Explained: As Pride month draws to a close, what do LGBTQ+ terms actually mean?
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As LGBTQ+ identities become more common as a result of destigmatisation, it can feel to some like a whole new language has sprung up.
In reality, it is more common that terms have been around for decades, even if they are not always in common usage or public consciousness.
Still, part of the battle for acceptance is understanding, so if you've ever wondered what some of the words or letters in LGBTQ+ actually mean, we've got you covered.
For the vast majority of these terms, different people may have different interpretations or prefer different labels, so if you know someone is part of the LGBTQ+ community but aren't sure how to refer to them, it is worth checking what they are comfortable with.
The LGBTQ+ acronym
As will probably be a common theme, the LGBTQ+ acronym itself is used differently by different people.
Some use LGBT+, some use LGBTQ+, some go as far as LGBTQIA+ – or even longer acronyms, although sometimes the extended versions draw criticism for trying to unify very different experiences into a single viewpoint.
Generally speaking, there is no single "right" or "wrong" one to use. Some people may prefer one or the other, and if that is the case that should be respected, but different people may even use the acronyms interchangeably.
Queer
Let's start with this one, the "Q" in LGBTQ+, as it is arguably the most varied and also the most controversial of these terms.
Someone who is queer could identify as anything outside of traditional sexual orientation (i.e. straight) or gender identity.
Sometimes it is used by people who know they are not straight, but are unsure which other label applies to them, or who do not feel comfortable with labels at all.
It can be used as an umbrella term, almost as a synonym of sorts for the LGBTQ+ acronym, but it is also a term that some within the community will take offence to.
For several generations, queer was the main insult levelled at them for being LGBTQ+, which has understandably led to some resistance to using the term today.
For others, it has been reclaimed – that is, it has become a term of empowerment, a sign that they will not be dictated to by people outside of their community.
Sexuality
Some of these are the most well-known of the LGBTQ+ identities, and have been most visible across a range of industries. Others remain more hidden, and as a result are often not understood so well.
Gay/Lesbian
Someone who is attracted to someone of the same gender would be seen as gay. It could apply to men or women, but some women prefer the term lesbian as it makes them more visible.
For both gay and lesbian, though, there are negative connotations too. After the reclamation of queer, gay became the most common insult that a lot of people heard – even in passing situations where phrases like "that's so gay" became shorthand for something bad.
Gay has largely replaced the out-dated term homosexual, which is seen to dehumanise members of the community by placing more significance on their sexuality than their humanity and remains more of an insult.
Bisexual/pansexual
These again are examples that could mean different things to different people.
For some, bisexuality can be defined as attraction to men and women, for others it is a broader term meaning attraction to people of the same gender and also people of different genders.
Pansexuality overlaps with the latter definition, being an attraction to all genders, or to people regardless of their gender identity – which leads some pansexual people to call themselves gender-blind.
Similarly, omnisexuality is an attraction to all genders, but where the gender in question plays a bigger role than it would for someone who identifies as pansexual.
There is a long history of bisexual erasure, as bi people who are in "straight" relationships could be assumed to be straight, and vice-versa as gay with same-sex relationships.
Asexual/Demisexual
Asexual, or ace, people have a lack of sexual attraction to others or a lack of interest in sexual activity.
It is a spectrum in its own right. Some asexual people still have sex, while others simply aren't interested.
Asexual people can still have and want relationships, while people who only occasional experience sexual attraction may call themselves grey-sexuals – as in the grey area between asexuality and other sexual identities.
Demisexual people develop sexual attraction over a period of time. At first, they could seem similar to asexual people in that they won't have an immediate attraction to others, but that can develop once emotional bonds are formed.
Aromantic
In a somewhat similar vein to asexuality, aromantic people experience a lack of romantic attraction to others.
This will most likely mean that while aromantic people are sexually attracted to others, they will have very little interest in getting into a relationship.
While most will have romantic and sexual attractions that are aligned with each other, that is not always the case. As such, aromanticism can be combined with other sexualities to determine a person's identity – they could be aromantic and bisexual, for example, or aromantic and asexual (also known as aro-ace).
Gender identity
Trans
Many people will have seen the word trans and have a fair idea of what it means, but they might not know it has multiple definitions.
Meaning to identify as a different gender than the one they were assigned to at birth, people will most likely be familiar with the term when applied to trans men or trans women.
It can also be used as an umbrella term, though, often seen to be incorporating the following labels.
Non-binary/genderqueer
Sometimes referred to as "enby" or "nb", someone who is non-binary feels their gender sits outside the categories of man and woman.
That can mean they don't fit traditional and stereotypical roles that have previously been expected of those genders.
The person will often use they/them pronouns instead of he or she as they feel it better reflects who they are.
Genderfluid/bigender/demigender
Whereas non-binary people do not feel they fit into either traditional gender category, broadly speaking these all apply to people who identify with more than one gender.
Bigender people typically identify as men and women, and can fluctuate between.
Demigender people tend to mostly identify with one gender, but also identify with another gender – if the main part of their identity is non-binary, then they could be described as genderflux.
Related reading: Pride flags explained
Genderfluid can function in a similar way to "queer" for gender, in that genderfluid people may identify that way because they do not want to commit to any single gender identity.
It can also mean they use markers from multiple genders at the same time, or that their gender is changeable throughout their lifetime.
Intersex
Again, there are various different realities of being intersex, but the general definition is someone who is born with sex characteristics that do not fit typical definitions of male or female bodies.
This can affect genitals, gonads or chromosomal patterns, and intersex people can be subject to medical interventions to make them appear more typical.
These can be controversial as there is a history of medical interventions on infants, which brings consent into question and can lead to health issues later in life.
Intersex people will be assigned either male or female at birth by doctors, which again can lead to mental health issues later in life if the person's true gender identity does not match that assignment.
