LGBTQ+... What do all the letters mean?

The letters roughly stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning with the plus sign encompassing other gender and sexual minorities (transexual, Two-Spirit, intersex, asexual, agender).

Sex is assigned at birth & usually determined by external, physical genitalia. Other sex markers include chromosomes and internal and external reproductive organs.

Gender is a social construct assigned at birth and assumed to be congruent with the assigned birth sex, however it may or may not align with anatomical sex identifiers.

Sexual orientation is defined by one’s emotional, romantic and erotic attraction to others. It exists on a continuum of feelings and attractions, may be fluid over time and may not necessarily be congruent with behavior.

Sexual identity is one’s perception of his or her sexual orientation; sexual behavior refers to one’s sexual activities.

Gender identity is the gender with which one identifies regardless of assigned sex at birth.

Gender expression is the communication of gender – through behaviors (mannerisms, speech patterns, etc.) and appearance (clothing, accessories, hair, etc.) as culturally associated with a particular gender.

For information on gender-neutral pronouns and strategies for using pronouns correctly, I refer you to “Gender: Your Guide” by Lee Airton, PhD.