Lgbt orientation
LGBTI+ sexual identity and orientation
Sexual identity and sexual orientation are part of what makes you who you are. Sexual orientation is your sexual preference for people of the same sex, the opposite sex, or both.
Sexual identity is the label that you might apply to let others know who you are as a sexual being.
LGBTI+ stands for lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender and intersex.
Coming out
"Coming out" is the legal title used by LGBTI+ people to explain their experience of discovery, self-acceptance, openness and honesty about their LGBTI+ identity.
Whoever you are, or whatever your circumstances, coming out can be a challenging time. You may be afraid that family and friends might reject you when they detect out you are LGBTI+. This can put a strain on your mental health.
Most people comprehend they are LGBTI+ for some period before they opt to tell others. This can be a challenging trial, but a rewarding one.
Most people procure a positive and supportive response from family and friends and feel glad that they made the decision to come out.
Bullying or harassment
LGBT
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 spotting lesbians as “homosexuals,” a derogatory term (see Insulting Terms to Avoid).
Gay: The adjective used to describe people whose enduring physical, idealistic and/or emotional attractions are to people of the same sex (e.g., gay man, gay people). I
What Does LGBT Mean: Grasp the Basics
What does sexual orientation mean?
Sexual orientation describes the feelings of sexual attraction, emotion, or romance that a person feels towards others. Our understanding of sexuality has developed over time, becoming more inclusive and reflecting the fluidity of sexual orientation beyond the binary of heterosexual/homosexual. A person’s sexual orientation is not a aware choice and therefore cannot be voluntarily modified, a person can only choose how they convey their sexuality. Sexual orientation differs from a person’s gender individuality, which is a person’s feeling of their own gender.
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Although these ideas are only now entering the mainstream, researchers have acknowledged the flexible nature of sexuality for several decades. In Drs. Alfred Kinsey, Wardell Pomeroy, and Clyde Martin published a Heterosexual/Homosexual Rating Scale in Sexual Behaviour in the Human Male. The scale, frequently referred to as “The Kinsey Scale”, was numbered from , w
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Definitions
Sexual orientation
An inherent or immutable enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people. Note: an individual’s sexual orientation is independent of their gender identity.
Gender identity
One's innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One's gender identity can be the same or distinct from their sex assigned at birth.
Gender expression
External appearance of one's gender individuality, usually expressed through deed, clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically linked with being either masculine or feminine.
Transgender
An umbrella designation for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Therefore, gender nonconforming people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, double attraction,