The LGBTQIA+ Acronym

The LGBTQIA+ Acronym

Let’s talk about the LGBTQIA+ Acronym and dive into each of these identities! These terms are used to describe a human's identity, typically referring to their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Lesbian: A woman who is physically, romantically, and/or emotionally attracted to other women. Some humans may have a preference for being referred to as gay or a gay woman.

Gay: A man who is physically, romantically, and/or emotionally attracted to other men. This term can also be used to refer to any human who has a physical, romantic, or emotional attraction to someone of the same sex.

Bisexual: A human who is physically, romantically, and/or emotionally attracted to those of the same or different gender. This can be fluid over a lifetime and it is unnecessary for bisexual humans to have had sexual experiences with both genders to be considered bisexual. 

Transgender: A term encompassing humans whose gender identity or gender expression differ from their biological/assigned sex at birth.

Queer/Questioning: This term is used because it’s not referring to a specific sexual orientation or gender identity. Rather, queer is used to describe more fluid identities on the spectrum and is sometimes used to describe those that are discovering and exploring their identities, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any combination. 

Intersex: Someone born with biological sex characteristics that are a combination of male and female biological traits. It is a set of conditions where the external and internal genitals do not match.

Asexual: A human who experiences little to no sexual attraction. 

+: The plus sign...not just a symbol for math, but inclusive of everything that falls on the sexuality and gender spectrum. Think about it as the symbol for the terms that are not even created yet for how humans internally feel about themselves. 

 

Sources: OutRight InternationalThe CenterPFLAGUSA TodayThe New York Times