sexual revolution
    Used to describe 2 different historic shifts in the sexual attitudes and norms of people in the U.S. The first American sexual revolution occurred in the aftermath of World War I — “the roaring '20s.” It was characterized by younger women — “flappers” — openly insisting on the right to have(...)
  • Sexuality
    Sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual preference, and the way these things interact with emotional, physical, social, and spiritual life. Sexuality is shaped by your family and the social norms of your community.
  • Sexually transmitted disease (STD)
    Infections that are passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, or sexual skin-to-skin contact. More accurately called sexually transmitted infection.
  • Sexually transmitted infection (STI)
    Infections that are passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, or sexual skin-to-skin contact. Commonly known as sexually transmitted disease.
  • Shaft
    A structure of erectile tissue and nerves that’s shaped like a column and forms the body of the penis and clitoris.
  • Sheer glyde dam
    A thin, square piece of latex that helps prevent STDs from being passed during oral sex on a vulva or anus.
  • Sixty-nine / 69
    Simultaneous, mutual oral sex.
  • Skene’s glands
    2 glands on either side of the opening to the urethra that release fluid during female ejaculation. Also called paraurethral glands or female prostate glands.
  • Slut
    An insulting term for a woman who has “too many” sex partners, though different people have different ideas about what is considered too many. Some people have reclaimed the term “slut” and use it to describe themselves as people who are proud of their sexual freedom.
  • Smegma
    A sticky, white, unpleasant-smelling substance produced under the foreskin at the glans of the penis and clitoris. It’s formed by dead skin cells, oils, and genital fluid secretions/sweat.
  • Social comparison
    Evaluating one's abilities and opinions by comparing oneself to others.
  • Social identity
    The "we" aspect of our self-concept. The part of our answer to "Who am I?" that comes from our group memberships.
  • Social learning theory
    The theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded and punished.
  • Social psychology
    The scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another.
  • Social representations
    Socially shared beliefs, and widely held ideas and values, including our assumptions and cultural ideologies. Our social representations help us make sense of our world.
  • Social-responsibility norm
    An expectation that people will help those dependent upon them.
  • Sodomy
    An outdated term for oral sex, anal sex, or other genital contact that isn’t vaginal sex.
  • Sonogram
    An image produced by an ultrasound that shows the inside of the body. Used to view the fetus during pregnancy.
  • Speculum
    A plastic or metal instrument used to separate the walls of the vagina so a doctor or nurse can examine the vagina and cervix.
  • Sperm
    A reproductive cell that combines with an egg to cause a pregnancy. Made in the testes.
  • Spermarche
    When sperm is first produced by the testes.
  • Spermatogenesis
    The process of producing sperm. Occurs in the testes.
  • Spermicides
    Chemical birth control that immobilizes sperm to prevent pregnancy. Found on some condoms, and also in birth control sponges, foams, creams, films, suppositories, and gels.
  • Spontaneous abortion
    Miscarriage, pregnancy loss.
  • Spontaneous erection
    The hardening of the penis without sexual stimulus. Common during puberty.
  • Spotting
    Light bleeding that happens not during a menstrual period.
  • Spouse
    A partner in marriage.
  • Squirting
    Ejaculation from people with vulvas, sometimes called “female ejaculation.” The fluid comes from the Skene’s glands, which are located in the vulva near the opening of the urethra. Squirting happens in about 1 out of 10 women.
  • Stalking
    Following or tracking someone in person or online without their consent.
  • Standard days method
    A kind of fertility awareness-based method of birth control. The standard days method works by tracking fertility using a calendar, an app, or a string of beads called CycleBeads.
  • Statutory rape
    Legally, sexual contact between an adult and anyone who is below the age of consent, whether or not the contact is voluntary.
  • STD (sexually transmitted disease)
    An infection that’s passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, or sexual skin-to-skin contact. More accurately called sexually transmitted infection.
  • Stereotype
    A widely accepted judgment or bias regarding a person or group.
  • Stereotype threat
    A disruptive concern, when facing a negative stereotype, that one will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype. Unlike self-fulfilling prophecies that hammer one's reputation into one's self-concept, stereotype threat situations have immediate effects.
  • Sterility
    Infertility — the inability to become pregnant or to cause a pregnancy.
  • Sterilization
    Surgical methods of birth control that are intended to be permanent — blocking of the fallopian tubes for women or the vas deferens for men.
