Most people are familiar with the abbreviation LGBT and what it means. But when the abbreviation LGBTQIA is used, it seems like an alphabet soup jumble to most people and they don’t understand what each of the initials in the acronym means.
What is LGBTQIA and what does it mean?
Each letter of the LGBTQIA abbreviation is the first initial of words related to gender and sexual preferences and identity. Specifically LGBTQIA means:
L – Lesbian
G – Gay
B – Bisexual
T – Transgender
Q – Queer or Questioning your own sexual or gender identity
I – Intersexual (people with anatomy that doesn’t conform to conventional definitions of “female” or “male”)
A – Asexual (persons who are not sexually attracted to any gender) or Aromantic (persons who are not romantically attracted to any gender) or Agender (persons who don’t identify with a particular gender
LBGTQIA + More?
You may also see a “+” sign after LGBTQIA and not know what that means. The “+” sign is intended to embody the entire spectrum of gender fluidity and sexual identities. So the “+” also includes:
🌈Demisexual – Persons who don’t experience a sexual attraction without an emotional bond attraction
🌈Gender Fluid – persons who don’t have a static gender identity, but rather consider gender to be a form of self-expression that can change
🌈Graysexual – persons in a “gray area” between Asexual and Sexual
🌈Non-binary or Gender Queer – persons who don’t identify with binary gender identities (similar to Agender)
🌈Pansexual or Omnisexual – persons who are attracted to any gender identity and sexual preference
🌈Polyamorous – persons who are open to engaging in multiple consensual romantic or sexual relationships at the same time
🌈Sapiosexual – persons who are attracted to intelligence and without regard to the gender identity or sexual preference of others
🌈Supporters – Heterosexuals who don’t identify with the LGBTQIA+ community, but support gender equality for all
🌈Two-spirit – persons who identify with having both a masculine and a feminine spirit, which is considered to be a third gender by Native Americans. (Two-spirit is the “25” reference in the acronym LGBTQIA2S+)
LGBTQIA+ Almost Everybody
So in essence, LGBTQIA+ encompasses all people except those who are opposed to the concept of LGBTQIA+ and are opposed to the people who identify with and support the LGBTQIA+ community.
The terms LGBT, LGBTQIA and LGBTQIA+ are used to define a community which might otherwise feel disenfranchised, ostracized, rejected, or persecuted because of their gender and sexual preferences and identity, which traditional society deems to be “unconventional.”
Other LBGTQIA+ Identifiers
Besides the abbreviations and acronyms, the LGBT, LBGTQIA, and LGBTQIA+ community often identifies itself with distinct color combination displayed in a rainbow pattern. To see if you can identify which rainbow symbolizes which sect of the LGBTQIA+ community, click here >>