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LGBT publications, pride parades, and related events, such as this stage at Bologna Pride 2008 in Italy, increasingly drop the LGBT initialism instead of regularly adding new letters, and dealing with issues of placement of those letters within the new title.

LGBT (or GLBT) is an acronym referring collectively to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. In use since the 1990s, the term “LGBT” is an adaptation of the initialism “LGB” which itself started replacing the phrase “gay community” which many within LGBT communities felt did not represent accurately all those to which it referred.[1] In modern usage, the term LGBT is intended to emphasize a diversity of "sexuality and gender identity‐based cultures" and is sometimes used to refer to anyone who is non‐heterosexual instead of exclusively to people who are homosexual, bisexual, or transgender.[1][2] To recognize this inclusion, a popular variant adds the letter Q for queer and questioning (e.g., “LGBTQ”) for those not explicitly denoted by LGBT, such as pansexuality, intersex, etc.

The acronym has become mainstream as a self-designation and has been adopted by the majority of LGBT community centers and LGBT media in many English‐speaking countries.[3][4]

The initialisms are not agreeable to everyone that they literally encompass.[5] Some intersex people want to be included in LGBT groups and would prefer the term “LGBTI”.[6] Some argue that transgender and transsexual causes are not the same as that of LGB people.[7] A correlate to these ideas is evident in the belief of “lesbian & gay separatism,” which holds that lesbians and gay men should form a community distinct and separate from other groups normally included.[8][9] Other people also do not care for the term as they feel the lettering comes across as being too politically correct, an attempt to categorize various groups of people into one grey area, and that it implies that the issues and priorities of the main groups represented are given equal consideration.[7][10]

History

LGBT families, like these in a 2007 pride parade, are unlikely to label themselves non-heterosexual although researchers do so for a variety of reasons.[11]

Transgender actress Candis Cayne called the LGBT community "the last great minority", noting that "We can still be harassed openly" and be "called out on television."[12] Before the sexual revolution of the 1960s, there was no common non‐derogatory vocabulary for non‐heterosexuality; the closest such term, “third gender”, traces back to the 1860s but never gained wide acceptance.[13][14][15][16][17][18]

The first widely used term, homosexual, was thought to carry negative connotations and tended to be replaced by homophile in the 1950s and 1960s,[19] and subsequently gay in the 1970s.[13] As lesbians forged more public identities, the phrase “gay and lesbian” became more common.[1] The Daughters of Bilitis folded in 1970 over which direction to focus on: feminism or gay rights issues.[20] As equality was a priority for lesbian-feminists, disparity of roles between men and women or butch and femme were viewed as patriarchal. Lesbian-feminists eschewed gender role play that had been pervasive in bars, as well as the perceived chauvinism of gay men; many lesbian-feminists refused to work with gay men, or take up their causes.[21] However, lesbians who held a more essentialist view that they had been born homosexual and used the descriptor "lesbian" to define sexual attraction, often considered the separatist, angry opinions of lesbian-feminists to be detrimental to the cause of gay rights.[22] This was soon followed by bisexual and transgender persons also asking for recognition as legitimate categories within the larger community.[1] However, after the initial euphoria of the Stonewall riots wore off, starting in the late 1970s and the early 1980s, there was a change in perception; some gays and lesbians became less accepting of bisexual or transgender people.[23][24] It was thought that transsexual people were acting out stereotypes and bisexuals were simply gay men or lesbian women who were afraid to come out and be honest about their identity.[23] The movement underwent identity conflicts with various entities including or excluding various LGBT communities; these conflicts continue to this day.[24] LGBT was likely first used to address the entire community by LGBT student activists who have been documented as active in the late 1960s although it is unclear how often and widespread the term may have been employed.

