A - Z of the LGBTQ+ vocabulary pt. 2

 A-Z of the LGBTQ+ vocabulary pt. 2

Hi there everyone.  I was meant to do the second part of this post a while ago but as you know personal life does get in the way unfortunately.  I had to put my caring responsibilities and my health to the fore-front recently.  So enough about me, but here we go with part 2 of this post.

 

H

Heteronormative/Heteronormativity

These words are used to describe the notion that that heterosexuality is the preferred or normal mode of sexual orientation. It assumes the gender binary (i.e., that there are only two distinct, opposite genders) and that sexual and marital relations are most fitting between people of opposite sex.

 

Heterosexual or Straight

Heterosexual Flag

The term Heterosexual/Straight describes a man or woman whose sexual orientation or romantic attraction towards the opposite gender (Male and Female coupling).

 

Homosexual 

The word homosexual can be seen as a more medical term to describe those individuals in society who are romantically or sexually attracted towards someone of the same gender. Gay is now more widely used.

Homophobia

Homophobia is a term that encompasses a range of negative attitudes, thoughts, fear and action towards Gay, Lesbian or Bisexuxal people, which can stem from religious beliefs.  Homophobic bullying can also be aimed at those individuals who are also percieved to identify as Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual due to being different to others around them.

 

I

Intersex

Intersex Flag

 

The term Intersex is used to refer those individuals in society who may have both biological charactheristics of both sexes. The term is also used to refer to those who biological charactheristics that do not fit the norm of societial ideas of what is a male or female individual.  

L

Lesbian 

Lesbian Flag

The term Lesbian is used to refer to a woman who has a romatic or sexual attraction towards other women.  Some individuals who identify as non-binary can also identify as Lesbian.

 

Lesbophobia

Lesbophobia is the term used to describe the negative attitudes, thoughts, fear and action towards those percvieved to identify as a Lesbian.  

 

LGBTQ+ 

LGBTQ+ is the umbrella acronym used for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Questionning, Queer and Ace.

LGBTQIA+

LGBTQIA+ is used as an inclusive term that encompasses people of all genders and sexualities  such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and allies.  Whilst each letter in the LGBTQIA+ acronym identifies a specific group of people, the acronym embodies the entire spectrum of gender fluidity and sexual identities.

 

N

Non-Binary

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Non-Binary is an umbrella term that emcompasses people whose gender identity does not sit with the societal norm of male or female.  Those who identify as non-binary cna include those individuals who recognise with some aspects of binary identities, whilst many disregard the binary identities completly.  It is also known that non-binary identities can be varied.

 

O

Orientation

The word orientation is a used to describe a person's attraction towards other people.  This could be a romantic attraction or a sexual attraction and is based on a person's identity based on their attraction or lack of.

 

Outed

Outed is a word used to described when an individual's gender identity or sexual orientation is told to others without that person's consent.  

 

P

Pan/Pansexual

Pansexual Flag

Pan or Pansexual is the term used to refer to someone whose seuxal or romantic attraction to other individuals is not just based on a person's gender or sex.  

 

Passing

Passing is the word used to describe someone at a glance who is to be believed a cisgender man or woman.  For definition of Cisgender please see part 1 of this series. 

Platonic Partnerships

Those individual's who is on the aro spectrum or identify as Ace could have platonic relationships that emcompasses a high level of commitment that can include shared life decisions such as co-parenting children or living arrangements.  These partnerships could also include more than 2 people.Like allosexual and alloromantic people, ace and aro spectrum people may be monogamous or polyamorous. 

 

Pronoun

A pronoun is the term used to describe a person's gender identity through conversation.  These pronouns could include he, him, she or her.  There are some people who prefer their pronouns to be more gender netural and these include ze and zir, they and their.

 

Q

Queer

Queer Flag

The term Queer is used by those individuals who want to reject the specific labels in relation to sexual orientation or romantic attraction.  Queer can also be used as a slur by those who may have discrimatory notions towards those they percieve to be LGBTQ+.  The word Queer was reclaimed in the 1980's by the queer community, but their are still those who do identify as LGBTQ+ find the word to be triggering for them.

 

Questioning

Questioning Flag

Questioning is the term used for those who are in the process of exploring their own gender identity or sexual/romantic orientation.

So this ends Part 2 of my LGBTQ+ vocab post.  Part 3 will becoming shortly.  If you think I have missed anything out so far, then please get in touch as even though I identify as a gay man, I recently realised that I also identify as a Demisexual person too.  So doing these posts have been an exploration for my own identity.

Hope you enjoy.

Bondy out!