Yes
27.4%
No
66.9%
Undecided
5.7%
Total Votes: 2299
Comments:
These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.
Giovanni Sorrentino
As person who knows people of every gender and sexual perfernce just makes things easier to use lgbt. Do we need the q just a givin that we are all QUEER to some folk.
Anonymous
My life as a gay man has very different challenges than that of a bisexual or a transexual person's experience. And I think gay people (men and women) do a disservice to bisexuals and transexuals when we only give one-fourth of our attention to their struggles. Better to be a gay/lesbian person who supports the bi/trans community than to clump us all together.
Anonymous
My life as a gay man has nothing to do with a bisexual person's dilemma or a transexual's experience. And I think gay people (men and women) do a disservice to bisexuals and transexuals when we only give one-fourth of our attention to their struggles.
Randall Friesen
My life as a gay man has nothing to do with a bisexual person's dilemma or a transexual's experience. And I think gay people (men and women) do a disservice to bisexuals and transexuals when we only give one-fourth of our attention to their struggles.
Anonymous
My life as a gay man has nothing to do with a bisexual person's dilemma or a transexual's experience. And I think gay people (men and women) do a disservice to bisexuals and transexuals when we only give one-fourth of our attention to their struggles.
Anonymous
This is a silly question. Plus Queer is the same thing as saying Gay! Gay has been all inclusive, the division started with using "L" for lesbian. Then everyone else started to say that these were discriminatory because they didn't have a letter for the other's [ i'd agree with that]. Why do we have to divide our community? These sound like some secret code that needs to be deciphered. Just use one all inclusive term, otherwise there can be a lot more than just LGBT or GLBTQ, what about SA, S, Bear, Leather, Twink, Chocolate, Straight and the list will continue. It's silly, Gay has included all of these for years.
Mike
I really hate being lumped in with the catch phrase LGBT. I am gay, not "all of the above".
Anonymous
The acronyms are fine when talking about the broader community, but sometimes just gay or lesbian or queer is better.
Sheila
No T.
No Q.
GL or LG suffice in and of themselves.
T is not part of us. They are straight and are simply not a part of the community.
Q comes from a derogatory term used against us. I want no part of it.
Louis of New Orleans
Gay and lesbian is an appropiate phrase. I can't say I am too thrilled with the bisexual part, but can see a reason for it. The trans, though, is completely unnecessary. Their issues are totally different from ours and I am tired of the PC need for their inclusion. TG or TS are not necessarily gay or lesbian and are straight more often than not. They have their issues and we have ours. Do not lump us together!
Louis of New Orleans
Gay and lesbian is an appropiate phrase. I can't say I am too thrilled with the bisexual part, but can see a reason for it. The trans, though, is completely unnecessary. Their issues are totally different from ours and I am tired of the PC need for their inclusion. TG or TS are not necessarily gay or lesbian and are straight more often than not. They have their issues and we have ours. Do not lump us together!
Louis of New Orleans
Gay and lesbian is an appropiate phrase. I can't say I am too thrilled with the bisexual part, but can see a reason for it. The trans, though, is completely unnecessary. Their issues are totally different from ours and I am tired of the PC need for their inclusion. TG or TS are not necessarily gay or lesbian and are straight more often than not. They have their issues and we have ours. Do not lump us together!
Philip Dumas
I'm not some initial. I am a Gay man! That's it. Lopping us altogether like some BLTQG-XYZ sandwich reduces the individual identity and creates some kind of smorgasboard of letters that is suppose to inclusive, but ends up excluding the individual identity. I am a Gay man period not a buffet of letters!
Nathan
It is more inclusive.
Anonymous
We are turning into alphabet soup!
R. I. Crawford
I personally like the term "gay woman" better than lesbian. The initials seem to be a good idea too.
Tunapop in W'loo, Ia.
I think it's obvious by peoples' reactions that 'gay' is all we need to describe all genders and sexualitys in our movement. Advocate, please spend less time on boring issues like this!!!!!!!
Anonymous
NOT NECESSARY
Richard
The words gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender represent the community as a whole... and quite honestly, i don't think that everyone knows what LGBT and GLBTQ means. By using words like gay, etc., we are spreading the message so much more then by masking it behind some 4 or 5 letter acronym.
St. Pete Bound
Since this poll began, I've been conducting my own among my straight friends who incidently have know me, worked with me and listened to me talk about gay issues and have been bombarded by with with hundreds of emails about gay issues. Only one str8 friend could answer "What does GLBT stand for?" And that's because she googled it. Forget GLBTXYZ! Str8s hold the political power and they will not grant freedom to some jumble of initials. Gay includes the entire community and str8s recognize Gay. Recognition will lead to understand and acceptance. Eventually laws will be changed to include the Gay community. Gay is Power!
gordon mcdonald
the more inclusive the better (also I for intersexuality )
small fear - a continuum can tend to promote an ordered devaluation
Chris
I do not think the "T" or "Q"should be included. We have enough PR challenges as it is.
There is nothing wrong with "gay and lesbian". Why abbreviate it unless of course you are ashamed of it?
Anonymous
Who exactly would make the final decision? Not all groups reach out to all people, some that I've been in only added the "T" after we learned more about it and felt we could be welcoming. Meaningless poll, at some point someone will come up with a good catch-all phrase (preferably with a few vowels in it) and maybe it will catch on.
Anonymous
Gay is the best term to use for both male and females who love the same-sex. All these letters are very confusing. What the heck does intersexed mean anyway? What is AA? Is it AL for alternative lifestyle? I don't think my lifestyle is alternative or different or anything out of the ordinary in anyway. Other people do, but I have never thought that of myself in that way. I still go to work, college, have a family, friends, pay taxes and contribute to this country's prosperity. I do not like the terms: queer, fag, dyke or any other term meant to demean us as human beings. Perhaps we should use the term homo sapiens if we want to include everyone in the same category?
Anonymous
Use the word gay for both male and female homosexuals. The word Queer makes me cringe, it is like using the derogatory "N" word for the black population. It is not usually used as a compliment but rather as an insult. As for the Bi community, I think they can also fit in under gay, but is the T for transgender, transexual, or transvestite and are they homosexuals or what? I've never been clear on that term, and I bet I'm not the only one who is clueless. If I am clueless, I bet some of the non-gay people are as well. Please clarify some of these ters, but leave the word gay for us gay women and gay men. Keep is simple!
Gene
Why not just settle for 'human'?
Anonymous
I prefer using the word "gay" to identify all homosexuals regardless of gender. Many of the people I know, both gay men and gay women prefer to simply use the word gay to refer to all of us together.
I, as well as, many of my friends do not care for the term lesbian at all.
Anonymous
I think the word Gay should refer to the entire homosexual community which would also include Bi's. MUCH more simpler.
