As the world is waking up to realizing the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, it is the perfect time to get to know some of the most common terminologies revolving around the community. Moreover, it’s the month of June which is celebrated as the Pride Month every year to mark and honor the 1969 Stonewall riots and spread awareness about the importance of equal justice and equal opportunity for LGBTQIA+ community.
Pride Month is celebrated in various exciting ways like conducting and attending Pride parades, concerts, games, picnics, workshops, etc. Memorials too are conducted to remember the struggles of the LBTQIA+ community.
The Pride Month is not just celebrated by the community people, but by all the people of the world globally. Now that we are restricted from stepping out due to the pandemic, let’s extend our support and love to the community, and get to know some important terms about the LGBTQIA+
So what encompasses the LGBTQIA+?
L-Lesbian:
Women who is sexually attracted to another woman.
G-Gay:
Person, usually a man, who is attracted to another person of the same sex.
B-Bisexual:
A person who is sexually attracted to both men and women
T- Transgender:
A person who identifies himself/herself differently from the sex assigned to him/her at the time of birth. A transwoman is a woman who was assigned male at the time of birth. A Transman is a man who was assigned female at the time of birth.
Queer:
A term that includes but not restricted to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Asexual people. It is an umbrella term for the whole of the community.
I-Intersex:
People born with reproductive anatomy that do not exactly fit the male or female body type.
A-Asexual:
A person who does not experience the feeling of physical, romantic, and sexual attraction for anyone.
Some other important terms to know are:
Ally:
A straight person who supports, respects and advocates the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. You must too, be an ally. Its the best you can do!
Bi-curious:
People who are still trying to explore and experiment with their sexuality and sexual orientation.
Cisgender:
People who identify themselves with the sex assigned to them at the time of birth. Your sexual orientation however can be different. Example: If you were assigned female at birth and identify as a woman, then you are a ciswoman. However, you can be attracted to the same sex.
Coming out:
An act, or more accurately a courageous decision to reveal your sexual orientation to your family, friends, and social circle.
Non-binary or Genderqueer:
People who identify themselves outside the binary gender of man and woman. They conduct themselves somewhere between these two genders and thus are gender fluid.
Graysexual:
People who experience sexual attraction very rarely and limitedly. Sometime graysexual people may not feel sexually and romantically attracted to anyone.
Pansexual:
People who are romantically and sexually attracted to people regardless of their gender.
Heterosexuality:
People who are sexually attracted solely to the opposite sex
Homophobia:
A negative feeling of dislike and hate towards the LGBTQIA+ persons.
Homosexual:
People who are attracted to the people of the same sex
Ze / Hir – Gender-neutral pronouns that gender-variant persons prefer using. Pronounced /zee/ and /here/ they replace “he”/”she” and “his”/”hers” respectively. Some other gender-neutral pronouns include They/Them/Their.
On this Pride Month, share this LGBTQIA+ glossary with your friends and educate them as well. Let us know more such terms that you know, in the comments below
