Each part of the lgbtq

Struggling to understand the LGBTQIA+ meaning of the acronym? You’re not alone. 

For many people who are new to the LGBTQIA+ community, this acronym can sound confusing or overwhelming. 

If you are novel, welcome! We’re so glad you’re here with us today. 

And if you aren’t new to the community, but are curious to study more about how the community has changed over the years, we’re delighted you’ve joined us today, too. 

The way the LGBTQIA+ people interacts – both with each other and with the world around us – is constantly changing. We aspire to include everyone and to construct everyone feel seen and understood. 

What Does LGBTQIA+ Mean?

For many years, the umbrella term “gay” was used to depict the community. 

Now, many people worry about how to enter out, but coming out before the 1970s wasn’t even an option, as many states illegalized what they called “homosexuality” or “sodomy.” There was also no acronym at all, restricting the inclusivity of our community.

Once an acronym appeared, all versions of it began with “L” – for an vital reason. 

In the first days of the gay rights movement, the lesbian society often felt dismissed or

LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary

GLOSSARY

The terms and definitions below are always evolving, modifying and often indicate different things to different people. They are provided below as a starting point for discussion and understanding. This Glossary has been collectively built and created by the staff members of the LGBTQIA Resource Center since the early 2000s.

These are not universal definitions. This glossary is provided to aid give others a more thorough but not entirely comprehensive understanding of the significance of these terms. You may even consider asking someone what they mean when they use a designation, especially when they use it to describe their persona. Ultimately it is most important that each individual explain themselves for themselves and therefore also define a phrase for themselves.

 

“If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive.” -Audre Lorde

This glossary contains terms, such as ableism and disability, that may not be considered directly related to identities of sexuality or gender. These terms are vital to acknowledge as part of our mission to question all forms of oppress

People are often confused by the terms lesbian, lgbtq+, bisexual, transgender, queer and the related acronym LGBTQIA+.  The following definitions will help you to grasp these terms.

LGBTQIA+: The first four letters of this standard abbreviation are “Lesbian, lgbtq+, bisexual and transgender.” The letter Q can remain for “questioning” -- as in still exploring one’s sexuality -- or “queer,” or sometimes both. The I,A and + were added on later to stand for Intersex, Ally or Asexual, and the PLUS sign for everyone else that wasn't included in the first letters.

Lesbian: A woman whose enduring physical, romantic and/or emotional attraction is to some other women. Some lesbians may prefer to identify as gay (adj.) or as gay women. Avoid naming lesbians as “homosexuals,” a derogatory term (see Disgusting Terms to Avoid).

Gay: The adjective used to describe people whose enduring physical, lovey-dovey and/or emotional attractions are to people of the same sex (e.g., gay man, gay people). In contemporary contexts, lesbian (n. or adj.) is often a preferred term for women. Avoid each part of the lgbtq

List of LGBTQ+ terms

A-D

A

Abro (sexual and romantic)

A word used to portray people who have a fluid sexual and/or passionate orientation which changes over time, or the course of their life. They may use different terms to describe themselves over time.

Ace

An umbrella term used specifically to describe a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of sexual attraction. This encompasses asexual people as well as those who identify as demisexual and grey-sexual. Ace people who experience idealistic attraction or occasional sexual attraction might also apply terms such as same-sex attracted, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their sentimental or sexual attraction.

Ace and aro/ace and aro spectrum

Umbrella terms used to portray the wide group of people who experience a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of lovey-dovey and/or sexual attraction, including a lack of attraction. People who identify under these umbrella terms may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, asexual, ace, aromantic, aro, demi, grey, and abro. People may also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, vertical

LGBTQ+ Pride Flags

In the LGBTQ+ community, we signify our pride with flags. With many distinct identities in the society, there comes many unlike flags to know. We have collected all of the flags and a guide to learn about all of the unlike colors of our community’s rainbow. We know that this may not be all of the flags that represent our society, but we will update the page as brand-new flags become popular!

Explore the flag collection below! Spot a flag's name by hovering or clicking on the flag.

Umbrella Flags

  • Gilbert Baker Pride Flag

  • Traditional Pride Flag

  • Philadelphia Pride Flag

  • Progress Pride Flag

  • Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag

  • Queer Pride Flag

The original Pride Flag was created in 1978 after activist Harvey Milk asked artist Gilbert Baker to design a symbol of gay pride. Each color represents a alternative part of the Queer community: hot pink represents sex, red symbolizes existence, orange stands for healing, yellow equals sunlight, grassy stands for nature, turquoise symbolizes magic and art, indigo represents serenity, while violet symbolizes the soul of LGBTQ+ people.

After the assass