What is Love? A Brief Introduction to Common Queer Identities

(Photo by Annette Dawm)

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching and the censoring of significant information regarding the existence and identities of marginalized groups in the United States creating a sense of concern and unease, this feels like a good opportunity to review some of the more general terminology related to the queer community and beyond to remind people of relationships that exist outside of the cisheteronormative sphere of mainstream influence.

What is LGBTQIA+?

The acronym often used in discussions concerning non-cis, non-heterosexual folks is LGBTQIA+. The following is an incredibly brief introduction to each term, but please bear in mind that the use of these labels is flexible and carries nuance depending on the individual that identifies with it. You can find additional definitions and explanations on Planned Parenthood’s website, the LGBTQIA Resource Center’s glossary, or by searching for articles, blogs, and books written by queer folks detailing their experiences first-hand, such as Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home or Alok Vaid-Menon’s Beyond the Gender Binary.

Lesbian

Lesbian is a term used to describe a woman or feminine person who is primarily attracted to other women or feminine people.

Gay

Gay is a term used to describe a man or masculine person who is primarily attracted to men or masculine people. This is often also used as an umbrella term to refer to the greater non-heterosexual community, but it’s important to recognize that it is a nuanced term and some individuals may not feel comfortable with identifying as such.

Bisexual

Bisexual is a term used to describe someone who is attracted to both men and women, two different genders, or any gender. Sometimes folks will use bisexual or pansexual interchangeably, and like any label, it’s use is dependent on the individual.

Transgender

Transgender is a term used to describe someone who identifies with a gender different from the one they were assigned at birth. This can refer to someone with a desire to transition in order to present themself in a way that feels more reflective of their identity, such as a transwoman who might undergo facial feminization surgery, or a nonbinary person that has no desire to change their physical characteristics but does not want to be associated with either or any gender. Someone may also identify as nonbinary without identifying as transgender.

Queer/Questioning

Queer is a broad umbrella term often used to describe someone who does not meet the expectations of the cisheteronormative social framework. This term is also often used to refer to the queer community as a whole, though some individuals may not identify with it. The “Q” has also been used to refer to “questioning” members of the community who are still exploring various aspects of their identity.

Intersex

Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe “bodies that fall outside the strict male/female binary”. There are many ways this can manifest, but it’s important to recognize that not all intersex people identify as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and the existence of intersex bodies is “a naturally occurring variation in humans, and it isn’t a medical problem”.

Asexual

Asexual is a term used to describe someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction to others regardless of gender. Like allosexuality, asexuality is a spectrum with nuances and variations of experiences for each individual that identifies with it.

Plus

The plus is intended to encapsulate marginalized labels that are not covered by the previous letters, including culturally specific identities such as the contemporary pan-Indian umbrella term Two Spirit and the infinite spectrum of gender identities that fall outside of the binary often associated with being “cis” or “trans”.

However, there are other acronyms that are used as well, including 2SLGBTQI+ (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and plus) and GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender), and a variety of related acronyms, such as MOGAI (marginalized orientations, gender alignments or identities, and intersex) and SAGA (sexuality and gender acceptance/awareness/alliance/association).

Beyond Labels

While the previously defined sexual orientation and gender identities are often at the forefront of these conversations, they are not by any means where the conversation should stop. Beyond the more commonly referenced and understood labels are nonmonogamous folks who engage in relationships that take a variety of forms outside of the socially constructed norm, such as solo-polyamory, relationship anarchy, and polyfidelity. There are people who prefer relationships that don’t fit in either romantic or platonic categories, and some have found solace in identifying as queerplatonic, or even aplatonic. The list of labels continues to grow as people explore and develop a greater understanding of the human experience and all of its nuances.

However, it’s vital to remember that the use of any label is only helpful to a certain extent. Using terms without understanding them, or using them to describe someone based on stereotypes or biased expectations robs the words of their beneficial use and can lead to them becoming more restrictive and harmful. This applies to language beyond the queer community as well.

Standing Together in Uncertain Times

While the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole is facing terrifying and uncertain times, we must acknowledge that folks with overlapping marginalized identities are the most at risk right now. As executive orders roll out targeting the transgender community, offer support and safety to Black transwomen who have been disproportionately impacted by targeted violence. Do what you can to create safe spaces for those facing threats to their existence from multiple directions, and use your privilege to protect the most vulnerable in our communities. We are stronger together.

Educate yourself on issues facing marginalized groups and how to help build community resilience further with ARCC’s blogs, articles, and podcast. Join the cause to create a safer existence for all of our siblings around the world by erasing ignorance around racism, spreading anti-racism, and developing the confidence to speak out and make meaningful change.

For Peace and Love,

Ash