I'm curious about the make up of people who object

[xchrom]

To LGBTIQ as an identification for folk who are non-hetero.

It's an identification that I happen to love.

But people feel compelled to comment on it
As being too difficult.

Too difficult for who?

And as far as labels go - I'm not non-hetero and
I'm not nothing either.

I'm Gay - a very happy and enthusiastic gay person who really loves
All the alphabet in our soup.

[begin_within]

1. What are the I and Q for?

I think "LGBT" has sunk into the culture pretty firmly.

[HopeHoops]

2. I was wondering that as well.

[xchrom]

9. Intersex - what was once know as hermaphrodite and

Queer or questing -- we used lgbtiqq for a short while
But usage seems to have shortened it.

[Caliman73]

11. I believe the Q is for Queer or Questioning

Not sure about the I. It may be Intersex.

[Erose999]

44. Q is indeed for Queer, as in the sense of "Queer theory"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_theory

Basically its a re-evaluation of the theory of "gender" and how people are classified based on primary and secondary sex characteristics, among other things. A queer theorist would analyze how sexual behavior is either "normative" or "deviant".

If that makes sense...

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Straight, non-objecting, but an actual word would be better.

I favor rehabilitating the term "Queer". But I will happily use whatever terms the Queer community prefers.

And I hereby apologize without reservation to those whom my use of the word "Queer" offends.

--d!

[pipi_k]

7. I agree...

because I can't always remember acronyms that don't actually spell a word.

[xchrom]

15. See I would object to that. Gay is a word we carved out for ourselves.

It wasn't given to us as either a pathology, homosexual or as
A perjorative.

Now I don't mind others identifying as Queer -- I was around from the beginning for it.
But it's not me.

[demmiblue]

4. Other: I am partial to LGBT, but it is not for me to make that determination (hetero)

[eleny]

5. I can't keep up with the changes! Is there a newsletter?

[Warpy]

6. You seem to be adding anything that doesn't fit hetero

so if you're going to string letters together until you've got them all, add "C" for celibate, "O" for onanists, "P" for those who prefer plastic lovers like Real Dolls, "F" for fetishists....

See the problem yet?

"Gay" is the accepted shorthand unless one is talking of a specific group or subgroup. It's a three letter word, easy to type, inoffensive to most, and covers the majority of folks outside the hetero norm, whatever that is.

Sometimes following the K.I.S.S. model is the best policy.

[xchrom]

17. It may expand some what - but it's not all inclusive.

The letters are somewhat specific though you may not see it.

[leftstreet]

8. Why does anything non-heterosexual need to be fit in a box?

:shrug:

Why can't a Bisexual (or anything) person just say s/he is Bisexual without some form of group identity?

[JuniperLea]

19. That makes sense...

What if a person makes further self-realizations?

[spanone]

10. iq...don't get it

[JuniperLea]

12. If it feels good, do it...

I don't care what anyone chooses to call themselves. I really don't care what a person's sexuality is for that matter... it means nothing to me unless I want to have sex with them.

[tularetom]

13. I'm almost 70 years old and I'll never remember wtf all those letters stand for

Perhaps if you made a word out of it?

"LAGBOTICUE"

[EFerrari]

14. I wish the acronym could be made easier for us slightly dyslexic people.

:silly:

[Angry Dragon]

16. I prefer .... AP

A Person

Boxes and labels are too restrictive and limiting

Let people grow into who they are without labels
without interference from others.
Look at me as A Person, not to put me into a box
to fit your limited view.

Not directed at xchom, but to the people
who like boxes.

[ZombieHorde]

18. If you are talking to someone, how do you say, LGBTIQ?

Do you say, "the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed, queer and questioning community?"

Do you simply say the letters?

How do you feel about the phrase, "gay pride parade?"

Should intersexed really be included? Intersexed is not a sexual orientation.

[xchrom]

21. I'm not sure I understand - are you giving a speech?

That's the only reason I can think you would say LGBTIQ the way
You're asking.

Otherwise - it wouldn't really come up casual conversation that I can see.

[ZombieHorde]

24. How about, "My stupid uncle hates LGBTIQ people."

Or perhaps, "You live in Portland? What is the LGBTIQ scene like there?"

I use the word gay in those situations.

[xchrom]

30. You are welcome to what you want of course.

But we are not all gay.

[ZombieHorde]

31. What would you say in those situations? nt

[xchrom]

41. It depends - but these are my people so the conversation flows

Differently.

If I'm talking to someone who isn't a gay a man - we may not refer
Not make a reference at all.

If I'm talking to a gay man - I might inquire about the leather scene.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. xchrom, I wrote a whole, long, what I hoped was a thoughtful reply . . . . .

. . . . and then I scrapped it to see what others did.

So far, everyone in this thread is solidly with you (from what I have seen), and, me included, were all confused by the letters. Not what they mean. Not what they mean for you. I mean *the letters*. Hard to recall. Not intuitive. Easier to cause someone to say "fuck it" than go further.

Its a matter of marketing, pure and simple. make it easy for people like us to "get".

We could all handle "gay". We grew up knowing what "queer" was. Even LGB then LGBT. Or was it GLB? GLBT? Who should come first? Now you want more letters?

And, **please** this is not a put down in any way. Its gotta be easy for people who are not in your community.

I promise you, when I use the term "gay", I am intending to be inclusive.

