Defining Gender And Sexual Orientation Labels: A Personal Journey
There are so many possible labels and ways to identify oneself within the LGBT2QS* community.
As a quick example, the acronym is getting longer and longer. At one point, it was only LGBT that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. Society has come a long way since then. The number of labels to identify yourself can be overwhelming. There are just so many and it is something that tends to be fluid, always changing and expanding.
This article is a bit personal on my part. I went through my early life not really sure of who I was. There were always questions I asked but the questions and the few answers I found did not make sense together. A decade ago, I had no idea that there were so many labels. My personal knowledge only knew that there was gay, lesbian, and straight. I had no idea that anything else existed. It was not until I reached the second university year that I knew more than that.
In using the student services student counseling services at my university, I was able to educate myself on the labels on gender and sexual identity. I have been able to label and accept my own identity and orientation. I feel that a North American Indigenous term fits me the best.
Two-Spirit embodies the spirit of both genders with a biologically female body. In western terminology, it gets a bit more complicated.
I am a Two-Spirit. Using those terms, I am Queer, non-binary, asexual, and lesbian. Definitely more complicated.
The acronym LGBT2QS* is getting rather long and expansive from the original LGBT acronym. These extra letters were designed to help be more inclusive but it wasn't self-explanatory and didn't really teach about what each letter meant.
The terms of the acronym LGBT2QS* are defined as;
LG; stands for Lesbian and Gay. Lesbian typically refers to women's attraction to women. Gay usually refers to men's attraction to men, though sometimes it is used as an umbrella term for anyone attracted to their own gender.
B; stands for Bisexual which is defined as someone who is attracted to people of their gender or other gender identities. It is not a way station from straight to gay, as it had once been described. It is also used as another umbrella term to describe the rest of the acronym with the exception of transgender. However, the term bisexual is also seen as not inclusive enough for the rest of the LGBT community.
T; usually stands for transgender which is a wide-ranging term for people whose gender identity or gender expression differs from the biological sex they were assigned at birth.
Then the newer letters of the acronym add a lot more labels and definitions. Some of them are new and not many people know a lot about them. Even myself, who looks into these definitions on a regular basis. Several are used as umbrella terms which are less popular because they tend to feel less inclusive.
T; can also describe the term trans* which has been adopted by some groups as a more inclusive alternative to "transgender", where trans (without the asterisk) has been used to describe trans men and trans women, while trans* covers all non-cisgender (genderqueer) identities, including transgender, transsexual, transvestite, genderqueer, genderfluid, non-binary, genderfuck, genderless, agender, non-gendered, third gender, two-spirit, bigender, and trans man and a trans woman. The term transsexual commonly falls under the umbrella term transgender.
2; not only stands for the multiple trans terms but also for Two-Spirit, which is what I primarily identify as. It is defined as a modern, pan-Indian, umbrella term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe Native people in their communities who fulfill a traditional third-gender (or other gender-variant) ceremonial and social role in their cultures.
It implies that the individual is both male and female and that these aspects are intertwined within them. The term moves away from traditional Native American/First Nations cultural identities and meanings of sexuality and gender variance. It does not take into account the terms and meanings from individual nations and tribes
Q; stands for Queer. It is another umbrella term that is used for sexual and gender minorities who are not heterosexual or are not cisgender. Originally meaning "strange" or "peculiar". Originally used as an insult which included many in the LGBT community but to also describe people who were considered to be perverted. However, the term has been 'taken back' to use as a way to claim identity.
S; can stand for sexuality or straight. Both are umbrella terms,
Sexuality can be defined as a person's identity in relation to the gender or genders to which they are typically attracted; sexual orientation.
Straight is another word for heterosexual. It describes a person who is attracted to their opposite gender. It is a sexual identity and a gender identity where the person labeled this way follows the 'norm'.
*; the asterisk covers a lot of terms. It is an umbrella term part of the acronym and it can cover many many things.
Asexual; a term used for those that don’t feel sexual attraction to either sex or that don’t feel romantic attraction in a typical way.
Cisgender; a person whose gender identity and gender expression match the gender they were assigned at birth. This can describe a heterosexual person, but also a person who has a different sexual identity as well.
Androgynous; describes those with both male and female traits.
Pansexual/Omnisexual; a similar definition to bisexual, these two terms describe individuals with a desire for all genders and sexes with more of an attraction to attributes than genders or sexuality.
Demisexual; is a term that describes a person that requires an emotional bond to form a sexual attraction.
Aromantic; Aromantic describes a person who doesn’t experience emotional attraction (feelings like love, connection, etc.) to others.
Polyamorous; A term for those who are open to multiple consensual romantic or sexual relationships at one time.
Questioning; some may feel unsure about their sexual orientation and/or their gender identity. They may describe themselves as questioning. They may be questioning until they identify with a particular identity or continue to be questioning throughout their lives.
