LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Queer and/or Questioning.
LGBTQ is an acronym that has evolved over the years. Before the mid-to-late 1980s, it was common to simply use the phrase "gay community." Many did not feel that the term properly represented all those included in the group, so the initials LGB – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual – came into popular use (History of LGBT, 2013).
While the term LGB included a more broad range of people, it still left out several populations of people that did not easily identify with the mainstream, heterosexual, cisgendered culture. Thus, the addition of the "T" came into being to include people who identify as Trans*. Still, there were people struggling to find a place where they fit in. Asexual, pansexual, demisexual, intersex... the list goes on and on. To better encompass the entire community the acronym is supposed to denote, the addition of "Q" was added to mean queer. While many people state that the "Q" is intended for those Questioning - meaning anyone who is questioning their identity, and thus not having a preferred label — it is more representative to mean queer. The current usage of LGBTQ is meant to include any non-heterosexual, non-cisgendered person. There is a push to include more letters, such as "I" to include intersex, "A" to include asexuals, as well as several other variations on the current acroynm. Be aware that as acceptance and popular culture continue to evolve, so will the definitions and labels we use to identify members of the non-dominant group. |