June is Pride Month. LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive term which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual.

While each letter in LGBTQIA+ stands for a specific group of people, the term encompasses the entire spectrum of gender fluidity and sexual identities.

A Glossary of LGBTQIA+ Terms You Need to Know

June is Pride Month.

LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive term which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual.

While each letter in LGBTQIA+ stands for a specific group of people, the term encompasses the entire spectrum of gender fluidity and sexual identities.

1. Agender [ay-jen-der]

adjective (agender people)

A word that can describe a person who does not identify as any gender. Agender is not synonymous with genderqueer, genderfluid, or nonbinary.

 

2. Ally [al-eye]

noun (allies)

A straight and/or cisgender person who supports and advocates for LGBTQ people.

3. Asexual [ey-sek-shoo-uh l]

adjective (asexual people)

An adjective used to describe people who do not experience sexual attraction (e.g., asexual person).

 

4. Bicurious [bai-kyoo r-ee-uh s]

adjective (bicurious people)

Similar to “questioning,” bicurious people are exploring whether or not they’re attracted to people of the same gender as well as people of different genders.

5. Coming Out [kuhm-ing-out]

verb

A lifelong process of self-acceptance. People forge their LGBTQ identity first to themselves, and then they may reveal it to others. Publicly sharing one’s identity may or may not be part of coming out.

 

6. Genderfluid [jen-der floo-id]

adjective (genderfluid people)

One who identifies as genderfluid doesn’t have a fixed gender identity—meaning, they may identify as male, female, or nonbinary on a shifting basis.

7. Out [out]

adverb

Refers to a person who self-identifies as LGBTQ in their personal, public, and/or professional lives. The term is preferred to “openly gay.”

 

8. Queer [kweer]

adjective (queer people)

An adjective used by some people, particularly younger people, whose sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual (e.g. queer person, queer woman)

9. Sex / Sex Assigned at Birth

noun (sexes)

The classification of a person as male or female. At birth, infants are assigned a sex, usually based on the appearance of their external anatomy.

 

10. Transition [tran-zish-uh n]

noun (transitions)

Altering one’s birth sex is not a one-step procedure; it is a complex process that occurs over a long period of time.

 

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References:

1. Borge, J. S. V. A. G. (2021, June 11). A Glossary of LGBTQ Terms You Need to Know in 2021. Oprah Daily. https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/relationships-love/g27629860/glossary-of-lgbtq-terms/?slide=34
2. Glossary of Terms. (2022). Human Rights Campaign. https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms
3. What Does LGBTQIA+ Stand For? Full Abbreviation And Other Terms Explained. (2022). Your Dictionary. https://abbreviations.yourdictionary.com/what-does-lgbtqia-stand-for-full-acronym-explained.html

About Dr. Martha Tara Lee