Our daughter Leyla has always been a gay right activist. The other day, we were talking about it and she started using French LGBTQ+ terms I didnโt understand.
She explained them to me, and we spoke about the non binary pronouns in French. I thought it would make a good article for people who want to learn the LGBTQ+ French vocabulary.
How To Say Gay In French?
Just like in English, the adjective โgai(e)โ means merry, colorful.
Cโest une chemise trรจs gaie.
Itโs quite a colorful shirt.
We also use it to say โtipsyโ.
Marc avait un peu trop bu, il รฉtรฉ un peu gai.
Mark had a bit too much to drink, he was a bit tipsy.
To be honest, my Mom would say thatโฆ I wouldnโt!
To refer to sexual, romantic or emotional attraction, youโll see both spellings used in French: the English โgayโ as well as the French โgai(e)โ.
We also use the word homosexual to describe a sexual, romantic or emotional attraction to someone of the same sex: โun homosexuelโ, โune homosexuelleโ (short: โhomoโ). It can be a noun or an adjective.
Il/elle est homo. He/she is homosexual.
LGBTQ+ Terms Among The French Gay Community
Not everybody within the LGBTQ+ community uses precise terms and/or pronouns. Usually, texts of LGBTQ+ associations such as a sports club will be very careful to use an all inclusive language.
Yet, among people themselves, not everybody agrees. Some may use mostly the word โgayโ as a โsummaryโ of all the possibilities.
30 LGBTQ+ French Words
As youโll see, many of the terms we use in French are the same as in English. Iโve added a short definition for people who may not know what the LGBTQ+ terms mean in English. Although I did my best to use the correct terminology, it changes pretty fast and Iโm not an expert. A reliable resource for up to date vocabulary is this site.
- Heterosexual: someone attracted to someone of the opposite sex. Straight: โun hรฉtรฉrosexuelโ, โune hรฉtรฉrosexuelleโ, โun/une hรฉtรฉroโ
- Bisexual: sexual, romantic or emotional attraction to someone of male or female sexes: โun bisexuelโ, โune bisexuelleโ (short: โbiโ โ pronounce it the French way, like [bee] = il/elle est bi).
- Pansexual: sexual, romantic or emotional attraction towards people regardless of their sex or gender identity: โpansexuel, pansexuelleโ (short: โpanโ โ pronounce it the French way, with a French nasal [an] sound).
- Androgynous person: having the physical characteristics of both sexes: โune personne androgyneโ
- Bi-curious: (m) โbi-curieuxโ, (f) โbi-curieuseโ โ remember to pronounce it the French way [bee]
- Asexual: not interested in sexual relationships: โmโ asexuelโ, (f) asexuelle. Note that although itโs spelled with only one โsโ in French, we still pronounce it like a โssโ sound, not a โzโ.
- Intersex: born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesnโt seem to fit the typicalย definitionsย of female or male: intersexe. We also sometimes use the term โhermaphroditeโ although some people find it offensive.
- Lesbian: describes a woman attracted to a woman : (f) โune lesbienneโ. Itโs also an adjective: โlesbien, lesbienneโ.
- A bear (slang) describes a hairy, heavy-set (sometimes muscular)ย gayย or bisexual man: โun oursโ (do pronounce the final โsโ)
- non-binary person: somebody who identifies as neither male nor female, or some combination of both: โune personne non-binaireโ, โune personne bi-genrรฉeโ.
- transgender: people having a gender identity or gender expression that differs from their sex assigned at birth = โune personne transgenreโ, โun homme transgenreโ, โune femme transgenreโ.
- transexual: someone who had a sex change operation/ gender affirming surgery = โun transexuelโ, โune transexuelleโ.
- cisgender person: Cisgender is a term for people whose gender identity matches the sex that they were assigned at birth. For example, someone who identifies as a woman and was assigned female at birth is a cisgender woman. The term cisgender is the opposite of the word transgender (wikipedia) โ โune personne cisgenreโ
- transvestite: someone who enjoys dressing with clothes or attributes usually assigned to the opposite sexe : โun travestiโ, โune travestieโ.
For drag queens, we often use the term โun/e artiste transformisteโ.
