LGBT Is Already Too Crowded, Let Alone LGBTQIAAP2SGNC+

When Chastity confided in the Grammy Award-winning singer and Oscar-winning actress, Cher, about her sexual orientation as a lesbian, her mother’s reaction was to eject her from their home. Despite Cher reaching out the following day to apologize, Chastity chose not to return home, embarking on a profound journey of self-discovery. On her new path, it didn’t take long for her to realize that she didn’t quite fit the mold of other lesbian women she was acquainted with; she simply didn’t resonate with their experiences. Ultimately, she came to the understanding that she wasn’t a lesbian after all, yet she was sexually and romantically attracted to women.

Join us as we delve into the nuances of sexual orientation and identity, understanding their intricacies and why it’s crucial to differentiate between them.

A Brief History

The evolution of sexual orientation and identity is a complex historical process with many contributing factors.

Early sexologists like Richard von Krafft-Ebing and Havelock Ellis laid the groundwork for understanding sexual orientation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Their research and writings explored human sexuality, providing a foundation for later discussions.

The term “sexual identity” gained prominence with the rise of LGBT+ activism, which emphasized the importance of self-identification and self-expression in defining one’s sexuality. Activists and scholars in the LGBT+ community, including those involved in the Stonewall riots of 1969, played a significant role in shaping our understanding of sexual identity as an integral part of individual identity.

Understanding LGBTQIAAP2SGNC+

The acronym LGBT, which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender, has expanded over the years to be more inclusive of the diverse range of sexual orientations and gender identities. The extended version, LGBTQIAAP2SGNC+, includes Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Allies, Pansexual, Two-Spirit, and Gender Non-Conforming, among others, reflecting a growing acknowledgment of the spectrum of human sexuality and gender identity, emphasizing the importance of representation and visibility for all individuals, irrespective of how they identify.

To keep a complex and confusing topic simple, let’s talk about LGB as sexual orientation and T as sexual identity in isolation today.

Sexual orientation refers to an individual’s enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction to others. It encompasses a person’s feelings of attraction towards people of the same gender (homosexuality), different genders (heterosexuality), both genders (bisexuality), or neither gender (asexuality).

On the other hand, sexual identity is subjective and evolves over generations. It refers to an individual’s personal understanding and recognition of their own sexual orientation, attraction, and preferences. It encompasses the complex and multifaceted aspects of who a person is romantically, emotionally, and sexually drawn to. Sexual identity is a profoundly social, cultural, personal, and intrinsic aspect of a person’s self-concept and can encompass a broad spectrum of experiences and feelings.

The Nuances

The main difference between sexual orientation and sexual identity is that while the former describes who a person is attracted to and is often categorized into labels such as gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual, and pansexual, the latter is about how individuals label themselves and identify within their understanding of their attractions and desires.

Sounds complicated? Well, because it is.

What makes sexual identity complicated is the fact that there is no universal definition of what it takes to be a woman or a man. For example, in the societies most of us are brought up in, we are fed with the information that men don’t wear leggings, high heels, wigs, or makeup. For most people who identify as male, wearing any of these is unthinkable, mainly because it doesn’t fit their idea of how a well-dressed male looks.

On the other hand, leggings used to be associated with military attire, while there was a time when men wore high heels and wigs to look taller and hide sexually transmitted diseases that caused hair loss. Additionally, make-up for men used to be very common in various cultures historically.

In the 21st century, it’s more likely than not that a man identifying as gay or a woman identifying as heterosexual may not be attracted to a male who wears leggings, high heels, wigs, and makeup. However, in different cultures and historical periods, a gay man or a heterosexual woman could still be attracted to individuals wearing all of the aforementioned items.

Importance of Separating LGB and T

Although commonly referred to as the LGBT+ community, it’s crucial to acknowledge the diverse range of identities and experiences within it. While lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals may share commonalities in sexual orientation, transgender people may face unique challenges related to gender identity, leading to differences in perspectives and experiences that prevent a cohesive sense of community among all members.

Transgender individuals often endure distinct and often more arduous experiences compared to LGB individuals. From navigating gender dysphoria to facing discrimination in healthcare, employment, and everyday interactions, the transgender community faces multifaceted challenges that may not fully resonate with LGB individuals who do not experience gender incongruence.

Furthermore, within the broader LGBT+ community, there exists a troubling phenomenon where some LGB individuals exhibit bigotry towards transgender individuals. This intolerance can manifest in various forms, from exclusionary attitudes to outright discrimination, particularly in conservative or less accepting environments.

The experiences of transgender individuals can be as unfamiliar to LBG people as to any other demographic. For instance, while acceptance of trans individuals may face more significant hurdles in certain regions of the United States, the understanding of gender incongruence seems to be clearer among Turkish communities. In Turkey, where I originate from, progress has been made since 1987 to enable trans individuals to marry individuals of the opposite sex and to adopt children. Nevertheless, Turkey still struggles with accepting same-sex relationships, a prejudice influenced by Europe during the Westernization movement.

Moreover, it’s essential to recognize the intricacies of sexual orientation and gender identity. While LGB and T are often discussed in tandem, they are not mutually exclusive categories. In other words, transgender individuals are not exclusively attracted to individuals of the opposite sex, further emphasizing the complexity within the LGBT.

In a Nutshell

Despite aiming for inclusivity, the extensive acronym LGBTQIAAP2SGNC+ can be confusing even for people considered members of the LGBT+ community. Its length and complexity make it difficult to recall, potentially excluding those it intends to include. Moreover, the broad scope of the acronym may overshadow the distinct needs and challenges faced by specific groups within it. For example, the unique legal, medical, and social issues experienced by transgender individuals differ significantly from those encountered by lesbians, gays, or bisexuals, some of whom may hold prejudices toward TQIAAP2SGNC+ individuals.