Anonymous
if you want to be inclusive, why not include straights? Moreover, nobody is a LGBT person. I am gay. Not lesbian, not bi, not trans. GAY. And trans are not bi or gay or lesbian.
We're gay Americans. And until and unless we act with a radical dignity we will never win.
Anonymous
if you want to be inclusive, why not include straights? Moreover, nobody is a LGBT person. I am gay. Not lesbian, not bi, not trans. GAY. And trans are not bi or gay or lesbian.
We're gay Americans. And until and unless we act with a radical dignity we will never win.
Ronnie Touvell
Absolutely not! I am a GAY man; not a lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Nothing against those groups, but I feel it's important for gay men to be GAY MEN. After all, lesbians are GAY women. America knows what the word "gay" means by now I would hope. In fact, when I read the Advocate, in my mind when I see LGBT I'm actually thinking "gay."
Let the other groups have there own terms, but I am GAY!
Jacko
I use GLBT and phrases of that nature when referring to that community as a whole at times, but I don't think that the terms lesbian and gay should be thrown out with the bath water. There is enough room for varying terms.
Anonymous
NO! I do not want to be identified with the bisexuals and the transgenders. Let them start their own fucking movement, for all I care. If they don't like being lumped together with us gays and lesbians, goodbye and good riddance. They don't have the same issues and concerns as us anyway.
Anonymous
I'm gay. I neither ni nor a lesbian nor trans . . .
So to lump them all together in one acronym is just plain wrong.
Anonymous
There is plenty of need for and room for all of the terms.
Paul D. Liehr
I am a man attracted to other men and am comfortable in my own male skin . Although I have no malice toward these people , I resent being categorized with the gender dyphoric and gender unsure .
Anonymous
Being a masculine gay male, I don't consider myself to be a part of any group descriptor of "Bi, Transgendered, Queer, Intersexed, or Undecided".
Anonymous
It's like politically correcting who we are. I refuse to be known as a LGBT American. I'm gay. Period.
Rodney Moore
"Gay" has been the best world used to describe our community. We added the word "lesbian" to the titles of our movements and organisations to include gay women despite the fact that the word lesbian is exclusive to gay women. However the word "gay" has been used inclusively to include gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. The word "queer" which to many gays is likened to "nigger" isn't appropriate. As far as I am concerned the gay movement shouldn't get caught up in over expanding our movement and worrying about naming ourselves GLBT, LGBT, GLBTQ or whatever. Our movement is what it is, a gay movement. The gay movement has always had lesbians, gay men, transgendered and bisexuals in the movement, we are all covered under the word "gay". Alot of people who "don't like labels" seem so apt on making up new ones. They want to be so non-conforming to a "label" that they go an invent a new label for themselves to conform to.
Linda
No, because they are not synonymous. GLBTQ includes gay men, lesbians, and others. As Ms. DeGeneres's comment highlights, however, it does appear that "gay" has, to a certain extent, replaced the phrase "gay and lesbian." Just look at the phrase "gay marriage." The opponents of marriage equality are definitely not saying that they oppose same-sex unions for men but think that it's just dandy for lesbian couples to wed!
Bryan
I think that we need to keep the acronym and the term "gay and lesbian". While GLBT/GLBTQ or whatever acronym people are most comfortable with are good for describing the community as a whole, they're not good for individual people. I'm gay, and damn proud of it, and I"m part of the GLBT community. Besides, by using this acronym, we reflect the idea that everyone fits under the umbrella somewhere. I"ve even seen it expanded to GLBTQIA (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersexed, and Allies). GLBT doesn't have to stand for everything, but it has to stand for something, a community of people who support each other and stand up in the face of adversity and shout, "I"m here, I'm queer, and get the fuck used to it because we're not going away!"
Anonymous
Us B and T people matter too.
Kevin L. Downer
It is time we recognize that our community is diverse. Reducing our community to gay and lesbian denies the diverse sexual identies adn orientatons that exist and perpetuates the same ignorance that we find prevelant in the rest of society.
Anonymous
add a letter for straight and people may start to get that it's really just people
Anonymous
I'm not lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or transsexual...there's no reason for me to use anything but "gay" or "homo" to describe myself...
Paul
it doesn't work. The average person has come to know what gay stands for. I think to retool oursselves in this manner is much like the Blacks and the confuseion ove the term colored, Black or African American.
We are Gay so leave thing's alone.
Paul
it doesn't work. The average person has come to know what gay stands for. I think to retool oursselves in this manner is much like the Blacks and the confuseion ove the term colored, Black or African American.
We are Gay so leave thing's alone.
Dakar Noir
I think abbreviations are just what they are, and should in no way be used to describe human sexuality.
Think about the confusion LGBT or GLBTQ may bring to the big and little minds around us. How do we help our kids growing up to use those acronyms everyday when refering to someone's sexuality? How do we simplify the confusion and bewilderment some of our "bigshots" politicians and ministers of the gospel who act as if our sexuality is complex as Einstein's theory of relativity?
My advise is let's leave it simple and basic. for both ours and society sake. The abbreviations are cool for our community to use when discussing issues, but for us to have the larger society using the shortcut will be overbearing. I must point out that I too find it overbearing when trying to place what exactly each letter stand for. I'm gay and love to be called by that word. Acronymys are not my cup of tea.
Anonymous
LGBT with or without the Q separates us, rather than uniying us. If we need to give up Gay and Lesbian and aren't comfortable with Queer, how about a new all-encompassing title, like fabulous!
Anonymous
LGBT with or without the Q separates us, rather than uniying us. If we need to give up Gay and Lesbian and aren't comfortable with Queer, how about a new all-encompassing title, like fabulous!
raj
I voted no. The abbreviations are too confusing, particularly to those who are not LGBT, GLBT, GLBTQ, or LGBTQSS (Same-sex Supportive), etc. I typically just use "gay" (three letters, lower case), and, if I want to get more specific, I'll use "gay men," "lesbian," etc.
Anonymous
The comments on this are crazy... if the gay community wants to include the trans movement, then let's include nambla and beastiality! It's all the same.
Anonymous
No, the inclusion of transgenders hurts our cause and sets us back decades.
Anonymous
While technically more accurate and inclusive, it's not recognizable enough and would likely lessen any marketing/lobbying impacts.
Gordon
Historically, for centuries, "gay" in fact referred to male amative relationships, and was employed much earlier than the Nineteenth Century referent: "homosexual." Lesbians are not historically connected to being "gay" per se. Such female relationships were considered aberrations of the natural order since ancient times, which then solely approved of and encouraged male relationships.
Anonymous
people keep saying that as gay and lesbian people are so different from trans and bisexual people I find that not to be true. first of all opression is opression, so we as gays and lesbians have that common thread with bisexuals and transgender/transsexualls. in addition bisexuals can find themselves in same sex relationships, therefore can have some of the same issues as a gay or lesbian person. in addition, someone who is trans deviates from societies idea of sex and gender, as a pretty masculine lesbian I would say that i too deviate from societies gender roles, just not to the same degree, therefore don't some people share that too?