[Glorfindel]

22. I am LGBTIQ and I have no opinion

But thank you for posting such an interesting and thought-provoking poll. :toast:

[Touchdown]

23. I'm gay and all I want is a boyfriend.

:cry:

[xchrom]

26. Don't we all honey! I do recommend the Grindr til then though.

Lots of temporary help out there.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

25. Why does anything sexual ...

need any definition? Or labels.

We are. We love.

Damn who it is.

Just love, be glad you are able to love.

Some cannot, these people need our help.

Those who know how to love.

[xchrom]

27. See I'm very happy to be a Gay man.

I'm not straight, transgendered or whatever.

It takes ALOT for us to Become - Become transgendered, Become Lesbian -- we are not
An amorphous thing - We do have an identity.

A hard won identity.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

52. I am so glad for you.

I am very happy to be a straight man. This is the first time, I think, I ever referred to myself in that manner.

I was just born this way. I did not have the struggles that you did.
You are brave in every sense.
Questions at times in my life, but no struggles, no battles to be accepted.

But in my every day life, I have no need for any labels for my sexuality.
I just am.

My wife was a ballet teacher, men and women. I know many Gays and Lesbians.
(The practice is a fertile place for G & L's forgive the shorthand.)
To me, they just are.

We all love people, some of the same sex, some of us different sexes.
Our group does not question any of that.
We are just happy for each other that we have someone to love and make us complete.
We just are, no labels.

Tom and Frank is Tom and Frank, Greg and Mary is Greg and Mary.

I'm 58 years on this earth, guess being a "hippie" formed a little different mind.

Peace be, Namaste.

[Lyric]

28. I'm gay and I dislike the increasing string of letters.

Especially since the string is different depending on where you go and what the context is. Our college GLBT group is now something like GLBTIQPA, and frankly, it's confusing. I prefer an easy term that just means "alternative sexuality". I tend to use "gay" for this--I know some others use "queer" as an all-encompassing word, but I don't think I'll ever shake my revulsion for that particular word.

Anyway, we are not a big hive-mind, so I don't think we're ever going to agree on ONE particular designator or acronym. But interesting discussion nonetheless.

[JuniperLea]

39. Perhaps because "queer" was a name that was given...

And adopted, but "gay" I believe was chosen?

Quentin Crisp used the term queer a lot and that might be a generational thing, but I really loved the way he said it... I can't put my finger on why, however. I always loved him, and I really appreciated John Hurt's portrayal of him on film.

[spanone]

29. a rose by any other name

[-..__...]

32. How the fuck do you pronounce that?

[petronius]

34. It's pronounced 'smith.' (The 'p' is silent.)

[petronius]

33. I'm straight, and my opinion is that I'm happy to call people whatever they prefer.

However, I also feel a bit left out - shouldn't there an 'S' in there? ;)

[eyepaddle]

35. Hetero, with no real objection to the alphabet, but I must confess

that I do have trouble keeping up, and when I go to use "the acronym" in conversation I don't always relish the feeling that maybe I'm unwittingly sstepping on somebody's toes.

[Zax2me]

36. It's a little overwhelming, is all...

Abbreviations are about simplifying.
When the abbreviation itself is too long it becomes self-defeating.
It isn't about who is included, who is not, being fair to this group, not being inclusive to that one - the subject matter is not relevant.

People use abbreviations because they want practical/simple. That's why 'too difficult' is the common complaint you are hearing.
You can't decide what people will accept as an abbreviation. If you get too much resistance then you have to find another solution.

[Toucano]

38. +1

[zorahopkins]

37. My Make Up Is Revlon

I hope you don't object.

[JuniperLea]

40. ...

Never tested on animals!

[Toucano]

42. I am more interested in why you "happen to love" it.

Can I be Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?

From my perspective...there's so much diversity in your alphabet soup that it begins to lose meaning. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

I'm much more interested in relating to people as individuals rather than drawing more boundaries and borderlines around the politics of identity.

What issue, for example, would members of those six groups have converging interests?

[TriMera]

45. I can answer that question.

"What issue, for example, would members of those six groups have converging interests?"

Answer: The right to exist in this country with the same civil rights that others already have.

[Toucano]

48. Which civil rights?

If it's that broad, then you're leaving people out.

Transgendered persons and inter-sexed persons can marry, for example, so their interest in that particular civil right is substantially less than gay people and lesbian people.

Can you be more specific?

[TriMera]

49. Not true. Here's why;

In many states, transgendered people aren't able to change there "legal" sex. Also, many transgendered people identify as gay or lesbian and cannot enter into same sex marriages in most states. Inter-sexed people also have the same types of issues. The majority of inter-sexed people are assigned a sex at birth and, later in life, the individual identifies as the sex that was not assigned to them. Our issues are, more often than not, related.

[xchrom]

50. Thank you for that. It's a little details like that that both

People in our and especially outside don't realize.

And it also provides a compass for how we got our letters.

[TriMera]

51. You're welcome, xchrome.

BTW, I voted that I like the letters. They might be unruly, but they represent who we are as a community. IMO.

[NoPasaran]

43. It's a whole lot of letters, it's true

But I won't be happy until ALL the letters of the alphabet are included. Maybe a few numbers as well.

LGBT on the other hand always reminds me of a sandwich. Mmmm, bacon.

[Mimosa]

46. 'Our letters' ?

Speak for yourself. ;)

[bigwillq]

47. I'm just me.

No letters needed.