The Teen's Guide to Being LGBT+

Introduction

So, you're not exactly straight, or not exactly cis, and you need some help with it. Or, perhaps, you're straight and cis, and just need some more information to get yourself through the ever-changing world of self-expression and acceptance. Whatever it is, I would like to teach you more about everything LGBTQ+. First off, some introductions to the different sexual, romantic, and gender identities. 

There is a difference between sexual, romantic, and gender identity. Let me repeat. There is a difference between sexual, romantic, and gender identity. For example, somebody can feel romantic attraction to any gender but feel sexual attraction to none. So, with this being said, I'll step off of my soap box and start actually talking about different identities.

Homosexual/Romantic: This means you're attracted to the same gender as yourself. So people who identify as male are attracted to males, females attracted to females, and so on. 

Bisexual/Romantic: You're attracted to two genders. Usually the binary genders, though it's sometimes different. Simple.

Pansexual/Romantic: You're attracted to all genders, doesn't matter if they're male, female, demi, genderqueer, you just like people!

Polysexual/Romantic: You like more than two genders, but not all. For example, someone might date females, nonbinary people, and demigirls, but they may not like cis men.

Asexual/Romantic: You don't feel sexual and/or romantic attraction to others. No, you aren't waiting for the right person, and no, you aren't a plant. Case closed.

Demisexual/Romantic: They don't date or hook up with people they don't know. It's also rather simple.

Polyamorous: You have more than one partner. This can mean that two people are dating you, that you are in a relationship in which two or more people are in love, or anything of that sort. It isn't polyamory if they don't know.

I likely forgot a few, if I did, tell me. Moving on to Gender! 

Transgender: An umbrella term for anybody who doesn't identify as cisgender.

Transsexual: A less-used term, but it means somebody who identifies with the opposite binary gender they were born as. As a trans person, I don't use this term, but feel free to!

Genderfluid: Someone whose gender identity varies. They typically slide around on the slippery slide of the gender binary, and the spectrum between it.

Bigender: Someone who identifies with two genders, wether it be male & Female, or something different.

Agender: Someone who doesn't identify with any gender.

Nonbinary: This is a large category of people who don't feel like they identify with any binary genders, (Male & Female) but still feel like they are a certain gender.

Demigender: Someone who identifies mostly with one gender, but still doesn't identify completely with that gender.

Cis: Someone who identifies with the gender that they were assigned at birth.

Now, if I left anything out, just send me an angry PM. I'll be angry at myself, too.