  • STI (sexually transmitted infection)
    An Infection that’s passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, or sexual skin-to-skin contact. Commonly known as sexually transmitted disease.
  • Stigma
    Severe disapproval/judgment for a behavior that’s reinforced by society/culture.
  • Straight
    Being attracted to people of the other gender. Heterosexual.
  • Stranger rape
    Forced sex by someone unknown to the victim. Extremely rare.
  • Strap-on
    A dildo that can be attached to a person to use for vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
  • Subtyping
    Accommodating individuals who deviate from one's stereotype by splitting off a subgroup stereotype (such as "middle class Blacks" or "feminist women"). Subtyping protects stereotypes.
  • Superordinate goal
    A shared goal that necessitates cooperative effort; a goal that overrides people's differences from one another.
  • Swinging
    When couples switch partners for sex.
  • Syphilis
    A bacterial sexually transmitted infection that is easily cured with antibiotics, but can cause permanent damage if left untreated.
  • Taboo
    A behavior that’s outside the cultural norms. Something society or culture says you shouldn’t do or talk about.
  • Tampon
    A firm, disposable roll of absorbent cotton or other fiber that goes inside the vagina to absorb menstrual blood.
  • Temperature method
    A fertility awareness-based method for predicting fertility. It involves charting when ovulation occurs by tracking basal body temperature changes every morning before getting out of bed. Can be used for birth control or for planning pregnancy.
  • Tenting
    The lifting of the uterus during sexual excitement, which creates more space in the vagina.
  • Tertiary syphilis
    The third phase of the infection during which organ damage and failure occur.
  • Testes
    Two ball-like glands inside the scrotum that produce hormones, including testosterone. Each testis also encloses several hundred small lobes, which contain the tiny, threadlike seminiferous tubules that produce sperm. Also called "testicles."
  • Testicles
    Two ball-like glands inside the scrotum that produce hormones, including testosterone. Each testicle also encloses several hundred small lobes, which contain the tiny, threadlike seminiferous tubules that produce sperm. Also called "testes."
  • Testosterone
    An androgen hormone produced in the testes and in smaller amounts in the ovaries. Generally associated with masculine secondary sex characteristics. Can be taken synthetically as gender affirming treatment for trans men.
  • Thelarche
    The time during puberty when breasts begin to develop.
  • Therapeutic abortion
    Ending a pregnancy because of a fetal abnormality or to protect the pregnant person’s physical or mental health or life.
  • Third trimester
    The last 3 months of pregnancy.
  • Threatened miscarriage
    A condition in which a pregnant person bleeds, with or without mild cramps, but the cervix hasn’t begun to open. Half of threatened miscarriages end in pregnancy loss. In the other half, the bleeding stops, and the pregnancy goes on normally.
  • Thrush
    A yeast infection in the mouth or throat. Caused by an overgrowth of a yeast that lives naturally in the body, called candida albicans.
  • Tocophobia
    Fear of childbirth.
  • Top surgery
    Surgical reconstruction to create a more female- or more male-appearing chest. Top surgery may involve breast reduction or breast implants.
  • Toxic shock syndrome
    A rare but very dangerous overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina. Symptoms include vomiting, high fever, diarrhea, and a sunburn-type rash. A possible result of leaving an object (including tampons and birth control sponges) in the vagina for too long.
  • Trans
    Short for transgender. A general term used to describe someone whose gender expression/gender identity are different than the sex they were assigned at birth. Some people put an asterisk on the end of trans* to expand the word to include all people with non-conforming gender identities and(...)
  • Transgender
    A general term used to describe someone whose gender expression/gender identity are different than the sex they were assigned at birth.
  • Transgender man (trans man, female-to-male, FTM, F2M)
    A person whose sex assignment at birth was female but whose gender identity is male. Can also refer to someone who was surgically assigned female at birth, in the case of intersex people, but whose gender identity is male. Many trans men identify simply as men.
  • Transgender woman (trans woman, male-to-female, MTF, M2F)
    A person whose sex assignment at birth was male but whose gender identity is female. Can also refer to someone who was surgically assigned male at birth, in the case of intersex people, but whose gender identity is female. Many trans women identify simply as women.
  • Transition
    The process of a person changing to present as the gender they identify as. Transitioning means different things to different people. It may involve any of the following: coming out to one’s family, changing the pronouns and words used to describe one’s gender, dressing differently, changing(...)