- the LGBTQ+ community: (f) โla communautรฉ LGBTQ+โ
- sexual orientation: (f) โlโorientation sexuelleโ
- homosexuality: (f) โlโhomosexualitรฉโ
- heterosexuality: (f) โlโhรฉtรฉrosexualitรฉโ
- gay rights: (m) โles droits des homosexuelsโ
- gay marriage: (m) โle mariage gayโ
- homoparental adoption: (f) โlโadoption homoparentaleโ
- misgendering: (v) โmรฉgenrerโ or โmalgenrerโ
- gender dysphoria: a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with life โ Gender dysphoria is experienced by people whose gender identity does not align with their assigned sex : (f) โla dysphorieโ
- sex assigned at birth: (m) โle sexe assignรฉ ร la naissanceโ
- breast binding: (v) โse bander les seinsโ
- sex reassignment surgery: (f) โune chirurgie de rรฉassignation sexuelleโ
- testosterone shots: (f) โdes injections de testostรฉroneโ
- to be in the closet: to be gay but without saying it openly: โรชtre dans le placardโ, โรชtre secrรจtement homosexuelโ, โne pas rรฉvรฉler ses prรฉfรฉrences / son identitรฉ sexuelle(s)โ
- to come out: to announce publicly that you are gay: โfaire son coming outโ.
- to be outed: when someone else divulges your sexual orientation or identity without your consent: โrรฉvรฉler lโorientation ou lโidentitรฉ sexuelle de quelquโun contre son grรฉโ. Itโs quite long in French!
Non Binary Neutral French Pronouns
In English, when you donโt want to misgender someone or if someone doesnโt identify as male or female (non-binary or other), you use pronouns like โtheyโ and โthemโ.
Example: Look at Chris! They look happy today! Iโm going to ask them if they want to join us later.
In French, there is not neutral pronoun, but inclusive people use a new French pronoun like โielโ, โielleโ (pronounce it like [yell] in English) or even โilleโ (any of these 3 are fine). Some people use โulโ, โolโ, โaelโ or โeleโ. We sometimes also use โonโ.
Examples :
- Regardez Chris! Iel a lโair heureux/se aujourdโhui! Je vais ellui demander sโiel veut venir avec nous plus tard.
- Iels sont ensemble depuis 2 ans. (Theyโve been together for 2 years.)
The French possessive pronouns โmonโ or โmaโ are sometimes replaced by โmoโ โmaonโ and โmanโ and the demonstrative pronouns โceluiโ and โcelleโ by โcelluiโ as well as โcelleuxโ or โceuzesโ.
โToustesโ is used instead of โtousโ or โtoutesโ.
โElluiโ is used instead of the object pronouns โluiโ and โelleโ.
If youโre talking about multiple non identified people, add an โsโ.
Things are also changing about the adjective agreements. For example, you could add a โ.eโ or โ/eโ to be inclusive.
Chacun.e fait comme iel veut !
To each their own!
The French language being so stuck on feminine / masculine (everything has gender, even thingsโฆ) using โielโ etcโฆ is not very common yet.
And itโs a bit complicated. Even among the LGBTQ+ community, people donโt agree. Some people really push for the changes, some feel being that inclusive hurts the language.
Unfortunately, all kind of inclusive writing is so far being rejected by lโAcadรฉmie franรงaise. Maybe it will change one day!
I have to admit Iโve never heard โielโ used myselfโฆ Again, not much opportunity here in Paimpol! Here is an article (in French) which will explain, or at least give you a good look at the French neutral pronouns and adjective agreements.

LGBTQ+ French Pronunciation
LGBTQ+ is pronounced like enunciating the letters of the alphabet in French: [el, gรฉ, bรฉ, tรฉ, cu, pluS โ do say the final S]
Being LGBTQ+ in France
Use the floating blue icon in the bottom right to hide/reveal the English translations below or just click here.
Bonjour, moi cโest Leyla, je suis la fille de Camille et Olivier de French Today, je suis bilingue franรงais-anglais, et je vais bientรดt avoir 15 ans.
Hi Iโm Leyla, Iโm Camilleโs and Olivierโs daughter, Iโm French English bilingual, and Iโm almost 15 years old.
Depuis que je suis petite, les droits des homosexuels mโont intรฉressรฉe, et jโai toujours pensรฉ que tous les types dโamours devraient รชtre acceptรฉs, tant que tout le monde est consentant. Plus tard, jโaimerais peut-รชtre รชtre avocat ou lรฉgislatrice dans ce domaine.
Since I was a little, gay rights have been an interest of mine, and Iโve always thought that all types of loves should be accepted, as long as the all people involved are consenting. When I grow up, I may want to become a lawyer or legislator in that domain.