I prefer queer, but I would rather use LGBTQ then leave soeone out with gay and lesbian. in addition, I think you will find that more of the general public knows what that acronym stands for then people realize.
Anonymous
and by the way, bi and transgendered people don't make up 28% of the queer community -- this means there are a lot of allies who have figured things out.
Anonymous
of course the way we describe ourselves should include everyone. 2/3 of the people who read the advocate are very uneducated.
Anonymous
it is more inclusive, which some people may not like. I have a few trans. friends, so I prefer it.
Anonymous
Of course not. I am gay, I am a lesbian, I am a person. I am certainly not an abbreviation and should not use one to describe any aspect of my life and community.
Yvonne Neis
When talking about gay and lesbian people it would be standard to say that, but now events like pride encompass everyone so it is only appropriate to say LGBTQQIA.
John H. Embry
We need less replacement and more strengthening. Separating Lesbian from Gay was divisive. Now along comes "Queer" which is an 'in' thing, meaningless to anyone other than to bigots. Even more important, "straight" rather than "non-gay", like "queer" denotes "crooked" or "counterfeit."
Are we all masochists?
Including a bunch of initials brings in minorities within a minority. How queer do you want to be?
Anonymous
I can't keep up with all of the abbreviations...just last week our company was asked to start including "i" to the end of LGBTQ.
Help!
Riley
While it seems like a bit of alphabet soup, I much prefer “GLBTQ” because it’s inclusive whereas “gay and lesbian” doesn’t allow for such fluidity. There are many of us in the community who identify as queer, bi, or trans who are working actively on issues that are believed to be “gay and lesbian”. I’d rather leave the divisiveness to those external foes that would seek to demonize difference rather than personally practicing it in my community.
Riley
While it seems like a bit of alphabet soup, I much prefer “GLBTQ” because it’s inclusive whereas “gay and lesbian” doesn’t allow for such fluidity. There are many of us in the community who identify as queer, bi, or trans who are working actively on issues that are believed to be “gay and lesbian”. I’d rather leave the divisiveness to those external foes that would seek to demonize difference rather than personally practicing it in my community.
Thaddaeus Morelock
I think it all depends on the context, for instance, when I cam out to my family, I didn't say, "Mom, Dad I am LGBT." I said, "Mom, Dad I am gay." But I do think when we are talking about communities and such that the abbvreviations are good, but I also like the word "queer." I find that it is a very inclusive word, for anyone, espically those who do not want to define themselves in a hegemonic way.
Nicole Perez
I am deeply disturbed at the incredible ignorance that seems to plague many gay and lesbian communities. Comments such as "what have those trans and bi people ever done for us" are incredibly insulting and misguided. If these people had done thier homework, they would know that it was those very trans and gender-variant people (and queers of color) that kicked off the infamous Stonewall Rebellion which is hailed as the beginning of our modern gay rights movement. Have some respect people- this type of hypocrisy is appauling. Shame on you!
LGBTQ communities get enough heat and oppression from the mainstream and religious right, we do not need to be treating each other with such blatant disrespect (especially at a time like this). While of course there are many differences between us, it is vital that we such embrace difference and that we stand in solidarity with one another. We need to keep in mind that one person's oppression is everyone's oppression and that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
"He who allows oppression shares the crime."
I look forward to the final results of this survey.
Anonymous
As a gay man I have mixed feelings about being lumped into the same catagory as lesbians, bi-sexuals and transgendered people. I support their rights and their right to live their lives as they see fit but I do not necessarily feel a connection with them in many ways.
Becky Corran
Inclusivity is critical to our success in any progressive movement toward equality.
Charles S
Lets Just all be QUEERS its simple and that makes the message and the fight for equality easier to spread and move forward. I am Gay but I would describe myself as a Queer or member of the Queer Community as well. Ditcht the letters.
Mitch
Let's just keep it less confusing
for everyone, including ourselves.
If you keeping adding a letter for
every different type of orientation
you could end up with a lot letters.
Even if you are Bi or transgendered
you are still basically Gay or Lesbian, if not you probably feel you
are straight.
Anonymous
"GLBT" and "LGBT" each have four syllables.
"Gay and lesbian" has five syllables.
The abbreviation is more concise AND more inclusive. We should strive to include bi and trans people in our language.
Anonymous
"GLBT" and "LGBT" each have four syllables.
"Gay and lesbian" has five syllables.
The abbreviation is more concise AND more inclusive. We should strive to nclude bi and trans people in our language.
Anonymous
As a bisexual woman, I do feel excluded by the phrase "gay and lesbian". Bisexual people may become involved in same-sex relationships, and will face the same legal and social discrimination as gay people in same-sex relationships. The queer community should be more inclusive of bisexual and transgendered people!
Anonymous
What does this matter? In the medical field (in which I work), we abbreviate everything. I'm used to it. It's part of society. It makes no difference to me and to be quite honest, I didn't even know this was an issue.
Anonymous
The abbreviations include bi and trans people.
Ms. Andy Berkowitz
Although I do use the abbreviation of "LGBT" in conversions, I am not quite sure if it is necessary to "officially" replace the words gay and lesbian. I feel that everyone I talk to is aware of what I am saying, and whatever someone's orientation in our family might be, I think G & L encompasses our entire community. If any change in our description should be made, it just should be something simple, i.e.: "queers." Every person under our rainbow umbrella would be represented by the word queer, and it makes our speech much simpler.
Anonymous
Yes and No, we should include everyone in our community, so use the most inclusive one
Anonymous
Bisexual and trans people are still queer.
Scot Tanner
Gay and Lesbian refer to describing a person, where as GLBT refers to describing a community. I am gay and I am also a part of the GLBT community.
ktphelps
we should just be considered the RAINBOW COMMUNITY - from there groups can break it down anyway they feel.
we all want the same thing, to be ourselves; to love and be loved and not to be discriminated against. respect within our community for those different from ourselves is extremely important. together , we should be able to achieve rights and non-discrimination for all.
Anonymous
I think equal rights for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered are very important, but even more important is that we include everyone. Yes, we need to ban together for equality, but in order to get rights for everyone, we need to include everyone.
galen
no, in this day and age there are too many abbreviations. Sometimes an abbreviation is used just because someone is ashamed or afraid to say the whole word or group of words. It's just too easy to cop out with an abbreviation.
We need to be able to say all the words, and be proud to use them.
Anonymous
no, in this day and age there are too many abbreviations. Sometimes an abbreviation is used just because someone is ashamed or afraid to say the whole word or group of words. It's just too easy to cop out with an abbreviation.
We need to be able to say all the words, and be proud to use them.
