"LGBT is an initialism that stands for 'lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender', and it functions as an umbrella term for marginalized sexualities and gender identities."
Refers to a range of different identities and sexual orientations, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual.
Gender Identity: Refers to the gender that an individual identifies with, such as male, female, non-binary, or genderfluid.
Sexual Orientation: Refers to the gender(s) an individual is attracted to, such as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, or allosexual.
LGBTQIA+ Community: A group of individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual.
Gender Expression: Refers to the way an individual presents their gender through clothing, language, behavior, and other social cues.
Coming Out: The process of disclosing one's LGBTQIA+ identity to others, which can be a difficult and ongoing experience.
Homophobia and Transphobia: Negative attitudes and beliefs towards LGBTQIA+ individuals that often result in discrimination and violence.
Intersectionality: The recognition that individuals possess multiple intersecting identities, such as gender identity, race, socioeconomic status, and ability, that inform their experiences and oppressions.
LGBTQIA+ History: The historical events and social movements that have shaped LGBTQIA+ rights and representation, such as Stonewall and the AIDS epidemic.
Queer Theory: A field of study that examines the complexities of gender, sexuality, and identity from a critical and interdisciplinary perspective.
Legal Recognition: The laws and policies that affect LGBTQIA+ individuals' rights, such as marriage equality, employment discrimination, and healthcare access.
Allyship: The practice of supporting and advocating for LGBTQIA+ individuals as someone who is not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Pronouns: The words used to refer to an individual's gender identity, such as he/him, she/her, they/them, ze/hir, or other gender-neutral pronouns.
Non-binary Gender Identities: Refers to individuals who do not identify as exclusively male or female, such as agender, genderqueer, or bigender.
Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Identities: Individuals who identify as a gender different from the one assigned to them at birth or who express their gender in nonconforming ways.
Intersex: Individuals who possess biological variations in sex characteristics that do not fit typical male or female categories.
Asexuality and Aromanticism: Terms used to describe individuals who do not experience sexual or romantic attraction, respectively.
Health and Wellness: The unique healthcare needs and disparities faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals, including mental health, HIV/AIDS, and other STIs.
Media Representation: The portrayal of LGBTQIA+ individuals in popular media, including film, television, and literature, and its impact on culture and public opinion.
Safe Spaces: Environments that prioritize the safety and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals, such as LGBTQIA+ centers or supportive schools and workplaces.
Language and Terminology: The words and phrases used to describe LGBTQIA+ identities, behaviors, and experiences, and the importance of using affirming language.
Asexual: A person who does not experience sexual attraction or desire.
Bisexual: A person attracted to both men and women.
Demisexual: A person who only experiences sexual attraction after establishing a deep emotional connection with someone.
Gay: A man who is attracted to other men. This term is also used to refer to the broader LGBTQIA+ community.
Heterosexual: A person attracted to people of the opposite gender.
Lesbian: A woman who is attracted to other women.
Pansexual: A person who is attracted to people regardless of their gender identity or expression.
Queer: An umbrella term used to describe a person whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual. Many individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community prefer this term over others.
Questioning: A person who is unsure about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Same-Gender-Loving (SGL): An alternate term for gay, often used by people of African descent.
Agender: A person without a gender identity or a sense of gender.
Androgynous: A person who has a gender that is a mix of male and female characteristics.
Bigender: A person who identifies as both male and female.
Cisgender: A person whose gender identity aligns with the gender they were assigned at birth.
Genderfluid: A person whose gender identity changes over time or depending on the situation.
Genderqueer: A person who identifies outside of the gender binary of male and female.
Intersex: A person born with physical sex characteristics that do not fit typical definitions of male or female.
Nonbinary: A person who identifies outside of the binary gender categories of male and female.
Transgender: A person whose gender identity differs from their assigned gender at birth.
Two-Spirit: A Native American term that refers to a person possessing both a masculine and feminine spirit.
Other Terms: :.
Ally: A non-LGBTQIA+ person who supports and advocates for the community.
Coming Out: The process of disclosing one’s LGBTQIA+ identity to others.
Deadnaming: Referring to a transgender person by their former, typically birth, name.
Outing: The act of revealing someone’s LGBTQIA+ identity without their consent.
Pronouns: The words used to refer to a person (e.g. he, she, they). Some individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community may use different pronouns than what is typically associated with their gender.
"In use since the 1990s..."
"The initialism LGB began to replace the term gay (or gay and lesbian) in reference to the broader LGBT community."
"When not inclusive of transgender people, the shorter term LGB is still used instead of LGBT."
"It may refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or non-cisgender, instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender."
"A popular variant, LGBTQ, adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual or gender identity."
"The initialisms LGBT or GLBT are not agreed to by everyone that they are supposed to include."
"The initialism... functions as an umbrella term for marginalized sexualities and gender identities."
"The term LGB began to replace the term gay (or gay and lesbian) in reference to the broader LGBT community beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s."
"It may refer... to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender."
"To recognize this inclusion [of those outside LGB], a popular variant, LGBTQ, adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual or gender identity."
"[LGBT] functions as an umbrella term for marginalized sexualities and gender identities."
"In use since the 1990s..."
"Some of its common variants..."
"When not inclusive of transgender people..."
"When not inclusive of transgender people, the shorter term LGB is still used instead of LGBT."
"It may refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or non-cisgender..."
"...the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual or gender identity."
"...an umbrella term for marginalized sexualities and gender identities."
"The initialisms LGBT or GLBT are not agreed to by everyone that they are supposed to include."