LGBT facts for kids
LGBT is a short way to say a group of words. It helps describe different kinds of people and how they feel about themselves and others.
This word has been used since the 1990s. Before that, people often used "LGB" or "gay community." But many people felt these words didn't include everyone. So, "LGBT" became more common to describe a wider group of people.
It can refer to anyone who doesn't fit typical ideas of how people should feel about others or how they see their own gender. It's not just for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
To include even more people, a popular version is LGBTQ. The letter Q is for people who identify as queer or are thinking about their identity. Sometimes, people add intersex people to the group, using LGBTI. These can be combined into LGBTIQ or LGBT+. These terms help include all the different ways people feel about themselves and their identities. Another common version is LGBTQIA+, where A stands for "asexual" people.
These short forms are now widely used. Many community centers and groups in places like America, English-speaking countries, and other nations use them. This includes countries like France and Argentina, where the words make sense in their languages.
Contents
What do the letters mean?
The letters in LGBT each stand for a different group of people. They help describe how people feel about their own identity and who they are attracted to.
L for Lesbian
A Lesbian is a woman who is attracted to other women. This attraction can be emotional, romantic, or physical.
G for Gay
A Gay person is usually a man who is attracted to other men. Sometimes, "gay" is also used as a general term for anyone who is attracted to people of the same gender.
B for Bisexual
A Bisexual person is attracted to both men and women. This means they can have emotional, romantic, or physical feelings for people of more than one gender.
T for Transgender
A Transgender person is someone whose inner sense of being a boy or a girl is different from the gender they were given at birth. For example, a person born as a boy might feel like a girl inside.
Other letters: Q, I, A, and +
The LGBT acronym often gets more letters to include even more people.
Q for Queer or Questioning
The Q can stand for queer. This is a word some people use to describe themselves if they don't fit into traditional labels. It can also stand for questioning. This means someone is still exploring their feelings about their identity or who they are attracted to.
I for Intersex
Intersex people are born with bodies that have natural differences in their sex characteristics. This means their bodies don't fit typical ideas of male or female.
A for Asexual
Asexual people are those who do not feel sexual attraction to others. They may still have romantic feelings or want close relationships, but they don't feel sexual desire.
The Plus Sign (+)
The + sign at the end of LGBT+ or LGBTQIA+ means that there are many other identities and ways people feel about themselves. It's a way to include everyone who isn't covered by the other letters.
Related pages
Images for kids
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The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. This place is famous for the Stonewall riots in 1969, which helped start the modern LGBT rights movement. It is decorated with rainbow pride flags.
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LGBT publications and pride parades, like this stage at Bologna Pride 2008 in Italy, often use the main LGBT letters.
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A 2010 pride parade in Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires, which uses the LGBTIQ initialism.
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People gathering at the Senate Square, Helsinki, just before the 2011 Helsinki Pride parade started.
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The first Rainbow Pride Flag in San Francisco, designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978.
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See also
In Spanish: LGBT para niños
