What Does 2SLGBTQIA+ Mean?
2SLGBTQIA+ is an acronym that means:
2Spirit
Lesbian
Gay
Bisexual
Transgender
Queer
Intersex
Asexual
+ Pansexual
+ Agender
+ Genderqueer
+ Bigender
+ Genderfluid
+ Pangender
+ many more labels that people use to describe themselves
You may also hear the terms “Queer Community” or “Rainbow Community” used to describe 2SLGBTQIA+ people. This acronym and the various terms are always evolving. The most important thing is to be respectful and use the terms that people use for themselves.
Word:
Definition:
Lesbian
A woman (or non-binary person) who experiences romantic, emotional, or sexual attraction to only or mostly other women.
Gay
A man (or non-binary person) who experiences romantic, emotional, or sexual attraction to only or mostly other men. Gay is also a term that people may use to generally refer to homosexual or non-heterosexual people.
Bisexual
A person of any gender who experiences romantic, emotional or sexual attraction toward more than one gender, or one’s own gender as well as other genders.
Transgender
People whose gender differs from what they were assigned at birth. It is sometimes abbreviated to trans and can be an umbrella term with many variations within it.
Two-Spirit
A term used by First Nations/Indigenous people on Turtle Island (what is referred to as North America) to describe Indigenous ways of being outside the gender binary. It is a term that should only be used by Indigenous people.
Queer
In the context of sexuality and gender, a broad term for sexual orientation that can describe any number of orientations which are not heterosexual or cisgender. It has been reclaimed, but because the word queer was originally used as a slur against those with same-sex desires, not everyone is comfortable with the word queer.
Questioning
Questioning or actively exploring one’s gender identity and/or sexual, emotional, romantic orientation.
Intersex
Intersex is a category that reflects reproductive and/or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to, or isn’t understood to, fit into typical socially constructed definitions of male or female, and/or chromosomal combinations other than XX or XY.
Asexual
An asexual person is someone who may not experience sexual attraction to anyone, or who has experienced/does experience sexual desires, but may not desire to enact them with other individuals.
Pansexual
Pansexuality is sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction toward people of any sex or gender.
Agender
Agender people may have no gender or be without any gender identity.
Genderqueer
Genderqueer is an umbrella term for gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine, is a mix or combination of genders, or is beyond genders.