  • Transphobia
    Fear and hatred of people who are, or are perceived to be, trans-identified or gender non-conforming.
  • Transsexual
    An outdated and often offensive term for someone whose gender identity doesn’t match the sex assigned at birth, and who desire and/or seek to transition to bring their body into alignment with their gender identity. Some people find this term offensive, others do not. Only refer to someone as(...)
  • Transvestite
    An outdated term for a cross-dresser. Considered offensive by many.
  • Tribadism
    Sex that involves 2 people rubbing their vulvas/clitorises together.
  • Trimester
    One-third of the 9 months of pregnancy.
  • Triphasic combination pill
    A type of birth control pill that has 3 different doses of estrogen and progestin during a 28-day cycle. Typically each week has a new dose for 3 weeks, followed by a week of placebo (no hormones).
  • Triple screen / triple test
    A prenatal blood test that’s given at around 16 weeks of pregnancy to detect Down syndrome, brain and spine defects, and other conditions. (Further tests will be offered if this blood test reveals an increased risk of birth defects.) Also called “multiple marker screening.”
  • Tubal ligation
    Surgical blocking of the fallopian tubes by tying them off. A form of sterilization - permanent birth control.
  • Tubal pregnancy
    An ectopic pregnancy in the fallopian tube. Can be very dangerous, requiring medical treatment.
  • Tubal sterilization
    Surgical blocking of the fallopian tubes for permanent birth control.
  • Tubectomy
    The surgical removal of a fallopian tube.
  • Tumescence
    Erection and enlargement of the sex organs, especially the clitoris and penis, during sexual arousal.
  • Turner syndrome
    A rare intersex condition in which someone is born with one X chromosome (X_ instead of XX or XY). While most people with turner syndrome have a fully formed vulva, they typically have underdeveloped reproductive organs, leading to infertility.
  • Two-day method
    A fertility-awareness based method of birth control in which a person observes whether or not they’ve secreted cervical mucus 2 days in a row.
  • Two-spirit
    An umbrella term for gender identities common in American Indian/First Nations/Native American cultures. Refers to people who have both masculine and feminine parts of their identity, and are treated as a third gender within those cultures.
  • Two-step flow of communication
    The process by which media influence often occurs through opinion leaders, who in turn influence others.
  • Typical use
    The effectiveness of a particular birth control method in the population, taking into account when people don’t always use their method consistently or correctly. Since this looks at real world use, it’s a more accurate way to describe how many people get pregnant using a method.
  • Tyson’s glands
    The organs that secrete a fluid that combines with bacteria and body oils to form smegma. Several are located under the foreskin and clitoral hood. Others are located under the corona of the glans of the penis and on either side of the frenulum. Also called preputial glands.
  • Ultrasound
    A medical test that creates an image of internal organs by bouncing sound waves off the internal organs. Frequently used to find or monitor a pregnancy, but has a variety of medical uses.
  • Uncircumcised
    When the foreskin hasn’t been removed from the penis.
  • Undescended testicle
    A testicle that doesn’t hang away from the body but remains in the abdomen. In about 5 out of 100 assigned-male births, 1 or both of the testicles don’t descend.
  • Ureters
    The 2 tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
  • Urethra
    A tube that empties the bladder and carries urine to the urethral opening (the hole you pee out of). The urethra also carries ejaculate and pre-ejaculate in people with penises.
  • Urinary tract infection (UTI)
    A bacterial infection of the bladder, the ureters, or the urethra. It is not sexually transmitted. The most common symptom is a frequent urge to pee and pain while peeing. Curable with antibiotics.
  • Uterine perforation
    When a doctor or nurse accidentally punctures the wall of the uterus with a surgical instrument during a procedure or with an IUD during insertion.
  • Uterus
    The pear-shaped, reproductive organ from which people menstruate and where a pregnancy develops. Also called “womb.”
  • UTI (urinary tract infection)
    A bacterial infection of the bladder, the ureters, or the urethra. It is not sexually transmitted. The most common symptom is a frequent urge to pee and pain while peeing. Curable with antibiotics.
  • Vacuum aspiration abortion
    A surgical procedure in which a pregnancy is removed from the uterus with a gentle suction device.
  • Vagina
    The stretchy passage that connects the vulva with the cervix and uterus. It’s where menstrual comes out of the body, a baby comes out of the body through childbirth, and/or one place sexual penetration (by a penis, finger, sex toy, etc.) can happen. During menstruation, it’s where tampons or(...)