LESTER LASA
IAM A GAY MAN I HAVE LESBIAN FRIENDS WHY TRY TO MAKE IT A CODE IAM PROUD AND IF OTHERS AREN'T LET THEM USE IT AMONG THEMSELVES LESTER LASA MIAMI FLORIDIA
Anonymous
Too complicated and abstract for general public.
Anonymous
Actually, "gay" should mean both "lesbians " and "catamites" :)
Buddy
I don't like being referred to as a letter ... or as part of a string of letters.
Anonymous
LGBT and all the other acronyms are used mainly for activism, lobbying and political purposes in addition being used as a label in news reports to identifying the gay & lesbian community to the world. But when we speak, we say "is he gay" or "is she lesbian" . It just doen't natually flow out " is he/she LGBT ? " And what is questioning anyways ? Are we bisexual and just afraid to use that term which has become somewhat of a negative to gays ?
Anonymous
It's more inclusive.
Will
There's an understandable urge toward *explicit* inclusion -- much like today's frequent use of 'he or she' rather than the pronoun 'he' in its generic sense, long understood in modern English grammar to encompass both men and women unless context required otherwise.
But this process often leads to extreme clumsiness of expression, as with 'GLBTQ' and other examples.
I think the term 'gay' should be understood generally to denote *all* people of supposedly 'nonstandard' sexual orientation unless there's a clear contextual need to discuss specific distinguishing characteristics among them.
Richard Hopper
When I was growing up, 1930s, 40s, 50s, queer was a derogatory term. When gay replaced queer, many thought of it as a positive term. Don't get rid of it.
Trent
The biphobia and transphobia espoused on this poll alone is frankly enough of a reason.
Adam A Karu
WHY? IF YOU CAN WRITE D.C. or NY..
Anonymous
Of course not. Ridiculous.
Anonymous
Don't be silly.
Queer is a good alternative, gender neutral, umbrella term.
Scot Spitzner
LGBT and GLBT are stupid. It's awkward and can't be used in a sounbite. it's a form of self marginalization that effectively make gays seem obscure and supercilious.
Anonymous
The problem is that everyone wants to become a part of the acronym so eventually you have a GLBTQIAA...XYZ that goes on forever.
Steven Pope
We have UNITY in the phrase GAY---take it from us and we as a community are all divided once again; consequently, isn't this what opposing heterosexuals want from us--our diviseness? Why allow them to win? I'm GAY and equally as proud of the word as I am the sexuality is describes!
Steven Smith
As much as the community wishes to be inclusive, Gay and Lesbian are quite distinct from Bisexual and Transgender. I'm not advocating discrimination, but I'm not a big fan of unwarranted grouping either.
Steven Smith
As much as the community wishes to be inclusive, Gay and Lesbian are quite distinct from Bisexual and Transgender. I'm not advocating discrimination, but I'm not a big fan of unwarranted grouping either.
Steve J.
No non-gay person knows or cares what LGBT or GLBTQ might mean. The use of such obtruse abbreviations are immediately interpreted as leftwing political correctness run amuck.
Anonymous
No, it includes transgenders... people who are not gay or lesbian and should not benefit from our fight and funds.
David La Fontaine
Annoying but yes.
Dan Billingsley
Being a young activist, I tend to prefer LGBT or even "queer," but gay and lesbian still encompasses so much that it is useful today. I don't know if it's a huge issue, but as a journalist, it's becoming a sticky point -- especially in articles when referring to our community.
Jack
I know that "gay" and "lesbian" is still not politically correct, but it is a lot better than a tongue twister like LGBT, or GLBTQ. I hate saying GLBTQ, and I hate reading it. Unless someone else has a better idea, I say we use "gay" and "lesbian".
John
The old saying that the problem with labels, is that you are grouped with a lot of others with whom you have little in common, does apply here. First & foremost, I'm a gay male & politically I identify with other gay males. My sexual orientation is towards members of the same sex, therefore I also can relate to our lesbian sisters.
I wish all the transgenders/transvestites well in their search for equality, but I cannot relate to their issues. I think that we gay men & lesbian women would be strategically better positioned to assist other minority groups, once we have achieved acceptance for ourselves.
Charles Etheridge
Since GLBT is seeing so much use lately, we might as well go that route, even though it is a bit awkward when using it verbally. I don't see that one is more prejudicial than the other, and I wouldn't be offended by the useof either.
Stephanie Cox
Including my bi and trans brothers and sisters is as important to me as including my gay male counterparts. No matter how we ourselves attempt to exclude those not exactly like us, the fundamentalist right views us as one large group of deviants, so we may as well use it to our advantage. Those who believe that excluding transfolk will buy them credibility in the straight world would benefit from reading up on the herstory of straight, white feminists who learned from those mistakes already.
Anonymous
Abbreviations like LGBT and GLBTQ are vague and confusing to the average person. However, they are less assuming than phrases like Gay and Lesbian. What's in a name--term? Everything. How we want to be seen by others directly relates to the language we use.
Anonymous
Generally, I have always thought that people that answere "undecided" in a internet or telephone poll needed to get a life. However, this question is one I really think is irrelevant.
Kathy
I use LGBT and gay/lesbian interchangeably depending on my audience. If I'm with a group of lesbians, I'm more specific, but if I'm addressing a group of mixed folk, I try to be more inclusive by using LGBT. I don't agree that it should be an either or thing. Each word is useful in its rightful context.
I also use LGBT as a code word when I am trying to communicate with my partner or my gay friends in a hetero setting. Most straight people have no clue what LGBT stands for or means, so it's good way to stay undercover:), especially if you find yourself in a potentially hostile setting (e.g. in a shopping mall or restaurant in rural parts of the country).
One Gay Community
Gay does not mean exclusively male. There are gay men and gay women and gay men that have sex with men and women and gay women that have sex with both men and women. Lesbian excludes all men; there may be gay men who act like lesbians but there are no males lesbians. Bisexual exludes those who do not have sex with both sexes. Homosexual sounds so clinical and seems to exclude the bi crowd. Gay seems to be the most inclusive term of all.
Gay/Queer/Faggot
During my early teens, I had sex with five other boys. In high school & through college, I had sex exclusively with females. Then I was fortunate to meet the first of many adult gay men. Does having had sex with both male and female make me bi. In the only opinion that counts, MINE, I AM GAY. Call me gay, call me queer, call me faggot, I'm cool. Don't ever call me bi. Bisexuals are too damn touchy, complaining about being misunderstood, excluded. If they'd lighten up, maybe someone would take them seriously.
Sean Drumm
I think the constant "labelling" and then "re-labelling" is one of the things that weaken the gay and Lesbian (or LGBT) community. No one wants to be a part of an acronym. I think that with such an array of "labels" (and yes, i think "queer" for sake of not wanting to be labelled is also a label) potential allies who don't know the lingo can be put off and feel that they are on shakey ground. To someone who doesn't understand the acronyms GLBTQ doesn't sound all that different from NAMBLA.
