— And what is the history of the acronym?

by Adam Bloodworth

If you’re wondering what the “plus” means in LGBTQ+, you’ve come to the right place.

LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and “plus” represents all other sexual identities including pansexual, asexual and omnisexual – amongst many others.

It’s the accepted and inclusive way to refer to the queer community, who can be grouped by one common theme: the fact they don’t identify as straight or cisgender, and the “plus” signifies that all other sexualities are also included, not just lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning.

It is, of course, good practice to become well-versed at understanding each of the subsects of sexuality and gender, so you can be prepared socially for people who identify as something other than lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

What does the “plus” in LGBTQ+ stand for?

The “plus” is the least obvious part of the LGBTQ+ initialism, and stands for those who aren’t questioning their sexuality, but identify as part of a group that might not be so well known or understood.

We’ve outlined the definitions of some of the “plus” terms below.

GLAAD, or the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, has explained why we needed to add the plus at the end of LGBTQ.

“Coverage of LGBTQ issues has moved beyond simplistic political dichotomies and toward more fully realised representations, not only of the diversity of the LGBTQ community, but also of LGBTQ people’s lives, their families, and their fundamental inclusion in the fabric of… society,” the organisation states.

And this has made a tremendous difference, GLAAD adds.

“Today, LGBTQ people’s stories are more likely to be told in the same way as others — with fairness, integrity, and respect. Journalists realise that LGBTQ people have the right to fair, accurate, and inclusive reporting of their stories and their issues.

“Fair, accurate, and inclusive news media coverage has played an important role in expanding public awareness and understanding of LGBTQ people”.

A run through of some key LGBTQ+ identifiers covered by the “plus”:

Pansexual

Somebody who identifies as pansexual experiences feelings of attraction (physical, emotional or sexual) towards more than one gender identity. Similarly, omnisexual people can be attracted to all genders, although they can tend to date a higher percentage of one certain gender.

Sometimes, pansexual people will refer to themselves as “gender-blind”.

Asexual

A person who identifies as asexual typically experiences little or no sexual attraction to anyone else. The asexual scale can differ from those who have a low sex drive, to those who don’t desire sex whatsoever.

Pomosexual

If you are pomosexual, it means you refuse, avoid, or don’t fit into any particular sexual orientation label that we already have. The idea is that pomosexuality (or being pomoromantic) aims to challenge strict categorisations of who you love or are attracted to and aims to show that the world is full of many people that you may want to be with.

Abrosexual

Abrosexuality is when you have different levels of sexual or romantic attraction to various people and genders throughout your life.

The strictest dictionary definition for someone who is abrosexual is someone who has “a fluid sexual orientation”. For example, you could be gay one day, asexual the next, then polysexual the day after that.

Intersex

A person who is born with variations in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones, or genitals that don’t fit the typical ‘male’ or ‘female’ definitions. This can include genital ambiguity. Intersex people, like everyone, can identify as any gender.

Genderfluid

People who are aware of the flexibility of their own gender, and may change their gender throughout their life.

A brief history of the LGBTQ+ acronym

People hold rainbow flags as they take part in the annual Gay Pride Parade in central Sofia on June 10, 2017.

The term ‘LGBTQ+’ aims to be as inclusive of as many groups of people as possible. However, the ways we describe the kaleidoscopes of sexual and gender orientations are always changing and evolving.

The sexual revolution of the 1960s gave birth to a train of thought which insisted that those who identified as non-straight should have their own term. The upshot of that was the term gay, which was positively adopted by the community in the 1970s. It was paired with the term “lesbian” and the two gendered terms became the norm.

The term LGBT came to the fore in the late 1980s, as activist groups rallied for an inclusive description of all those who identified as non-straight. In the 1990s, the term was accepted by those inside and outside the community.

However, tension between various factions of the community has sprung up over the use of the term.

To some, LGBT no longer seems representative of one community, with people identifying as identities which couldn’t be defined within the LGBT mould.

This thought led us to our current incarnation of LGBTQ+, which importantly includes those questioning their identities, as well as a ‘plus’ for the raft of others who feel different in a variety of ways. However, a debate still rages over how we should define our community, and whether or not we are truly one “community” after all.

The academic Eleanor Formby has even said: “I’m not sure that community is a very suitable word for such a diverse group of people.”

Eleanor’s research, conducted at Sheffield Hallam University, studied 600 responses about the phrase “LGBT community”.

She insists that “the concept is important but when it is used in the singular, which it so often is, this is not helpful to many LGBT people, not least because not all feel, or wish to be, included within a singular uniform community”.

“The word community is rarely, if ever, used for people identified as part of majority groups, for example, white community, able-bodied community or heterosexual community, so why do we use it for so-called minority groups?”

What other variations of LGBTQ+ are there and what do they stand for?

Nepal's Pride parade. — Nepal’s Pride parade.

The ever-evolving term LGBTQ+ has two common variants, although we can expect these to grow and evolve.

One is LGBTQIA, coined at the University of California, which introduced intersex and asexual to the fold.

There is also the even heftier LGBTTQQIAPP – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, ally, pansexual – but there has been an inevitable backlash to that super long name.

For now though, it’s pretty safe to assume that LGBTQ+ is an inclusive and respectful term for all those who don’t identify as straight, although it’s important to respond to the requests of minority groups who may prefer to be called by another, more specific name.

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

Hello Dr. Dick! I have a serious question for you. I’m relatively new at this, so here goes. In trying to meet and make gay friends, I find that none want a friend. The only interest I find is for sex. Is this typical and is it a waste of time seeking gay friends?
— C

Dear C,

Thanks for your message and question.

I’ve been hearing a lot of similar complaints from guys all over the country lately. Some are just coming out; others are just weary of the constant sexual competitiveness among gay men.

