On our profile, the acronym LGBTQIAP+ stands for:
■ L: Lesbian.
■ G: Gay.
■ B: Bisexual.
■ T: Transgender.
■ Q: Queer/Questioning.
■ I: Intersex.
■ A: Asexual/Aromantic.
■ P: Pansexual.
■ +: Everything else under our huge umbrella!
Most people are aware of what the first 4 letters in LGBTQ+ stand for, but the Q and a lot of the other identifications and orientations are often not that well known/understood.
This chapter looks at definitions associated with the sexuality spectrum, romantic preferences, gender identities, and expression (including cross-dressing), Two-Spirited individuals, and individuals who are intersex.
We have created an alphabetical overview of some of the more known and commonly used terms. However, do note that this is not an exhaustive or finite list and just because we didn't list them here does not exclude them from LGBTQIAP+.
When it comes to attraction, there are basically 3 types: sexual, romantic, and aesthetic.
A lot of the terms below will talk about sexual orientations, e.g. homosexual. However, the same prefixes apply to pure romantic orientations, e.g. homoromantic.
~
Agender, Gender Neutral, and Gender Neutrois
Terms used to describe those who do not identify with the mainstream gender binary, assign themselves no gender, or who may wish to alter their physical selves to match. There is often an accompanying individual preference for gender-neutral pronouns (like they/their) and honorifics (like Mx).
Androsexual
A term used by people who are sexually attracted to males and/or masculinity. This term is often used by people who do not identify themselves as male or female and are thus not comfortable with terms like gay, lesbian, bi-, hetero-, or homosexual.
Aromantic
Aromantic is a term identifying individuals who feel little to no romantic attraction towards, or little to no desire in engaging in romantic relationships with other people. People who identify as Aromantic often refer to themselves as "Aro".
Asexual
Asexual is a term identifying individuals who feel little to no sexual attraction towards, or little to no desire in engaging in, sexual behaviors with other people. They may still develop relationships based on emotional or aesthetic attraction. Asexuals may further identify as heteroromantic, homoromantic, biromantic, panromantic, aromantic, etc.. People who identify as Asexual often refer to themselves as "Ace". Individuals who do not feel like they are "fully" asexual may identify as Grey-Asexual (or Grey-A).
Bigender, Pangender
Bigender is a term used by individuals whose gender presentation possesses qualities of two genders, either together or separately. Further to this is pangender, whereby a person expresses all binary and non-binary genders, sometimes simultaneously.
Bisexual
A term used to describe individuals who are physically and romantically attracted to both mainstream genders, i.e., male and female. Their attraction may or may not be equally split between the two, or may fluctuate throughout their lives.
Cisgender
A term to describe an individual who is comfortable and identifies as their assigned biological gender.
Cross-Dressing
Cross-dressing (the act of wearing garments generally assigned to the opposite gender) may be cultural, ritualistic, theatrical, or practiced for personal reasons. Cross-dressing is not exclusively associated with a particular gender identity or sexuality.
Demisexual, Demiromantic
Demisexual is a term used to describe individuals whose likelihood of developing sexual feelings towards another person materializes once a romantic or emotional connection has been established. Demiromantic refers to those who develop a romantic attraction only after an emotional connection has been established.
Gender Fluid
The term used by an individual whose gender expression is not static and is often unrestricted by gender expectations. (Note that gender identity and gender expression are separate concepts.)
Gender Queer
The umbrella term for individuals who do not identify as the mainstream interpretation of male or female.
Gynosexual/Gynesexual
A term used by people who are sexually attracted to women and/or femininity. This term is often used by people who do not identify themselves as male or female and are thus not comfortable with terms like gay, lesbian, bi-, hetero-, or homosexual.
Heterosexual Ally
Heterosexual (presumably also cisgendered) advocates, supporters, and friends of the LGBTQIAP+ community.
Homosexual, Lesbian
Term to describe individuals who are sexually attracted to those of the same sex or gender. Gay and lesbian are the gender-associated articles for men and women respectively, though the former may also refer to homosexual women.
Intersex
The umbrella term for individuals whose assigned birth sex (male or female), anatomical sex (reproductive organs and secondary sex characteristics), and/or chromosomal sex (genetics) may not align for various biological reasons (e.g. 5-ARD, AIS, Swyer syndrome, XX-male syndrome).
Pansexual
The term used by individuals who are sexually attracted to another person regardless of their sex, gender identity, or gender expression.
Polyamorous
A broad term used to describe a person who is capable of and desires to engage in relationships with multiple partners. Consent is very important in poly relationships as all partners should be aware and agree. If there is no consent of all partners involved it is still considered cheating. Polyamory should not be confused with polygamy, which refers to marrying multiple spouses.
Queer
A term some individuals who identify as anything other than heterosexual and/or cisgender use to identify themselves. Some caution is advised before assuming an LGBTQ+ person accepts the use of this word as in the past it was used as a slur. While some people have embraced the word to rid it of the past negative connotations, some people still consider it a negative term and are not comfortable using it.
Questioning/Curious
Refers to an individual who is unsure of or experimenting with their gender expression(s) or sexuality. Some may experience this multiple times throughout their lives.
Skoliosexual
A term for someone who is solely sexually attracted to an individual of the broader trans* spectrum.
Stealth
Refers to a trans* individual who is not yet out to their family and peers, and is therefore considered cisgendered to the casual observer. This may be because of circumstances within or outside of their own choices.
Third Gender
Interpreted differently according to culture, third gendered (or, in some practices, fourth or more gendered) individuals identify with neither male nor female, often presenting an individual interpretation of their gender, or ones not predominantly used in Western culture.
Transgender
A broad term used for individuals whose assigned gender and gender identity do not align. Transgendered folk often alter aspects of their gender presentation (such as name, clothes, and pronouns) to match. The sexual and romantic preferences of transgendered individuals follow the same pattern as if their expressed gender were their assigned gender. I.e., a trans-female sexually attracted to men may identify as heterosexual; a trans-male who is attracted to men therefore may identify as homosexual; and so forth.
Transexual
Often considered an extension of transgenderism, whereby an individual alters their physical characteristics, called transition (often through the use of hormones and/or surgery) to present as their preferred sex. Transman/male refers to an individual whose end result is to fully present as male, and transwoman/female for those whose end result is to fully present as female. Some people will use MtF (male to female) or FtM (female to male) to express themselves.
Two-Spirit
A spiritual custom of some indigenous tribes in North America that differs from and predates the Western categorizations of the LGBTQ+ community. This sacred role is less so defined by a person's sexuality or gender identity and is considered more a continuum of both, residing within one person.