Self-Descriptor: Identity Labels, Self-Identification, and Language

Examples may include terms related to:

• gender;
• sexual orientation;
• relationships;
• disability;
• community identity;
• personality;
• social experience.

For example, a person may describe themselves as:

• bisexual;
• nonbinary;
• queer;
• disabled;
• polyamorous.

The important point is that the person is using the word for themselves rather than having it assigned to them by someone else.

An external label is applied by someone else.

These may sometimes match.

For example, a person may identify as gay, and other people may accurately describe them as gay because that is the term they use.

Problems can arise when an outside observer assigns a label based only on:

• appearance;
• behavior;
• partner gender;
• anatomy;
• stereotypes.

Self-description generally provides stronger information about identity than outside assumptions.

Self-identification means recognizing and naming one’s own identity.

A person might self-identify through words relating to:

• sexual orientation;
• gender;
• culture;
• disability;
• relationships.

However, self-description does not have to be permanent.

People may change terminology as they:

• learn new words;
• understand themselves differently;
• enter new communities;
• feel more comfortable with another label.

Changing a self-descriptor does not necessarily mean the earlier identity was false.

Examples include:

• lesbian;
• gay;
• bisexual;
• pansexual;
• asexual.

A person’s self-described orientation should not automatically be replaced by a label based on current behavior.

For example, a bisexual person in a different-gender relationship does not become heterosexual simply because of that relationship.

Orientation, behavior, and partner status are related but distinct.

Examples include:

• woman;
• man;
• nonbinary;
• genderqueer;
• agender.

A person may use more than one gender term or prefer a broad label.

Self-description is especially important because gender identity cannot be reliably determined from:

• clothing;
• body shape;
• voice;
• legal documents;
• anatomy.

Respectful communication generally follows a person’s stated gender terminology when known.

A person may use:

• she/her;
• he/him;
• they/them;
• multiple pronoun sets;
• another pronoun set.

Pronouns communicate how someone prefers to be referred to grammatically.

They may provide information about identity, but they should not automatically be treated as a complete definition of someone’s gender.

These terms may describe experiences that mainstream language does not capture well.

Community-specific self-descriptors can provide:

• recognition;
• precision;
• belonging;
• shared understanding.

However, not everyone in the broader community needs to use the same vocabulary.

A term that feels accurate to one person may feel too narrow, too broad, outdated, or unfamiliar to another.

For example, some people use queer as a positive identity term.

When used this way, the word may express:

• identity;
• pride;
• community;
• political meaning.

However, a reclaimed term should not automatically be applied to every member of the group.

A person may dislike a word even when others use it proudly.

Self-description matters because reclaimed language can remain sensitive.

For example, a person might use:

• queer;
• LGBTQ+;
• nonbinary.

Others prefer more specific terms that describe their experience in greater detail.

Neither approach is inherently more accurate.

A broad label may provide flexibility, while a specific label may communicate important distinctions.

People may also combine terms, such as using one label for gender and another for sexual orientation.

A person may say:

• “I don’t use a label.”
• “I’m still figuring it out.”
• “I prefer not to define my sexuality.”

Choosing not to use a label is also a valid form of self-description.

Labels can be useful tools for communication and community, but they are not obligations.

A person does not need a fixed label for their experiences to be meaningful.

This may happen because:

• language evolves;
• personal understanding develops;
• circumstances change;
• a person discovers a more useful term.

For example, someone may initially use a broad orientation label and later adopt a more specific one.

Another person may move in the opposite direction and choose a broader term.

Identity development does not always follow a straight or permanent path.

This may include:

• identity labels;
• pronouns;
• disability terminology;
• relationship terminology.

However, respecting a self-descriptor does not mean repeating every personal label in every context.

Good communication also considers:

• relevance;
• privacy;
• audience;
• safety.

A person’s identity information should not be disclosed unnecessarily.

For example, a patient may identify with a particular sexual orientation or gender term.

However, healthcare sometimes also requires separate information about:

• anatomy;
• sexual behavior;
• reproductive history;
• medications.

A self-descriptor should not be used as a shortcut for assuming these medical details.

Person-centered healthcare combines self-identification with relevant clinical information.

Allowing participants to self-describe can improve accuracy.

For example, research may ask separately about:

• sexual identity;
• attraction;
• behavior.

This is useful because the three do not always match exactly.

Open-ended self-description can also reveal identities that fixed survey categories overlook.

However, researchers may need standardized categories for analysis, so careful terminology design is important.

Someone may use a particular identity term:

• with close friends;
• within a community;
• online anonymously;

while avoiding it in:

• family settings;
• workplaces;
• public records.

This does not make the self-description less genuine.

People may manage identity disclosure differently depending on safety and context.

Other people can determine someone’s identity from appearance.
No. Appearance does not reliably establish sexual orientation or gender identity.

A current partner determines sexual orientation.
No. Relationship status and orientation are different.

Everyone needs an identity label.
No. Some people prefer not to use one.

A reclaimed term used by one person can be applied to everyone in the same group.
No. Reclaimed language remains preference-dependent.

Self-description means healthcare professionals should never ask about behavior or anatomy.
No. Relevant clinical information may still be needed and should be discussed separately.

1. Self-descriptor refers to a term that a person chooses to use for themselves.
2. “Bisexual” may function as a sexual-orientation self-descriptor.
3. A person’s self-descriptor may change as their understanding of identity develops.
4. Some people prefer broad identity labels rather than highly specific ones.
5. Reclaimed words can function as self-descriptors within particular communities.
6. A current relationship does not automatically determine someone’s identity label.
7. Healthcare professionals should not use a self-descriptor as a substitute for relevant clinical questions.
8. Understanding self-descriptor helps explain how language, autonomy, identity, community, privacy, and sexuality interact.

Self-description can support autonomy, recognition, and community belonging, but no single label fits everyone permanently.

An inclusive approach respects the terms people use for themselves, avoids imposing labels based on assumptions, and recognizes that self-descriptors may be broad, specific, changing, private, reclaimed, or absent altogether.