Let me begin by saying, yes, what you report is pretty typical. And, no, you’re not wasting your time looking for gay friends. That being said, you should also know that making friends in the gay community is often very different than making friends in the straight community. For the most part, the “getting-to-know-you” phase among gay men almost always has a sexual component to it. Is this a good thing? I’ll leave that for you to decide.

Personally, this does not put me off, but that’s only because I understand the ground rules. If you’re approaching gay friendships with a heterosexual mindset, you’ll no doubt encounter some frustration. If, on the other hand, you accept the fact that casual sex is, at least for some, a legitimate means of getting to know someone, and is as good a reason as any for making friends, there will be less disappointment.

This can be very challenging for those whose sexual mores are not that open-ended. On the other hand, this can be an opportunity to open oneself up sexually and to learn to appreciate a wider range of sexual expression from the very casual to the deeply committed.

Good luck

Richard,
I really do appreciate your taking the time to respond. Yes, I am finding it difficult to navigate the gay waters. I’m not completely out and the primary reason (one could argue other reasons) has to do with what I see in the gay community. I don’t see the warmth or open friendliness I see in the Black community for example.

I recently moved to a new city in Indiana and joined a local predominately Black church. Even though I didn’t know anyone I was welcomed with open arms. The people there often invite me to events and gatherings. I have done the same in the gay community and it seems so cold and icy. I have attended a predominately gay church, joined a gay support group, etc. In none of these gay environments did I ever feel welcome. Few, if any, made any attempt to say hello let alone invite me to anything.

Without fail, each time I try to make a gay friend it’s unsuccessful because either they aren’t attracted to me or they are attracted to me but I’m not sexually attracted to them. But I have always welcomed the friendship.
Of course the most insulting thing happens when they ask for a face picture of me (those I meet on the Internet), even though I make it clear I’m only interested in friendship. Though they claim they are only interested in the same, in most instances once they see my face PIC they lose interest. Now, please explain to me why what I look like has anything to do with becoming a friend? Now, I may not be attracted to that person physically, but I would never not want to be a friend because of someone’s looks.

So, it seems I have few choices. I can sleep with someone I have absolutely no sexual interest in just in hopes of having a gay friend. Or, I can forget the gay friendship thing all together and accept the fact that having straight friends is the best way to go.

One more thing, it never fails that if there is someone I find very attractive, they are never interested in me. Never fails. I always attract guys that are 5 feet tall or 300 lbs and out of shape or 70 years old. Just once I would like someone around my age, my height and in relatively good shape. LOL! It seems the easiest thing is simply to find a gay male prostitute and pay him. Keep it all clear, business like and to the point. No games or issues. If I were rich that would be a great option.

I won’t even go into racism within the gay community…it’s just a mess. Most white guys won’t give a Black guy the time of day. <G>

Now I know what straight women go through. Gay men are even more superficial, so small wonder that relationships just don’t last and the ones that do are always, “open”

Okay, I’ve vented enough. LOL! Again, thanks for giving me some of your time.
— C

Dear C,

I kinda figured you were still in the closet. And, yes, that does have a lot to do with how other gay men perceive you. I mean, how would you respond to a fellow black man who was trying to pass himself off as white?

I’m glad you brought up the warm reception you are receiving in your black church. You are welcomed there because they recognize you; you are familiar to them. No big stretch for either them or you, huh? I wonder though, would they be as welcoming and inclusive if they knew you were a big ol’ gay homosexual? Probably not! Sexual bigotry can and does trump even the strongest bonds that shared race and ethnicity engender.

Your reception in the gay community is similarly determined. Ambivalence about one’s sexuality, like ambivalence about one’s race, sends a strong message to the community at large. It declares to the group that the individual is not to be trusted, at least not until he proves himself worthy of that trust. Seems to me, you’re expecting more of a stretch from your gay sisters and brothers then you’re asking of your black church. And that double standard adds to your alienation.

Despite your protestations to the contrary, you do discriminate for superficial reasons, just like most of your gay (and non-gay) peers. Check it out, your words betray you. Apparently there is no room in your circle of friends for effeminate men, guys who are much older than you, or, god forbid, anyone who is out of shape.

Ahhh the heartland, beautiful Indiana! There’s another big part of your problem right there. Even I know that Indiana is not a hot bed of big ol’ gay homosexual-ism. Most of the guys you’re trying to relate to, there in the Hoosier State, are probably closeted or semi-closeted just like you. That kind of stultifying atmosphere breeds fear and mistrust. It also militates against intimacy and openness. But don’t underestimate the resilience and adaptability of us gay folk. Even in deepest darkest Indiana there are gay couples successfully living out their lives together with pride and love in very long-term relationships.

You conclude that you now know what straight women go through. How very insightful! Solidarity with women and others who have been sexually oppressed or objectified does us men a world of good. It should help keep us humble.

So bro, high marks for your critique of the gay community. (Although, how difficult is it to point out the obvious?) Lucky for you, I have a sure-fire way to immediately improve the status quo. Get off your pity pot and jettison all those bogus reasons for remaining closeted. Nowadays, coming out is not optional; it’s a fundamental developmental task that each of us must face, even those who live in god’s country. Failure to address this basic responsibility to yourself will stunt your growth as a human being, because you’ll never be able to live an authentic life. You, and most of those around you, will always know you’re living a lie. Coming out will make you a better person, improve your local gay community and make the world a better place to live…because one more person — YOU — are being true to yourself.

And while you’re working on the task at hand, don’t be so hard on yourself or your gay brothers. None of this is easy. Each of us is fighting our own demons, and sometimes that battle is so fierce that we don’t immediately recognize the folks around us who could and would be our natural allies.

Good luck