(L)esbian, (G)ay, (B)isexual, (T)ransgender, (Q)ueer or (Q)uestioning, (I)ntersex, (A)sexual, (+) to include additional identities on the spectrums of sexuality and gender.
Canada has added the queer indigenous “2-spirit” identity to the acronym, which now appears as “LGBTQ2IA+” in their country.
Sexuality, Gender, and Sex
Sexuality: Describing one’s sexual orientation; an expression of attraction to a given gender or genders.
Gender: “Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, men, and gender diverse people.” One’s gender identity or expression may or may not align with their sex assigned at birth.
Cisgender: Describing one who’s gender reflects their sex assigned at birth.
Transgender: Describing one who’s gender does not reflect their sex assigned at birth.
Agender: Describing one who exists outside a gender spectrum of binary.
Nonbinary: Describing one who may exist on the spectrum of gender but does not associate themselves with any gender in particular.
Sex:“Sex is usually categorized as female or male but there is variation in the biological attributes that comprise sex and how those attributes are expressed.”
Intersex: “[People] born with any of several sex characteristics including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, “do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies””
Visualizations […]
Queer […]
Coming Out
What Coming Out Means
History […]
Significance […]
Community […]
Coming Out Around the World
In many parts of the world, coming out as a queer person is finally a celebratory and exciting experience. For example: Canada, Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand, and many parts of Western Europe and the Nordic Countries have been highly rated in their recognition of legal rights and fostering social acceptance for LGBTQIA+ people, creating spaces where coming out and thriving as a queer person is possible. However, even within these countries there may be cultural or familial stigmas that put queer people at risk of discrimination. Despite the incredible progress of the aforementioned countries, there remain many where identifying as LGBTQ+ is dangerous and even criminal. For many queer folks that live in these countries, coming out is an extremely complex issue. Refer to the index below for a visualization of LGBTQIA+ rights, safety, and acceptance around the world:
