Every individual has the right to lead a dignified life free of stigma, discrimination, and abuse. People belonging to LGBTQIA+ have been marginalized and kept away from entering the mainstream for a long period. It is a matter of so much happiness that their visibility started to increase more than ever. They are showing the courage to come to the frontline. Now, it is our responsibility to stand with them in this revolution. For doing the same, we must try to understand more about those communities. This small article will become a stepping stone for you towards the journey to know LGBTQIA+ Communities more closely.
Difference between Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity: It is about how you feel deep inside about yourself in terms of your gender, whether you're female or male, both, or neither. Your biological sex and gender identity can be different. For eg: One person is born as male (biological sex), but they feel inside that they are a woman and may/may not behave like a woman.
Sexual Orientation: It is the emotional/romantic/sexual attraction that one person feels to another person. The people who are attracted to another gender is called Heterosexual. For Eg: A woman loving a man or vice versa. There are many types of sexual orientations other than heterosexual.
What is LGBTQIA+?
Lesbian: A person who is emotionally/romantically/sexually attracted to people of the same gender is called homosexual. A female attracted to females is called lesbian/ gay woman.
Gay: A person who is emotionally/romantically/sexually attracted to people of the same gender is called homosexual. A male attracted to a male is called gay.
Bisexual: A person who is emotionally/ romantically/sexually attracted to people of 2 gender is called bisexual. For eg: A female is attracted to both males and females.
Transgender: When we're born, a doctor usually says that we're male or female based on what our bodies look like. That is biological sex. But in certain cases, the gender identity (how they feel inside) might be different from that of biological sex. For eg: A transgender man lives as a man today, but was thought to be female when he was born.
Queer: Queer is a word that describes any person who does not fit into what is considered normal by society when talking about their gender and/or sexuality. Queer is mostly used by younger LGBT people to describe themselves and is usually described as a "fluid" label.
Intersex: A person may use the term "Intersex" when they have both male and female sex characteristics. These characteristics include genitals, hormones, and chromosome patterns.
Asexual: An asexual person experiences no sexual attraction to others. Asexual people may still experience romantic attraction and may participate in sexual activity. It is not a choice or
disorder.
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