Ceterosexual

Ceterosexual refers to a sexual orientation or self-description. It usually means sexual attraction to non-binary, genderqueer, or other people who are not exclusively male or female. The term is sometimes also used for attraction to trans people; this use is sensitive because trans people can be men, women, non-binary, or have other genders and do not automatically form one separate, uniform gender category.

The older or alternative term skoliosexual is used in a similar way, but many trans and non-binary people reject it. “Skolio-” is associated with “crooked” or “bent,” which can make the term sound derogatory. Ceterosexual is often used as a less loaded term, but it is not entirely uncontroversial either.

It is important to distinguish between respectfully describing one’s own attraction and fetishization. It becomes problematic when trans or non-binary people are reduced to being trans, to their bodily traits, or to a supposed “otherness.” As with all sexual orientations, self-descriptions should be respected, but other people should not be categorized without consent or in an objectifying way.