Not until the 1990s did it become common to speak of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people with equal respect within the movement.[24] Although the LGBT community has seen some controversy regarding universal acceptance of different member groups (transgender individuals, in particular, have sometimes been marginalized by the larger LGBT community), the term LGBT has been a positive symbol of inclusion.[2][24] Despite the fact that LGBT does not nominally encompass all individuals in smaller communities (see Variants below), the term is generally accepted to include those not identified in the four‐letter acronym.[2][24] Overall, the use of the term LGBT has, over time, largely aided in bringing otherwise marginalized individuals into the general community.[2][24]

Variants

2007 Pride parade in Buenos Aires with LGBT visible in a groups' banner (top right of image)

Many variants exist including variations which merely change the order of the letters; however, LGBT or GLBT are the most common terms and the ones most frequently seen in current usage.[24] Although identical in meaning, “LGBT” may have a more feminist connotation than “GLBT” as it places the “L” (for “lesbian”) first.[24] When not inclusive of transgender people it is sometimes shortened to LGB.[24][25] LGBT or GLBT may also include additional “Q”s for “queer” and/or “questioning” (sometimes abbreviated with a question mark) (e.g., “LGBTQ”, “LGBTQQ”, or “GLBTQ?”).[8][26][27] Other variants may add a “U” for “unsure”; an “I” for intersex; another “T” for “transsexual” or “transvestite; another “T”, “TS”, or “2” for “Two‐Spirit” persons; an “A” or “SA” for straight allies; or an “A” for “asexual”.[28][29][30][31][32][33] Some may also add a P for pansexual or polyamorous, and an O for omnisexual or other.[24][34] The order of the letters has not been standardized; in addition to the variations between the positions of the initial “L” or “G”, the mentioned, less‐common letters, if used, may appear in almost any order.[24] Variant terms do not typically represent political differences within the community, but arise simply from the preferences of individuals and groups.[35] The terms transsexual and intersex are regarded by some people as falling under the umbrella term “transgender” though many transsexual and intersex people object to this (both for different reasons).[24]

“SGL” (i.e. “same gender loving”) is sometimes favored among African‐Americans as a way of distinguishing themselves from what they regard as white‐dominated LGBT communities.[36] “MSM” (i.e. “men who have sex with men”) is clinically used to describe men who have sex with other men without referring to their sexual orientation.[37][38]

A phrase introduced in the 2000s, “minority sexual and gender identities” (“MSGI”), used to include all letters and acronyms, has yet to find its way into common usage.[39] The magazine Anything That Moves coined the acronym FABGLITTER (from Fetish, Allies, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Intersexed, Transgender, Transsexual Engendering Revolution), although this term has not made its way into common usage.[1]

Criticism

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The terms LGBT or GLBT are not agreeable to everyone that they literally encompass.[5] For example, some argue that transgender and transsexual causes are not the same as that of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people.[7] This argument centers on the idea that transgender and transsexuality have to do with gender identity or a person's understanding of being male or female irrespective of their sexual orientation.[24] LGB issues can be seen as a matter of sexual orientation or attraction.[24] These distinctions have been made in the context of political action in which LGB goals may be perceived to differ from transgender and transsexual goals like same‐sex marriage legislation and human rights work that is not inclusive of transgender and intersex people.[24] Similarly, some intersex people want to be included in LGBT groups and would prefer the term “LGBTI” while others insist that they are not a part of the LGBT community and would rather that they not be included as part of the term.[6][40]

A reverse to the above situations is evident in the belief of “lesbian & gay separatism” (not to be confused with the related “lesbian separatism”) which holds that lesbians and gay men form (or should form) a community distinct and separate from other groups normally included in the LGBTQ sphere.[8][9] While not always appearing of sufficient number or organization to be called a movement, separatists are a significant, vocal, and active element within many parts of the LGBT community.[9][41][42] In some cases separatists will deny the existence or right‐to‐equality of non‐monosexual orientations and of transsexuality.[42] This can extend to public biphobia and transphobia.[9][42] Separatists have powerful opponents - Peter Tatchell of the LGBT human rights group OutRage! argues that to separate the transgender movement from the LGB would be "political madness".[43]

Many people have looked for a generic term to replace the numerous existing abbreviations.[42] Words like “queer“ and “rainbow” have been tried but most have not been widely adopted.[42][44] ”Queer” has many negative connotations to older people who remember the word as a taunt and insult and such (negative) usage of the term continues.[42][44] Many younger people also understand “queer” to be more politically‐charged than “LGBT”.[44][10] “Rainbow” has connotations that recall hippies, New Age movements, and organizations like Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in the United States.

