LGBTQIAPN+ is an acronym that refers to a wide range of sexual and gender diversity. Like individuals, the LGBTQ+ acronyms and definitions are constantly growing and changing. Its growth is expressive of the increasing inclusivity of the variance of gender, sexuality, and individual and collective experiences.
Framing & Perspectives
Here are some common terms:
L – Lesbians: A woman or non-binary person who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to women.
G – Gay: A person who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to people of the same gender. This term can be used by men, women, trans and non-binary people to describe themselves.
B – Bisexual: Refers to a person who is attracted to more than one gender, though not necessarily in the same way or to the same degree.
T – Transsexuals/Transgender: Refers to a person whose gender and its expression is different from the gender that was assigned to them at birth.
Q – Queer: Queer is a term used to express a spectrum of sexual orientations and gender expressions that oppose the mainstream. Different people use this term to mean different things; also stands for questioning to acknowledge those who are exploring their gender or sexuality.
Q – Questioning: Refers to a person who is in the process of exploring their sexuality and/or gender.
I – Intersex: Intersex people are born with diverse differences in their sex traits and reproductive anatomy, which may include variations in genitalia, chromosomes, gonads, internal sex organs, hormone production, and secondary sex traits, and do not fit the traditional markers of “female” or “male.”
P – Pansexuals: Refers to a person who is sexually or emotionally attracted to people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender.
No – Non-binary is an adjective for someone who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary individuals may see themselves as both, somewhere in between, or entirely outside these categories. While many non-binary people identify as transgender, not all do. The term also serves as an umbrella for identities like agender, bigender, genderqueer, and gender-fluid.
A – Ally: a person who identifies as straight but supports people in the LGBTQIAPN+ community
A – Asexual/Ace: Asexuality exists on a spectrum, referring to the lack of sexual attraction to others or a low or absent interest in sexual activity, where asexual people may experience no, little, or conditional sexual attraction.
2S – Two-Spirits: A tradition in many First Nations that considers sexual minorities to have both male and female spirits
+ – The plus sign refers to the limitless range of sexual and gender diversity and expressions.
The best-known LGB acronyms were introduced in the mid-1980s to unify the community and move away from slurs back then, such as ‘gay’ or ‘queer’. As the understanding, recognition, and inclusion of diverse sexual and gender expressions in society has grown, so has the acronym. Although transgender individuals have always existed, the term was introduced in the 1960s and has become associated with the acronym.
Relevance
The acronym has its critics, especially among those who argue that no term can ever cover the entire spectrum and a person’s lived experience. Thus, “No term is perfect or perfectly inclusive. The beauty of individuality is that self-expression and personal and romantic choices can manifest themselves in a variety of ways.” (Committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2020).
Keywords: LGBTQ+ Topics, Umbrella Term, Diversity, Inclusivity, Gender, Sexuality, Individual, Collective Experiences
Connected terms: Queer, Transgender, Pansexual, Demisexual, Asexual, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Theory, Representation, Woke
References
Amherst College. (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2023, from https://www.amherst.edu/campuslife/our-community/queer-resource-center/terms-definitions
Defining LGBTQIA+. (n.d.). The Gay Center. Retrieved January 5, 2023, from https://gaycenter.org/about/lgbtq/
From LGBT to LGBTQIA+: The evolving recognition of identity. (n.d.). National Geographic. Retrieved January 5, 2023, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/from-lgbt-to-lgbtqia-the-evolving-recognition-of-identity
Glossary of Terms – Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved 26th July, 2024 from https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms
Is It LGBT or LGBTQ? Acronyms Explained. (2018, February 22). The True United Colors. Retrieved January 5, 2023, from https://truecolorsunited.org/2018/02/22/lgbt-lgbtq-acronyms-explained/
LGBTQIAPN+: Understand the acronym and its importance for representation. (n.d.). Portugal Posts. Retrieved January 5, 2023, from https://portugal.postsen.com/health/27950/LGBTQIAPN–understand-the-acronym-and-its-importance-for-representation.html
The Guide to LGBTQ Acronyms: Is it LGBT or LGBTQ+ or LGBTQIA+? (n.d.). The Center CV. Retrieved January 5, 2023, from https://thecentercv.org/blog/the-guide-to-lgbtq-acronyms-is-it-lgbt-or-lgbtq-or-lgbtqia/
Transstudent. (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2023, from https://transstudent.org/about/definitions/
What does LGBTQIAPN+ mean in COMMUNITY. (n.d.). Onlineabbreviations. Retrieved January 5, 2023, from https://onlineabbreviations.com/abbreviation/1156483