Anonymous
Not unless you know how to say it in conversation. How would one pronounce "LGBT" without spelling it out? "Ligibit"?
Billy N SF
I think we (individuals and organizations) should use whatever is comfortable for them and their context. Discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is not happening because we as a community have alphabet soup for a name, we are discriminated against because of who and how we love as well as for not conforming to socialtal gender norms. For those who have difficulty with the transgender community just know that sexism/genderism is THE WEAPON of homophobia. We can't be free until all of us are free--uncomfortable as that may make some. Welcome to the struggle.
Anonymous
As a 34 woman married to a lesbian, I feel more comfortable with the abbreviation LGBT. I have identified as bi-sexual since age 18, in sexual nature and christian lifestyles.
Anonymous
I'm kind of split on this one. Because it makes Gay's and Lesbians sound better as a word. But at the same time it also kind of makes it look like that being gay and lesbian isn't hard and that anyone can do it.
Alisha
For the simple fact that a lot of L&G dealt with the opposite sex in a relationship before they came out as Gay or Lesbian. Why not include Bi or Trans to the fight for equality. We are here and many of us hide within the G&L community. I know I did for a while until I saw the prejudice that Gays and Lesbians alike have towards Trans and Bi's. Isn't it ironic how L&G can be so judgemental towards us when we are in the same place they were 10 years ago. Lets be serious the torment that we all get as LGBT, we should come together instead of being bias. This makes me look at L&G just as a straight person, ignorant. To me a lot of Gays and Lesbians are just as bad now that they went through the fight. They now forget what they went through and jugde us just how they were judged, and it really wasn't that long ago.
Elad
Well...
Given the fact that "Gay and Lesbian" includes only gays and lesbians, I see no other option...
Elad,
Bisexual activist,
Israel.
Keith
To comment on the postings I've seen thus far...
It seems there are a variety of rifts here, all valid but not all sound. First there is the dichotmy of marginalization. People, on one hand, hate to be marginalized. "Who would want to be singled out from the pack as something different? Let's use the word queer," these people say.
On the other hand, people adore being marginalized. "I'm different. I go against the norm. Let me be called gay, lesbian or polka-dotted."
This is a tough issue because it's not an "us vs. them" thing. It's not that there is one side that wants to be included and one side that wants to be marganilized. We all have conflicting feelings. We all want to be accepted, but we all want to be unique.
So maybe the best way to solve this problem is to let anyone call themselves whatever they wish and allow them to move freely from one term to the next on a whim without stigmatization. Today I'm gay, tomorrow I'm queer. Personal choice.
Anonymous
Sure - just figure out how to pronounce it!
Anonymous
I only say yes because I loathe the terms gay and lesbian. It's just as devisive as black and white. I'm not an advocate of the belief that sexuality is fluid for everyone, but I do believe that there is too much baggage that comes along with words like gay, lesbian and straight. Categories are for Jeopardy, not for people.
Straights, gays, bisexuals, transgendered...we're all human, and we're all queer.
Michele B Kaufman
LGBT is preferred because it encompasses the entire movement... not just gay and lesbian but it include bisexual and transgendered people too.
Chris
The acronyms are ridiculous. How can our communities gain greater respect and tolerance when we self-identify as something akin to a luncheon sandwich. The very definition of "diverse" is something not easily grouped.... let's find a few easy words to refer to that diversity. Not some crazy jumble of letters that will start to look like nonsense with each "group" that insists it be included seperately.
Chris
The acronyms are ridiculous. How can our communities gain greater respect and tolerance when we self-identify as something akin to a luncheon sandwich. The very definition of "diverse" is something not easily grouped.... let's find a few easy words to refer to that diversity. Not some crazy jumble of letters that will start to look like nonsense with each "group" that insists it be included seperately.
BiParadise.com
the phrase "gay and lesbian" is non-inclusive... if either gender homosexuals would both relate to the term "gay" then that would suffice, a lesbian needs not be called a lesbian for someone to know she is a woman. She is a "gay" woman, just as a gay man is a gay man. Though, BiSexuals and Trans may not fall so neatly under the umbrella statement "gay", so, since "QUEER" is being elevated to an exceptable level... and since it means "Different from the normal", I say that Queer becomes the new all encompassing word and all embrace it! Even the Moral Majority would love that they could with a good conscience continue saying Queer. It is win/win/win in my oppinion.
Brent
Only if you're talking about our community at large. If you're referring to gays, use "gay". If you're referring to lesbians, use "lesbian". It's a no-brainer.
Anonymous
I think the abbreviations are confusing. We need one word to include all orientations. The best I can think of from all the current choices is "queer" or "gay". Or, even better, just have society be open enough that each person picks the word they like to identify themselves... and for organizations / advocacy that covers all these groups, say something like "all people, regardless of sexual identity".
Chelle
If we want diversity and inclusion, we must start with ourselves and embrace every part of us.
Suzanne
In response to those peoples negative comments about using the abbreviation, I guess being gay or lesbian doesn't stop you from being stupid.
Anonymous
I am a bisexual man and one thing that gays and lesbians HAVE to agree with me on is that we ALL enjoy same sex sexual activities. I read a comment which said bi people don't support gay and lesbians. That person must live under a rock. Look at the bi people in gay pride parades. I have never harbored any ill will towards gays and lesbians because it would make me a hypocrite. I know I'm not the only bisexual who thinks that way.
Also, it bothers me when gays or lesbians claim we don't exist. Maybe a few, very few, are gay but don't want to admit it. I think I can speak for all bi people when I say we ARE bisexual because women and men both turn us on sexually. A gay man who commented here said being bi is a choice we made. Any gay or lesbian who says that is a hypocrite. People who are trying to ban gay marriage, which bi people support, say it is a choice. A straight man gets it up for a woman but can't for a man. A gay man gets it up for a man but can't for a woman. A man who gets it up for a man or a woman is turned on by both and is bisexual. None of the three of us chose to be the way we are. To exclude bisexuals is hypocracy, we support you, why can't you support us.
Finally, as Ben Franklin said "We must all hang together, for most assuredly we shall all hang seperately."
bisexual BTLG activist
I think that the results of this poll, currently overwhelmingly against the recognition of bi and transfolk in the community, reflect a failure on the part of the Advocate and other gay media to adequately represent B, T and other gender and sexual variant people's activism and identity. Based on many of the comments here, most people are not aware of what it means to be trans (trans people are not straight, they can still have partners of same or other genders) or that trans people and bis were and are very active in the BTLG movement. Better reporting and discourse by the Advocate and others would help its readers be more aware and fair and stop saying all this sexist biphobic and transphobic crap.
Kent H.
