LGBTQIA + — What Does It Mean?

Being part of the LGBTQIA + community is an honour and I love you all so very much. Most people know our acronyms as LGBT — we’ve added a few more letters in recent times so we want to help you define what these little collection of letters really mean..

1. L

Stands for Lesbian:

Refers to a woman who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards women. Some non-binary people may also identify with this term.

2. G

Stands for Gay:

Refers to a man who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men. Also a generic term for lesbian and gay sexuality — some women define themselves as gay rather than lesbian. Some non-binary people may also identify with this term.

3. B

Stands for Bisexual

Bisexuals are attracted to persons of more than one gender. Bi is an umbrella term used to describe a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards more than one gender.

Bi people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, bisexual, pan, queer, and some other non-monosexual and non-monoromantic identities.

4. T

Stands for Trans

An umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, transsexual, gender-queer (GQ), gender-fluid, non-binary, gender-variant, crossdresser, genderless, agender, nongender, third gender, bi-gender, trans man, trans woman,trans masculine, trans feminine and neutrois.

5. Q

Stands for Queer

Queer is a term used by those wanting to reject specific labels of romantic orientation, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can also be a way of rejecting the perceived norms of the LGBT community (racism, sizeism, ableism etc). Although some LGBT people view the word as a slur, it was reclaimed in the late 80s by the queer community who have embraced it.

6. I

Stands for Intersex

A term used to describe a person who may have the biological attributes of both sexes or whose biological attributes do not fit with societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female.

Intersex people may identify as male, female or non-binary.

7. A

Stands for Asexual

Ace is an umbrella term used to describe a variation in levels of romantic and/or sexual attraction, including a lack of attraction.
Ace people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, asexual, aromantic, demis and grey-As.

8. Dont forget the +

This stands for all other members our the family. We love you.

Source: Stonewall.org.uk