LGBTQIA

LGBTQIA is an acronym used to describe a broad set of sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions. It is commonly used as an umbrella term for communities and movements advocating for equal rights, visibility, and access to healthcare and protections under the law. The letters stand for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual. In many uses, the acronym is followed by a plus sign to indicate inclusion of additional identities such as pansexual, demisexual, two-spirit, nonbinary, and others, as well as allies. The A commonly stands for asexual, while in some variants it may represent ally.

Each component refers to different experiences: lesbian, gay, and bisexual describe sexual orientations; transgender refers to a gender identity that differs from the sex assigned at birth; queer is a flexible umbrella term used by some to describe non-normative sexual orientations or gender identities or as an umbrella for the community; questioning refers to people still exploring their orientation or gender; intersex describes variations in sex characteristics; asexual describes little or no sexual attraction. Ally is used by some to describe non-LGBTQIA people who support the community.

The term has evolved through activism, scholarship, and media to reflect greater inclusivity. It is widely used in policy, education, and research, though some individuals prefer different terminology. Variants include LGBTI, LGBTIQ, LGBTQ2S, and LGBTQIA+.