I'm not saying exclude anyone. I just think we can all be included in one simple word! Like 'gay' for instance.
Kent H.
What a bunch of crap! To me, gay or queer is all inclusive. I can't stand the way the community fights over terminology, or whether the G goes before the L or the B. The alphabet thing is just too much. How do you work it into a conversation? "My friend the BLTGTQI said the other day...". It's ridiculous. Let's find more important stuff to worry about, like AIDS, the war, the economy, etc.
Ant
Yes, obviously, if you actually care about sexual and gender diversity, as I do. Why respond to being excluded from mainstream society by turning around and excluding others?
sarah
god i feel so marginalized by monosexual homos. language is so important. they would take bisexuals much more seriously if we made little changes in things like language.
what would be totally kick ass would be to make it fuckin TBLGQ. get the gay men to the back. i'm sorry, but the patriarchy in the queer community feels like such a betrayal.
Anonymous
The words: queer, dyke, fag, etc, are slur words. The only people who use them are bigots and gay people who have no self esteem and have anger issues. Dignity is the word here. The editor of this magazine is one of the champions of the word "queer". Where did this loser come from? And why do gay Americans have to put up with him insulting us?
Anonymous
The words: queer, dyke, fag, etc, are slur words. The only people who use them are bigots and gay people who have no self esteem and have anger issues. Dignity is the word here. The editor of this magazine is one of the champions of the word "queer". Where did this loser come from? And why do gay Americans have to put up with him insulting us?
Anonymous
Can't we just use something short, sweet and all inclusive, like "queer"?
Anonymous
Those abbreviations can be confusing, especially to those outside of the gay community. If one is writing/speaking of a transgender issue, just say it.
Damon Moss
Call us whatever you want, but we as a community should retain the right to call ourselves whatever we want to be called. I refer to myself as Gay, but hate being called Queer. I don't have a problem with someone else identifying with that word, but it's just not me. Personally, I don't like LGBT because I find it difficult to say in conversation or type in an email, but that's my preference, which is exactly the point.
Jamie
When we're talking about the "community" as a whole, using LGBTQ makes sense. If your organization is only gay and lesbian (and don't assume that the bisexuals are "really" gay, please!) then sure, go ahead and use "gay and lesbian." But be aware that by using that terminology, you're going to make a certain segment of the queer community feel like they are not invited. If you're trying to make us feel welcome, that's not going to do it.
On the other hand, if your group really *is* unwelcoming of those who are bi or trans, then please DON'T add our letters. This also applies to organizations that put "I" at the end of the acronym -- if you don't know anything about intersex issues and can offer nothing to help intersex people, it's a meaningless gesture.
Finally, I want to add that "LGBT" is NOT an identity label that replaces gay/lesbian. No one is contesting your right to call yourself gay or lesbian. We're just saying there are many of us in this community (and have been since the first gay organizations were started) who are not and do not wish to have our identities erased either.
Amy
I don't see how acknowledging that bi and trans people exist is detrimental to gays and lesbians. It's not like pride is a "zero-sum game". Or for that matter, discrimination. I do think "Minorities of Sexual Orientation" sounds more sympathetic than a string of letters(although considering that in cultures where bisexuality is accepted it skyrockets so much it might actually be the "silent majority", but that's another debate).
Megan M.
Oppression on the basis of sexual orientation, sexual identity, or gender identity is inter-connected and hurtful to all.
By only recognising the 'gay and lesbian' community, numerous individuals (such as bisexual, transgendered, queer, and intersex folks) are further oppressed. For example, some straight people often label bisexual, trans, queer, and intersex folks as being 'gay and lesbian', hence not recognising their actual identity.
The LGBTQI community can (and should) thrive on its inclusive nature. This inclusivity should reach across race and class lines as well.
Inclusivity is not really about people's emotions and well-being, although such topics are important. Inclusivity, and the term 'LGBTQI', is about defying patriarchy and heterosexist oppression.
Thanks for your time.
Boss
Using a 4- or 5-syallable word to replace "gay" is way way overkill.
Randall Perry
I don't want to be known by an acronym, especially one that gets longer seemingly with each passing week. The other day I saw "LBGTTQQ2I?" (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transexual, queer/queer-positive, two-spirited, intersexed, questioning). There are times when inclusion gets in the way of clarity. Gay is fine by me. So is queer.
Kent
I find it harder to read and process. It's much easier to hear the one word and identify it in my brain than it is the acronym. It's the same reason that lawmakers come up with short, memorable names for their laws. Think about what the acronym was for the death tax before it became known as the death tax and then tell me it's not easier to process with the name. I realize that it may not be politically correct to use anything other than LGBT but I find that political correctness is more devisive than being politically incorrect. It may hurt some people a little more but in the long run it puts everyone on the same level and isn't that what we spend so much time fighting for?
Michael Vazzano
Although there should be something to replace gay and lesbian that describes all of us, I am not too crazy about using abbreviations like LGBT and GLBTQ. One word uniting everyone would work for me. Now, what would that word be?
Anonymous
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals are all impacted negatively by heterocentric norms around sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. All for one and one for all I say...we are stronger together.
Anonymous
we need to include everyone in our community
Anonymous
While I have no desire to de-value those persons who are gay and lesbian, as a bi male, I'm tired of being a second class citizen. Changing terminology may not eliminate some of the rude and intolerant comments I've heard over the years, but it may be a place to start.
Luigi Ferrer, President BiNet USA
Gay & Lesbian should not be used as shorthand for the LGBT community. This is offensive and insulting to and perpetuates the oppression of the thousands of bi & trans members of our community.
Anonymous
Well - I suppose if you're only referring to gay and lesbian people, then don't replace the phrase "gay and lesbian" - but if the question is not about phrasing as much as it is about our self-identification as a community, then yes already! While sexual orientation and gender identity are different things, they are both about a more complex and inclusive way of thinking about gender and sexuality. When I'm discriminated against because I'm a lesbian, it's not just because I am sexually attracted to women. It's also because as a woman, I'm supposed to conform to my "traditional" gender role, which includes exclusively lusting after men. There's no room for biphobia and transphobia in a world where all of our human rights are respected. As queer/LGBT people, I would think we would carry the banner for debunking the myth that we all have to fit into either/or categories. Our flag is a rainbow, not a checkerboard.
EjV
I am voting YES because we need more inclusion in queer communities and politics. I do not believe that LGBT should completely replace the labels it includes, as no term that can aid a person who is fighting heterosexist assumption with self-identification should be invalid. However, I must also say that, looking for resources as a bisexual, and consistently finding titles and language that do not include who I am, and also exclude members of the gender queer communitie(s), I feel that the more we use this acronym, the better off we are - until people figure out that inclusion is the only way to ever alter our societies normative and prejudicial standards. There is enough hatred and division already.