Other people also do not care for the term as the lettering comes across as being too politically correct or as an attempt to categorize various groups of people into one grey area word.[7][10] Another concern is that the term LGBT may imply that the issues and priorities of the main groups represented are given equal consideration.[7]

There are also some lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people as well as ontologists who are against an "LGBT community" or "LGB community".[8][45][46] Some are also against the political and social solidarity, and visibility and human rights campaigning that normally goes with it including gay pride marches and events.[45][46] Some of them believe that grouping together people with non-heterosexual orientations perpetuates the myth that being gay/lesbian/bi makes a person deficiently different than other people.[8][45] These people are often seen or portrayed as fringe community members and may seem less visible compared to more mainstream LGBT activists.[45][46] Since this faction is difficult to distinguish from the heterosexual majority, it is common for people to assume all LGBT people support LGBT liberation and the visibility of LGBT people in society, including the right to live one's life in a different way from the majority.[45][46][47] In the 1996 book Anti-Gay, a collection of essays edited by Mark Simpson, the concept of a 'one-size-fits-all' identity based on LGBT stereotypes is criticized for supressing the individuality of LGBT people.[48]

See also

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References

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  2. ^ a b c d Shankle, Michael D. (2006, ISBN 1560234962). "The Handbook of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Public Health: A Practitioner's Guide To Service". Haworth Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ The 2008 Community Center Survey Report: Assessing the Capacity and Programs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Centers August 29, 2008, Terry Stone, CenterLink (formerly The National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Centers).Report link
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  5. ^ a b Finnegan, Dana G. (2002, ISBN 1560239255, 9781560239253). "Counseling Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Substance Abusers: Dual Identities". Haworth Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
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  7. ^ a b c d e Wilcox, Melissa M. (2003, ISBN 0253216192). "Coming Out in Christianity: Religion, Identity, and Community". Indiana University Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ a b c d e Bloodsworth-Lugo, Mary K. (2007, ISBN 0791472213). "In-Between Bodies: Sexual Difference, Race, and Sexuality". SUNY Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ a b c d Mohr, Richard D. (1988, ISBN 0231067356). "Gays/Justice: A Study of Ethics, Society, and Law". Columbia University Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ a b c Halpin, Mikki (2004, ISBN 0689874480). "It's Your World--If You Don't Like It, Change It: Activism for Teenagers". Simon and Schuster. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ Klesse, Christian (2007). "The Spectre of Promiscuity: Gay Male and Bisexual Non-Monogamies and Polyamories". Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 0754649067. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
  12. ^ "I Advocate ...". The Advocate. Issue #1024. March 2009. p. 80. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  13. ^ a b Ross, E. Wayne (2006, ISBN0791469093). "The Social Studies Curriculum: Purposes, Problems, and Possibilities". SUNY Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Kennedy, Hubert C. (1980) The "third sex" theory of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, Journal of Homosexuality. 1980–1981 Fall-Winter; 6(1–2): pp. 103–1
  15. ^ Hirschfeld, Magnus, 1904. Berlins Drittes Geschlecht ("Berlin's Third Sex")
  16. ^ Ellis, Havelock and Symonds, J. A., 1897. Sexual Inversion.
  17. ^ Carpenter, Edward, 1908. The Intermediate Sex: A Study of Some Transitional Types of Men and Women.
  18. ^ Duc, Aimée, 1901. Sind es Frauen? Roman über das dritte Geschlecht ("Are These Women? Novel about the Third Sex")
  19. ^ Minton, Henry (2002). "Departing from Deviance". University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226530434. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
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  21. ^ Faderman, Lillian (1991). Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth Century America, Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-017122-3, p. 210–211.
  22. ^ Faderman (1991), p. 217–218.