Quand jโhabitais ร Boston, aux รtats-Unis, on รฉtait entourรฉs de personnes qui faisait partie de la communautรฉ LGBTQ+. Mais quand on a dรฉmรฉnagรฉ dans une petite ville de Bretagne en France, plus du tout ! Cโรฉtait assez surprenant pour moi, et jโai souvent dรฉfendu les droits homosexuels dans la cour dโรฉcole, quand jโentendais des enfants utiliser des insultes comme โpรฉdรฉโ.
When I lived in Boston in the States, we weโre surrounded by people that were part of the LGBTQ+ community. But not anymore when we moved to a little town in Brittany, France! It was pretty surprising for me and I often spoke up in defense of homosexual rights in the school yard when I heard kids using insults such as โfaggotโ.
Selon moi, lโacceptation des homosexuels est en train dโรฉvoluer en France.
In my opinion, gay acceptance is evolving in France.
Comparรฉ ร la gรฉnรฉration de mes grand-parents, รชtre ouvertement gay ou mรชme de sexe inidentifiable est beaucoup plus acceptรฉ quโavant. Cโest un sujet de conversation dont je peux discuter avec mes amis sans problรจme, et rappelez-vous quโon habite dans une petite ville !
Compared to my grandparentsโ generation, itโs now much more accepted to be openly gay, or even fluid gender wise. Itโs a subject I can discuss with my friends without any problem, and remember we live in a small countryside town!
Mais je pense que pour beaucoup de personne, รชtre homosexuel, รงa passe, tant que รงa ne concerne pas la famille ou les amis proches.
Yet, I feel that for many people, being gay is okay as far as itโs doesnโt concern their own family or close friends.
En dโautres mots, ils acceptent le concept, tant que cela ne concerne pas leurs proches.
In other words, they accept the concept, as far as it doesnโt hit home.
Jโespรจre que cela changera bientรดt.
I hope this will change soon.


A new approach to learning both traditional and modern French logically structured for English speakers.
4 Gay French Expressions
To say someone is gay, one may say โil/elle/iel est de la jaquetteโ or โil/elle/iel est du bรขtimentโ.
Among the community, itโs common to hear โil/elle/iel est de notre paroisseโ or โil/elle/iel est de la familleโ.
Homophobic French Insults
I hate to have to write these down but I think they are important for educational purposes. If you were to hear them in a French movie, youโd need to understand them.
DO NOT use these, theyโre hurtful but theyโre in this list so you can recognize them and get away from the people using them!
French Insult to Say โGayโ
- un PD (or pรฉdรฉ): itโs a shortened version of โpรฉdรฉrasteโ: from Ancient Greek paiderastแธs, โlover of boysโ. Itโs not always an insult: itโs so commonly used that some people use it without ill-intention, a bit like โqueerโ in English. Itโs also used inside the community LGBTQ+ and itโs fine then.
But it can be an insult as well, and often is. - une tafiole โ all the following insults use the feminine to describe a man. They are roughly the equivalent of โfaggotโ in English.
- une pรฉdale
- une tarlouze / une tantouze
- une folle, une folasse
French Insult to Say โLesbianโ
- une gouine (ou โune goudouโ ou โune gouinasseโ). Same remark as โpรฉdรฉโ, itโs not always used as an insult but it can be.
- une camionneuse (literally a female truck driver)
- un broute-minou (very vulgar)
Unfortunately, there are many more, but I donโt think itโs necessary to list more here. I repeat, these are hurtful, so donโt use them.
I wanted to finish this article on a more positive note and thought about sharing this beautiful song by French singer Charles Aznavour, released in 1972.
At that time being gay, or even talking about it was still quite a taboo in France, and I admire Aznavour for taking the risk to sing about that subject and create such a beautiful, sensitive, respectful and loving song, especially since he was not gay himself.
Note the play on words: โJe suis un homme, oh! Comme ils disentโ. I think this may have been to avoid potential censorship (homosexuality was still illegal in those days) yet itโs so poetic!
The lyrics are copyright, but I hope he wonโt mind me sharing them here with you. Aznavour also sang this song in English (called โWhat Makes A Manโ but I donโt find the English version as poetic even though it rhymes nicely. So I translated it the best I could.
