LGBTQIA+ and JGMS
As our community changes and younger people feel more comfortable exploring their feelings, some people might find that they identify with the LGBTQIA+ community. Some of these people might have known this about themselves their entire lives, and some might just be discovering this now, but differences aside, we need to do our best to make these people feel comfortable in JGMS.
What is LGBTQIA+?
LGBTQIA+ is an acronym for people who have different attractions or gender identification than the general public. Each letter stands for a different term people might identify as.
L=Lesbian. Lesbian is a term for a person who identifies as female who falls in love with someone who identifies as female.
G=Gay. Gay is a term for someone who identifies as male who falls in love with someone who identifies as male, but it also can be used as a term for people who are not/not only attracted to the opposite gender
B=Bisexual. Bisexual is a term for someone who is attracted to two or more genders, with a preference.
T=Transgender. Transgender is a term for someone who doesn’t identify as the gender they were assigned at birth.
Q=Queer/Questioning. Queer is a term used to describe someone who isn’t heterosexual, or straight. Questioning is a term for someone who isn’t sure of their gender or sexual identity yet.
I=Intersex. Intersex is a term used for someone who is born with a private area that doesn’t specifically match male or female.
A=Asexual/Aromantic. Asexual is a term used for someone who feels little to no sexual attraction. Aromantic is a term used for someone who feels little to no romantic attraction.
The + in LGBTQIA+ stands for all of the other sexualities and gender orientations that people might identify as. Some more common ones are:
Non-Binary. Non-binary is a term used for someone who doesn’t identify as strictly male or female.
Pansexual. Pansexual is a term used for someone who likes two or more genders, with no preference.
Pronouns
As some people experiment with gender orientation, they might want to use different pronouns. Pronouns are the words that a person wants other people to call them. Some common pronouns are: she/her, he/him, they/them, she/they, and he/they. Neo pronouns are pronouns that are chosen by someone which are not commonly used or specifically assigned to a gender. If someone asks you to use specific pronouns for them, please respect their choice and use their preferred pronouns.
How to be an Ally
An ally is someone who supports the LGBTQIA+ community without necessarily being a part of it. An ally might stick up for someone who is being bullied because of their gender or sexual orientation, or support people who feel bad or confused about what they identify as. If you are confused about something that one of your friends identifies as, you can ask them more about it, or do research.