  • Vaginal atrophy
    Thinning and irritation of the folds of the walls of the vagina. Caused by low estrogen production, which happens during perimenopause and menopause.
  • Vaginal contraceptive film / vcf
    An over-the-counter, reversible barrier method of birth control. A thin, small, square sheet of spermicide that goes into the vagina, and melts into a thick liquid that blocks the entrance to the uterus. It stops sperm from moving and prevents it from joining with an egg. Most effective when(...)
  • Vaginal dilators
    A series of increasingly wider plastic cylinders that are used to enlarge the vagina or to treat vaginismus by helping to increase capacity for vaginal penetration.
  • Vaginal lubrication
    When the vagina gets wetter and more slippery, which makes it easier for things to go inside it. This happens naturally with vaginal secretions, and can be done with synthetic lube. Sometimes happens during sexual arousal, but not always.
  • Vaginal orgasm
    The climax or peak of sexual arousal that’s brought about by stimulating the vagina without stimulating the clitoris.
  • Vaginal sex
    Sex in which a penis enters a vagina. Also called “vaginal intercourse” or “penis-in-vagina sex.”
  • Vaginismus
    Painful muscle spasms in the vagina as a response to pressure/contact. Sometimes has no known cause, and sometimes happens after psychological or physical trauma.
  • Vaginitis
    An irritation of the vagina or vulva.
  • Vaginoplasty
    The surgical creation of a vagina.
  • Varicocele
    An enlargement of one or more of the veins in the scrotum. It can cause lower sperm motility and infertility, but doesn’t always. Sometimes treatment is needed, and sometimes it doesn’t cause any symptoms or problems so treatment is not needed.
  • Vas deferens
    A long, narrow tube that carries sperm from each epididymis to the seminal vesicles during ejaculation. This is the tube that’s cut for a vasectomy, stopping sperm from leaving the body.
  • Vasectomy
    Surgical blocking of the vasa deferentia (each vas deferens) for permanent birth control.
  • Vasocongestion
    An increase in the amount of blood, which leads to swelling, in certain body tissues (breasts, clitoris, inner labia, nipples, penis) that happens during sexual arousal. Also causes lubrication of the vagina.
  • Viability
    The ability of a fetus to survive outside the uterus.
  • Vibrator
    An electrically powered sex toy that applies vibrations to parts of the body for sexual pleasure.
  • Virginity
    Having never had sex. May mean different things to different people. For example, many people think you “lose your virginity” when you have vaginal sex. Others think that you lose your virginity if you have other kinds of sexual activity, like oral sex or anal sex.
  • Vocal surgery
    Surgery to change the pitch of a person’s voice, often to create a more feminine sounding voice for trans women.
  • Voyeurism
    Sexual practice that involves watching another person undress or engage in sexual behavior.
  • Vulva
    The external sex organs that include the clitoris, labia (majora and minora), opening to the vagina (introitus), opening to the urethra, and two Bartholin’s glands.
  • Wet dreams
    Erotic dreams that can lead to ejaculation or vaginal lubrication. Common during puberty. See "nocturnal emission."
  • Withdrawal
    Pulling the penis out of the vagina before ejaculation in order to avoid pregnancy. Also called “pulling out” or the “pull-out method.”
  • Xe (xe, xem, xyr, xyrs, xemself)
    A gender-neutral pronoun (or set of pronouns) some people use for themselves to replace “he,” “she,” or “they.”
  • Xx chromosomes
    The pair of sex-differentiating chromosomes that leads to someone being born with a vagina, vulva, uterus, and ovaries. Babies with xx chromosomes are usually assigned female at birth.
  • Xy chromosomes
    The pair of sex-differentiating chromosomes that leads to someone being born with a penis and scrotum. Babies with xy chromosomes are usually assigned male at birth.
  • Yeast infection
    A type of vaginitis caused by an overgrowth of a yeast that naturally lives in the vagina/on the body, called candida albicans. Yeast infections may also occur in the penis or mouth. A yeast infection in the mouth or throat is called “thrush.”
  • Ze (ze, zir, zirs, zirself)
    A gender-neutral pronoun (or set of pronouns) some people use for themselves to replace “he,” “she,” or “they.”
  • Zygote
    The single-celled organism that results from the joining of the egg and sperm (fertilization).