Ally; a term that is used for and by individuals that support and rally the cause of the LGBT2QS* even though they don’t identify within the community.
This is something I had to discover for myself but for a long time, I didn't know definitions or specifics. I hope that by giving you these definitions, you can find out what is the right word or words for yourself.
Finding out which term fits who you are, how you identify yourself can be a way to heal and accept who you are as I have found out. Everyone is different but that is okay. You are fine, just the way you are, labels or not. Just be yourself.
Opinions and Perspectives
This really highlights why representation and education are so important.
This kind of comprehensive explanation helps build understanding and acceptance.
Its encouraging to see how language has evolved to better describe diverse experiences.
The article does a good job of showing how personal identity can be complex and multifaceted.
Appreciate the acknowledgment that some Native terms dont translate perfectly to Western concepts.
The concept of fluidity in both sexuality and gender identity is really important to understand.
The article makes a good point about labels being tools for understanding rather than rigid boxes.
Anyone else notice how younger generations seem more comfortable with these various labels?
The part about emotional bonds being necessary for demisexuals is well explained.
Interesting how some terms like queer have been reclaimed by the community.
The explanation of gender expression versus gender identity is particularly clear.
Love how the article emphasizes that its okay to take time figuring things out.
The inclusion of straight allies under the asterisk seems to dilute the meaning somewhat.
This kind of article would have been so helpful when I was younger and questioning.
Great explanation of how some terms can be both specific and umbrella terms depending on context.
Im curious about how these terms are used in different parts of the world.
This would be really helpful for parents trying to understand their children's identities.
The part about polyamory being included really shows how comprehensive the community has become.
The article could have delved deeper into the intersectionality of these identities.
Its fascinating to see how language evolves to better describe human experience.
Reading this makes me realize how much more accepting society has become, even if we still have a long way to go.
The explanation of cisgender is helpful for people who might not be familiar with the term.
Would love to see more discussion about how these terms translate across different cultures.
The section about questioning being a valid identity itself is really important.
Makes me think about how much harder it must have been for people before we had all these words to describe different experiences.
The historical context for some of these terms really adds depth to understanding them.
I appreciate how the article acknowledges that some people might not want or need labels at all.
The personal narrative really helps make these complex concepts more accessible.
Never knew about the term genderfuck before reading this. Always learning something new!
The distinction between gender identity and sexual orientation is really well explained here.
Im glad the article addresses the complexity of the expanding acronym while explaining why its important.
The article's point about fluidity is spot on. Our understanding of ourselves can change over time.
Actually, I find learning new terms exciting. It shows our understanding of gender and sexuality is expanding.
Does anyone else feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with all the new terminology?
The explanation of Two-Spirit identity really helped me understand its cultural significance better.
Important point about how the asterisk in trans* was meant to be more inclusive, though not everyone uses it anymore.
This reminds me of my own coming out experience. Having these words to describe myself made such a difference.
The mention of aromantic identity separately from asexuality is important. People often conflate the two.
Anyone else notice how the definitions keep evolving? What we understood these terms to mean five years ago isn't necessarily the same today.
The article does a great job explaining how some terms serve as umbrella categories while others are more specific.
Interesting to see how the B in LGBT has evolved from being seen as a transition phase to being recognized as a valid identity.
I find it problematic that allies are included under the asterisk. Being supportive isn't the same as being part of the community.
The part about allies being included in the asterisk is new to me. Not sure how I feel about that.
Learning about all these terms in university counseling is such a common experience. Makes me wish this education happened earlier in schools.
The explanation of bisexuality versus pansexuality really helped clarify the distinction for me.
I love how the author emphasizes that its okay to be yourself with or without labels. Sometimes we get too caught up in finding the perfect term.
The article's personal touch makes it more relatable. We all go through our own journey of self-discovery.
Thank you for explaining demisexual so clearly. I've struggled to understand that term before.
The transformation of the word queer from a slur to a reclaimed identity term is fascinating. Language really does evolve with society.
I actually disagree about too many labels being confusing. Having specific terms helped me understand myself better when I was questioning.
Really appreciate seeing asexuality included in the discussion. We often get forgotten in these conversations.
The way the article breaks down each letter and symbol makes it much easier to understand. I had no idea the asterisk was so significant!
Interesting point about Two-Spirit identity. I appreciate how the article explains its cultural context and meaning within Indigenous communities.
While I appreciate inclusivity, I sometimes wonder if having so many labels might actually make things more confusing for people just starting to explore their identity.
The personal journey shared here really resonates with me. I also didn't know about many of these terms until college, and it was eye-opening to finally have words to describe how I felt.
Such a thoughtful article about the evolution of LGBTQ+ terminology. I remember when I first learned about the expanding acronym, it felt overwhelming but also validating to see so many identities represented.