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Topics
1. Crash Course: LGBTQ Terms
2. What is an LGBTQ Ally
3. LGBTQ FAQ
Crash Course: LGBTQ Terms
What do all the letters mean?
GLBT - Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (often LGBT)
I - Intersexed (as in GLBTI). Born with both or part of both sex organs
Q - Questioning (one's sexuality) or Queer
A - Ally (straight or nonstraight supporter)
MSM, WSW - Men who have Sex with Men; Women who have Sex with Women. Often used by
those not comfortable with the stigma of gay, and used in cultures where there is still no term for
gay.
Sexual Orientation - used to refer to the GLB community (as opposed to Sexual Preference).
Homosexual - originated in the late 1800s to describe what was then thought a mental condition.
Heterosexual was born by default. Homosexuality was removed from the American Psychological
Association's list of mental disorders in 1973.
Gay - originally the term encompassed all GLBT. Some members of the LBT community prefer not
to use it, and increasingly it refers only to gay men.
Queer - when reclaimed in the 1960s following the Black Power movement, calling oneself queer
was seen as a political act. Today, it generally encompasses all of the community - GLBTQIA,
though some still find it too controversial.
For more:
erraticimpact.com
What is an LGBTQ Ally?
An Ally to the LGBTQ community is anyone who supports LGBTQ people through actions, words
and deeds. To be an Ally doesn't mean you are LGBTQ yourself.
Ask yourself these questions:
Are you comfortable with your own sexuality?
Are you comfortable with your gender role?
Are you comfortable saying the words gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgender?
Do you understand patterns of oppression?
Are you willing to challenge oppressive behavior?
Do you take pride in supporting the LGBTQ community?
Not all Allies can answer yes to these questions, but also
realize that not all LGBTQ people can
either. When such LGBTQ people can't speak for themselves, they often need Allies
to do so for
them. After all, straight people constitute the
bulk of society and can therefore help affect much of
that
society.
Why are Allies needed?
Everyone knows and cares about someone who is LGBTQ, whether it be a family member, a
friend, a colleague, or even someone you many not realize is LGBTQ.
The LGBTQ community is
increasingly the last minority that is still socially
and legally acceptable to discriminate against.
LGBTQ people also belong to the most dehumanized, hated and misunderstood
community on the
planet.
What can you do as an Ally?
· Verbally express your support to LGBTQ people
· Help a friend or family member come out to others
· Express concerns about homophobia
· Ask questions you may have about the LGBTQ community
· Go to a LGBTQ meeting and express your Ally support
· Don't make assumptions about someone's sexuality: don't assume someone is
LGBTQ unless they tell you so, and try not to assume others are always straight
· Be comfortable befriending and supporting LGBTQ people
· Firmly challenge homophobic speech and actions, no matter how minor they may
seem
· Respect and encourage the coming out process
· Don't be insulted if someone thinks you are gay
· Expect to make some mistakes along the way!
· Challenge stereotypes that belittle LGBTQ people
There's no doubt you still have questions about the LGBTQ community. Is being LGBTQ a choice?
What about religious condemnation
of the gay 'lifestyle'? What does science say?
Part of being a
LGBTQ Ally is not having all the answers.
No one in the LGBTQ community has all the answers
either. But
you can read more, ask questions
you may have, and feel free to talk to open and out
LGBTQ people in a frank manner.
For more
· The Heterosexuality Questionnaire
· Qualities of a GLBT Ally; Common Myths, Misconceptions and Stereotypes
· What the Bible Really Says
· AIDS Timeline
· The Kinsey Scale of Sexuality
· Famous or Distinguished Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals
· GLBT Scientific Studies
LGBTQ FAQ
Frequently-Asked Questions about the community
Questions
1. Why do you include transgender individuals?
2. Why are you gay? [Why are you LGBTQ?]
3. Do all gay people sleep around?
4. What is the LGBTQ community?
Answers
1. Why do you include transgender individuals?
The LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Queer) community includes
Transgender for several good reasons that may not be immediately evident if you're new to the
community.
First off, should a Transgender individual choose to have sex-reassignment surgery, at
some point he or she is probably going to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual. If you're born male and are
attracted to women, then have a gender identity crisis and choose to live as a woman or even have
surgery, afterward you'll be a woman attracted to women. It works many different ways.
The next
obvious connection is the fact that transgender individuals test gender lines and cross many
boundaries that make the bulk of heterosexual society uncomfortable. Gay, lesbian and bisexual
people do the same in their relationships, and therefore should all band together.
Many in the LGBQ community exclude transgender individuals, often intentionally. All people
should know that being transgender is different than being a transvestite, so the stigma can be
resolved. Transvestites are by definition heterosexual and have no intention of ever having surgery
or undergoing hormone therapy to change their sex or appearance.
2. Why are you gay? [Why are you LGBTQ?]
Though different people will give you different answers, the vast majority of LGBTQ people agree
that they are born gay. Science increasingly leans toward this conclusion as well, and it should be
noted that LGBTQ people do not choose their orientation any more so than heterosexual people
do.
3. Do all gay people sleep around?
Quite simply, no. The common practice is to equate LGBTQ with behavior, which overlooks the
fact that LGBTQ are in fact an identity. If a LGBTQ person 'sleeps around', it is their personal
choice. Their LGBTQ identity is not their personal choice, and the two should not be confused.
And if an abnormally high number of LGBTQ do sleep around, the overall trend could be for various
psychological factors: internalized homophobia, actualization of the LGBTQ stereotype of sleeping
around, or an intense discouragement of lasting same-sex relationships by society. All are serious
problems in the community, and all are at times used to justify homophobia (though they are all in
fact the result of homophobia).
4. What is the LGBTQ community?
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and queer community is a worldwide, cross-
cultural mixture of sexual and gender identities. To be LGBTQ is to challenge gender norms and
biases that are heavily rooted in society.
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![[queerUT]](./images/queertx.jpg)
