Working definitions for this project:
Queer: for the purposes of this paper, an affirming, alternative term for those belonging to a sexual or gender minority.
Sexual and gender minority: an umbrella term to describe anyone whose biological sex, sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression does not fall into line with the norms presented by the majority. This could include individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, nonbinary, asexual, aromantic, intersex, and more.
Sexual orientation: a construct encompassing emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction, identity, and behavior.
Gender: the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one's sex.
Gender role: a social and psychological construct that determines what the roles of men and women should be in society, based on their sex. For the purposes of this paper, the Western binary distinction of "men" and "women" will be used when referring to "traditional" gender, though this author recognizes that gender is extremely fluid and other gender roles exist.
Gender identity: a person's internal sense of gender, whether they view themselves as a man, a woman, a combination of both, or neither.
Monster: a being that deviates from what is usually considered acceptable in a human, whether in terms of shape, size, behavior, or character.
Monstrous: having the qualities or appearance of a monster.
Teratophilia: a sensual, erotic, and/or sexual attraction to the monstrous.
Kink: an unconventional sensual, erotic, and/or sexual taste or behavior.