โComme Ils Disentโ de Charles Aznavour โ French Lyrics
Jโhabite seul avec maman
Dans un trรจs vieil appartement
Rue Sarasate
Jโai pour me tenir compagnie
Une tortue, deux canaris
Et une chatte
Pour laisser maman reposer
Trรจs souvent je fais le marchรฉ
Et la cuisine
Je range, je lave, jโessuie
ร lโoccasion je pique aussi
ร la machine
Le travail ne me fait pas peur
Je suis un peu dรฉcorateur
Un peu styliste
Mais mon vrai mรฉtier
Cโest la nuit
Oรน je lโexerce travesti
Je suis artiste
Jโai un numรฉro trรจs spรฉcial
Qui finit a nu intรฉgral
Aprรจs strip-tease
Et dans la salle je vois que
Les mรขles nโen croient pas leurs yeux
Je suis un homme, oh!
Comme ils disent
Vers les trois heures du matin
On va manger entre copains
De tous les sexes
Dans un quelconque bar-tabac
Et lร , on sโen donne a cลur joie
Et sans complexes
On dรฉballe des vรฉritรฉs
Sur des gens quโon a dans le nez
On les lapide
Mais on le fait avec humour
Enrobรฉ dans des calembours
Mouillรฉs dโacide
On rencontre des attardรฉs
Qui pour รฉpater leur tablรฉe
Marchent et ondulent
Singeant ce quโils croient รชtre nous
Et se couvrent, les pauvres fous
De ridicule
รa gesticule et parle fort
รa joue les divas, les tรฉnors
De la bรชtise
Moi, les lazzis, les quolibets
Me laissent froid, puisque cโest vrai
Je suis un homme, oh!
Comme ils disent
ร lโheure oรน naรฎt un jour nouveau
Je rentre retrouver mon lot
De solitude
Jโรดte mes cils et mes cheveux
Comme un pauvre clown malheureux
De lassitude
Je me couche mais ne dors pas
Je pense ร mes amours sans joie
Si dรฉrisoires
ร ce garรงon beau comme un dieu
Qui sans rien faire a mis le feu
ร ma mรฉmoire
Ma bouche nโosera jamais
Lui avouer mon doux secret
Mon tendre drame
Car lโobjet de tous mes tourments
Passe le plus clair de son temps
Au lits des femmes
Nul nโa le droit en vรฉritรฉ
De me blรขmer, de me juger
Et je prรฉcise
Que cโest bien la nature qui
Est seule responsable si
Je suis un homme, oh!
Comme ils disent
โComme Ils Disentโ de Charles Aznavour โ English Translation
I live alone with Mom
In a very old apartment
On Sarasate Street
I have to keep my company
A turtle, two canaries
And a pussycat
So that mom can rest
I very often do the grocery shopping
And the cooking
I clean, I wash, I swipe
Occasionally I also sew
On the sewing machine
Work doesnโt scare me
Iโm a bit of a decorator
A bit of a stylist
But my real job
Itโs at night
that I do it transvestite
Iโm an artist
I have a very special show
That ends fully naked
After stripping
And in the showroom I can see that
Males canโt believe their eyes
Iโm a homo
Like they say
Around 3AM
We go out to eat among friends
Of every gender
In a random bar
And there, we have a blast
And without any complexes
We gossip the truth
About people we canโt stand
We stone them
But we do it with humor
Wrapped in puns
Wet with acid
We meet stupid people
Who to amaze their table
Walk and wave
Mimicking what they think is us
Covering themselves, the poor fools
With ridicule
They gesture and speak loud
They act like divas, tenors
Of stupidity
As for me, their bad jokes and mean words
Donโt get to me, since it is true
I am an homo
Like they say
At the time when a new day comes
I go back to find my routine
Loneliness
I take off my eyelashes and my hair
Like an old clown sad
of weariness
I lay down but I donโt sleep
I think about my unhappy loves
So ludicrous
About this boy handsome as a god
Who did nothing yet sat fire
To my memory
My mouth will never dare
Admit to him my sweet secret
My tender drama
Because the reason of all my torments
Spends most of his time
In womenโs beds
no one truly has the right
To blame me, to judge me
And let me point out
That it is indeed nature
who is the only responsible if
I am an homo
Like they say
I hope this French LGBTQ+ vocabulary will be useful to you. My parents will be monitoring this article very closely and will turn off the comments section if need be. Please refrain from any hurtful, preachy or disrespectful remarks โ we will remove them, blacklist your IP and report you as spam.
If youโd like to help me and suggest some words for the French LGBTQ+ vocabulary list, Iโll be happy to add some: please provide the English word, the French word and if need be an English explanation. Merci!
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