Anonymous
Identity issues are complicated. Yet, what all members of various sexual and gender identities need to recognize is that there is a correlation of discrimination based on both gender and sexual identity. Individuals who self-identify as gay or lesbian are discriminated against BECAUSE of their biological sex/gender...because society assumes that an M should be with an F. Not M/M or F/F....so the discrimination is not solely based on sexuality but also their gender. It is maddening to see other G/L individuals discriminate against B or T individuals. Each of us needs to educate ourselves first so we can educate others. Inclusiveness is imperative, and there's strength in numbers. Why not show a collective front??
Anonymous
Why do we need more labels? If you're a male and you have sex with men, you're gay. If you're a female and you have sex with females, you're lesbian. Those two terms pretty much sum it up. (I've never actually met a "REAL bisexual" ... only gay guys who didnt' want to use the word "gay" or else had sex with a female once, ten years ago, when they were a teenager, and STILL claim that experience as justification for why they're not actually gay!) Whatever...you're gay, and it's cool. You can relax now.
I would hate to be lumped into some GLBTQ category since I don't relate to Bisexuals, Transgendered, or "Questioning" people. I'm not bisexual, transgendered, or "questioning" (what a TOTAL copout that one is!) I'm a man who has sex with men...That means I'm gay. It's short, simple, and everyone can understand it.
Cindy
Use of the phrase gay and lesbian effectively excludes many members of the non-straight population, including bisexual and transgender people as well as gays and lesbians who simply prefer other labels (queer, dyke, boi, etc.)
Nymor
There are more sexualities in heaven and earth than are dreamt of by the phrase "gay and lesbian." I don't care if you don't like bisexuals or transsexuals or homosexuals or anykindofsexuals, they still exist, and they need to be included.
Wayne Hill
I belong to a group that, when it was formed, tried to avoid the Alphabet Soup system by just using "Queer"...and all hell broke loose. There were anough individuals who were old enough to remember that as the "N-word" of the Gay Community, so we had to yield to the alphabet after all.
Eric
I really appreciate the fact that acronyms like "LGBT" or "GLBTQQI" try to be as inclusive as possible, but I think that a series of letters dilutes what we're all about. Words have a greater sense of meaning than a random list of capital letters. I would actually prefer "sexual minorities" over non-inclusive terms like "gay or lesbian" or riskier words like "queer," which is still too baggage-laden in many places to effectively communicate who we are.
Anonymous
Let's be more inclusive, please.
David McKinnon
I believe there is still enough general confusion with the public at large so that specific wording such as 'gay" or "lesbian is not only needed, it is justified. I believe that at this time, use of the words remains a sign of being Out And Proud.
Clint Wiater, Green Bay Wi
The phrase "gay and lesbian" is too exclusive. Bisexuals, transgendered and those who call themselves queer, are all a part of our community.
Clint Wiater, Green Bay Wi
The phrase "gay and lesbian" is too exclusive. Bisexuals, transgendered and those who call themselves queer, are all a part of our community.
Clint Wiater, Green Bay Wi
The phrase "gay and lesbian" is too exclusive. Bisexuals, transgendered and those who call themselves queer, are all a part of our community.
Anonymous
I think gay and lesbian should be replaced as should LGBT and/or GLBTQ with queer. Why? Queer encompasses everyone who is non hetero.
Nathan
yes, the abbreviation GLBTQ shows all the orenitations thet the scoicty descriminated agenst ans it is more diverce, of u just say "gay and lesbian" then you are picking just 2 groups of people. as GLBTQ has all the groups in 'gay' communities. witch just doesn't have gays it has gays, lesbian, bisexual, transgends (mtf and ftm) and even people who dont know who they are (Questioning). besically that im saying is that GLBTQ is more diverse and we should NOT discriminate.
Anonymous
Please don't slap a letter on me, the right wing loves it--similar to the same way symbols were slapped on people entering death camps. Don't make me want to run from being a proud lesbian by making me cover it up with jumbled letters. I am NOT those letters.
TacomaJade
I am bisexual and very active politically on behalf of the LGBTQ community. I do battle for our community. I participate in letter writing campaigns, monetary protests, and also vote for equality for our entire LGBTQ community. I also put my money where my mouth is and use the local Alternative Yellow pages for the gay community when I hire services. I am sad to read comments that wish to exclude me from the community, that declare I choose my orientation, that I am not working for equal rights, or that I do nothing for the community. I don't exclude any segment of our LGBTQ population. Please do not exclude me from a community I am proud to belong to and support. I'm queer!I'm here! And I work for and support all LGBTQ people!
Meg
I just have to say that I am extremely disappointed that anyone is having a vote on this. Although I am bi, I automatically take to heart anything said about "gay and lesbian" *or* GLBT. It doesn't matter what the phrase is, it matters what's being said before and after that counts.
John T. Anderson
Only if we use something truly inclusive like G-L-B-Pre-OpT-Post-OpT-Q-QS-TS-PAM-DL-Bst-C-SA. Surely we wouldn't want to seem to exclude the (QS) Questioning, or the (TS) or Try-sexuals who will try anything, or the (PAM) polyamorous, or the (DL) for those on the down low, or the, heaven forbid, (Bst) for those who like animals, or the (C) who are somehow queer but prefer to remain celibate, or the (SA) for solo artists... god forbid I've forgotten anyone. Isn't it time we put aside our fragile and monumental egos and stop carrying political correctness to the point of stupidity and start coming together as ONE community. It is time we take the sting of shame out of our lives and out of what we call ourselves. If we call ourselves Faggots or Queers or whatever, say it (scream it) proudly. Take a lesson from our enemies; UNITY WORKS.
Jonathan
I don't feel we should replace gay or lesbian with acronyms because they describe the group as a whole and not my preference specifically. I think they work great when talking about the whole family but they shouldn't replace anything.
Anonymous
it is unfair to all communities to just lump individuals into an acronym. the rights and prejudices facing gays and lesbians are also very different from those that bisexual and transgender students may face and putting them all together in a tidy little package will not change this ... we need to acknowledge them as the individuals they are
Amy A.
Bisexual & transgender people are part of the struggle and despite what others think we DO stand up for gay & lesbian rights as well as our own. For every bi or trans person who isn't active in the fight for GLBTQ rights I'd be willing to bet there's an equal amount of gays and lesbians who aren't politically active. Stereotyping people based on identity or orientation doesn't help anyone. I am a married, monogymous bisexual woman who stands up for the rights of all people, especially GLBTQ rights. Will you return the favor or will you stereotype me as a promiscuous, indecisive, not politically active bisexual?
alzee
I hate all this ELITIST PC CRAP!!!!
Anonymous
It is unimaginable to me that people think these are different battles! IT IS THE SAME BATTLE AGAINST THE SAME PEOPLE! Have you all for gotten Pastor Martin Niemoller's Holocaust quote? If so here is a reminder:
"In Germany they first came for the Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a protestant. Then they came for me-and by that time, no one was left to speak up."