  23. ^ a b Leli, Ubaldo (2005, ISBN 0789025760). "Transgender Subjectivities: A Clinician's Guide". Haworth Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Alexander, Jonathan (2004, ISBN 1560232870). "Bisexuality and Transgenderism: InterSEXions of The Others". Haworth Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ Bohan, Janis S. (1996, ISBN 0415915147). "Psychology and Sexual Orientation: Coming to Terms". Routledge. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ Alder, Christine (2004, ISBN 0791461106). "Girls' Violence: Myths and Realities". SUNY Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ Cherland, Meredith Rogers (2007, ISBN 0805850562). "Advocacy Research in Literacy Education: Seeking Higher Ground". Routledge. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ Lebaron, Sarah (2005, ISBN 1596580925). "Oberlin College: Oberlin, Ohio". College Prowler, Inc. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ Chen, Edith Wen-Chu (2006, ISBN 0742553388). "Teaching about Asian Pacific Americans: Effective Activities, Strategies, and Assignments for Classrooms and Communities (Critical Perspectives on Asian Pacific Americans)". Rowman & Littlefield. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ Babb, Florence E. (2001, ISBN 0292709005). "After Revolution: Mapping Gender and Cultural Politics in Neoliberal Nicaragua". University of Texas Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ Padilla, Yolanda C. (2003, ISBN 1560232757). "Gay and Lesbian Rights Organizing: Community-based Strategies". Haworth Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ Swigonski, Mary E. (2001, ISBN 1560232579). "From Hate Crimes to Human Rights: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard". Haworth Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ "About Us". Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender, Two-Spirit Queer Community Centre Inc. 2006. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  34. ^ O'Rourke, P. J. (2001, ISBN 0802141986). "Peace Kills: America's Fun New Imperialism". Grove Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ Brown, Catrina (2006, ISBN 1412909880). "Narrative Therapy: Making Meaning, Making Lives". Sage Publications Inc. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ Rimmerman, Craig A. (2006, ISBN 1412909880). "The Politics of Gay Rights". University of Chicago Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ Young, R M & Meyer, I H (2005) The Trouble with "MSM" and "WSW": Erasure of the Sexual-Minority Person in Public Health Discourse American Journal of Public Health July 2005 Vol. 95 No. 7.
  38. ^ Glick, M Muzyka, B C Salkin, L M Lurie, D (1994) Necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis: a marker for immune deterioration and a predictor for the diagnosis of AIDS Journal of Periodontology 1994 65 p. 393–397.
  39. ^ "Welcome to the Bradford University Minority Sexual and Gender Identity Site!". Bradford Uni MSGI Society. 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  40. ^ Makadon, Harvey J. (2008, ISBN 193051395X). "The Fenway Guide to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health". ACP Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  41. ^ Blasius, Mark (1994, ISBN 1566391733). "Gay and Lesbian Politics: Sexuality and the Emergence of a New Ethic". Temple University Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  42. ^ a b c d e f Blasius, Mark (2001, ISBN 0691058679). "Sexual Identities, Queer Politics: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Politics". Princeton University Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) Cite error: The named reference "Sexual Identities, Queer Politi" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  43. ^ Abrehart, David. "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual - but Why Transgender?, Mothership Gay Dating". Retrieved 2009-06-24.
  44. ^ a b c Armstrong, Elizabeth A. (2002, ISBN 0226026949). "Forging Gay Identities: Organizing Sexuality in San Francisco, 1950–1994". University of Chicago Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  45. ^ a b c d e Sycamore, Matt Bernstein (2005, ISBN 1932360565). "That's Revolting!: Queer Strategies for Resisting Assimilation". Soft Skull Press. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  46. ^ a b c d Carlsson, Chris (2005, ISBN 1931404054). "The Political Edge". City Lights Books. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  47. ^ Leondar-Wright, Betsy (2005, ISBN 0865715238). "Class Matters: Cross-Class Alliance Building for Middle-Class Activists". New Society Publishers. Retrieved 2008-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  48. ^ Anti-Gay
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