What's in the Q+?
You may be familiar with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) portion of the LGBTQ+ acronym which is an umbrella term used to succinctly identify the larger rainbow family.
On our site, in the interest of brevity and inclusivity, we use Q+. You may be wondering what’s in the “Q+” or what is meant by the letters used in variations of the acronym; such as, LGBTQQ2SIAAPD. You can find some definitions of terms below to help you better understand what the separate letters mean.
As always, self-education is a great teacher and there are many great resources available on the internet. Please note that the various identifiers are used as self-identifiers, and should not be assigned/assumed upon anyone. It is also generally considered impolite to ask someone you do not know well how they identify unless you are participating in an exercise where everyone has agreed it is a topic of discussion.
Lesbian
A woman who is sexually and/or emotionally attracted to other women
Gay
A man who is sexually and/or emotionally attracted to other men
Bisexual
A person who is sexually and/or emotionally attracted to more than one gender
Transgender
A person who expresses or identifies with a gender which is different than the one assigned at birth
Queer
An umbrella term referring to anyone who is not straight and not cisgender. Cisgender people are people whose gender identity and expression matches the gender they were assigned at birth. Historically the term queer was used as a slur against LGBTQ+ people, but in recent years it has been reclaimed by some – although not universally.
Questioning
A person who is questioning their sexual orientation and/or their gender identity
Two Spirit (2S)
An indigenous person who identifies as a third-gender/other gender ceremonial and social role
Intersex
A person who naturally has biological traits which do not match what is typically assigned as male or female
Asexual
A person who does not experience or experiences a low level of sexual desire
Ally
A person who identifies as cisgender/straight and believes in social and legal equality for LGBTQ+ people
Pansexual
A person who is sexually, romantically, and/or emotionally attracted to people regardless of their sex or gender identity
Demisexual
A person who can only experience sexual attraction after an emotional bond has been formed