For those that feel being trans or bisexual has no link to the gay and lesbian fight, who is going to speak up for you if you wont speak up for others?
Steve
The words gay and lesbian have grown to almost stereotype people into a nitch or a label. I have always felt that the word gay has a negative meaning or action associated with it. Most straight people think that the word gay is always about sex. Our community needs to move away from the only sex label to a more neutral word.
Anonymous
I am so tired of hearing responses that begin " I am a bi-sexual woman"! CHOOSE. You certainly have the ability to live in both worlds where I cannot. Your sexuality, by virtue of the phrase "I am Bi-Sexual" screams Preference, not Orientation. You are only discriminated against because you are continually up in the air with your sexual preference. If I heard, "I am a Gay man" or "I am a Lesbian", then I could understand the frustration with bigotry from the straight world, bi-sexuals on the other hand seem to have their cake and are eating it too!
Carlos Michael
Gay is good. It denotes "happiness" If we cannot be happy with who we are; Americans with a twist of lemon -- then maybe we should just stay in the closet and be the olive at the bottom of the glass. I love being a bottom, but I prefer hanging at the top. Gay works for me!
Peter Rivendell
Personally, although I am committed to issues such as LGBT rights, I do not want to be lumped into some amorphous group identity of people with 'other' sexualities.
I`m gay, and have as little in common with lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered as I have in common
Avocado
Yes although I'm really not that bothered. Us bisexuals are shunned so much by the gay and straight communities, I feel we should concentrate on our own movement rather than trying to be involved in movements which will still leave us open to prejedice.
Anonymous
People who identify as gay or lesbian are only a part of our community and a label such as "gay and lesbian" allows us to forget that they also belong. However, "LGBT" and "GLBTQ" are still not inclusive enough. How about "GLBTIQQTS" - Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersexed, Queer, Questioning, Two-Spirited? Or, maybe it's time for us to devise one umbrella term for all of us. The fact is that we're all on the outside looking in.
Andrea
One does not replace the other. They refer to different things. Gay and lesbian means gay and lesbian. Gay and lesbian doesn't include bisexuals (like myself), trans people, intersex people, genderqueers and many other groups that simply aren't gay or lesbian, but who share community space with gays and lesbians and whose concerns overlap with those of gays and lesbians. If we're only talking about people who are actually gay and lesbian, of course let's not add in a bunch of extra letters. If, on the other hand, we are talking about a wider spectrum of people, then let's use the appropriate words for all of them, and abbreviate them to BLGTQ or whatever else is accurate in a given context. And let's do it without tokenism or other empty attempts at political correctness. The letters don't mean much if they aren't backed up with inclusiveness in practice. But as for usage - it's really just a question of accuracy.
Anonymous
As a bisexual male I think that it is only fair and proper to add bisexuals into the mix. I can't think of a more inclusive way of doing that than referring to the community as GLBT.
LGP
We of all people, as people of minority sexualities, should understand the pain of being discriminated against and left out. Lets not not limit our own acceptance as we try to move the world to let go of its limits of acceptance.
Anonymous
LGBTQISFUCKEDUP.
Anonymous
Seriously, who cares? we know who we are.....
Anonymous
Seriously, who cares? we know who we are.....
Anonymous
NO - we can't even decide if it's GLBT or LGBT or GLBTQ or LGBTQ, so how can we expect everyone to get it straight (no pun intended).
I guess I'm from the old school that thought that Gay covered it all - until the sepratists decided it didn't.....
Josh
These have different uses in different places of speech.
Kevin Olomon
I would type more than ten words if this mattered.
anne
limiting the spectrum of sexuality and gender identity to "gay and lesbian" is terribly exclusionary, and promotes the same sort of hate that permeates our society against lgbtq individuals.
Anonymous
I think that we need to stick together as a community. By separating within the community, I think we are doing more harm than good. Yes, there is a difference between being gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender...but I think we need to focus on what unites us... living a life that is not the "standard," sexually, and the set of challenges that go along with that.
RAINBOW_PARACHUTE
Oh another thing, about the issue of being gay, les, trans, bi, whatever you may be...that's all due to science. I strongly believe that *genetics, environmental influences & biology* play major roles in making up our given *orientation*. Here are my hypotheses...
(1) the more children your parents have, the more likely 1 of the kids will turn gay/les/bi/trans...etc. (excellent example, me! Im the middle child of 5 kids, Im the 2nd female born)
(2) genetic predisposition- that's part of hypo #1. The sex-linked genes might mutate into the gay gene, lol!!
(3) hormonal predisposition- you produce more estrogen, ergo you become a drag queen or produce more testosterone, thus makes you SUPER-BULLDYKE..lmao!
(4) the Gay Womb- what your mom did while pregnant with you
(5) Bio/Physiological- you're a woman trapped in a man's body, vice-versa. Not electro-shock therapy, not hypnosis, not even Richard Simmons can change your mind about a sex-change.
LESSON OF THE DAY: LISTEN TO YOUR HEART & SOUL & ALL ELSE WILL FOLLOW
RAINBOW_UMBRELLA
from the way Im seeing it, most everyone that are outraged about this are bisexuals & the bi-haters. This is my opinion of bi's- (1) they're queer in the sense that they like both sex, one foot on each world (str8 & gay), so technically, they are a minority within this "queer" community, ergo, qualifies as "queer". (2) the way I see it is, as long as you like the same sex or both sex, you're "queer" enough. Im a lesbian & Im not a bi-hater, I finally understand why they say "they like both sex". Hey, if you find pleasurable sex with both, more power to you. Nothing wrong with liking both sex, we're only humans & this whole hypercritical, "not gay enough" mambo-jambo are just nonsense & waste of energy, accept it, respect it & move on. That's the beauty of diversity, we're all under this big rainbow umbrella.
Anonymous
not much in favor of labels, and voted undecided for that reason; I AM BISEXUAL, HAVE BEEN SINCE A TEENAGER, AND DO NOT CARE FOR ANY OTHER LABEL THAT OTHERWISE CLOUDS THE ISSUE. if straights,gays, and lesbians can have a name, so can the others, and not have it lost in an anacronym(sp?) that supports no one in particular!
John L Turner MD
The more I think about this question, the more my answer is NO. Chopping, dicing, splitting, pulverizing, dividing, and on and on just are not helpful in approaching problems (or solutions) or anything else about human interactions, one with another or with many. From the points of view of living (planet, country, neighborhood, family), sociological research or applications, medical understanding or treatment, or any of thousands of other topics, adding letters to GLBTQUNM (the additions are Undecided, None, Maybe) don't improve anything. Excellent arguments have already been made for this in many ways. This is NO.
Yvonne
I am bisexual. It is not a choice. I am often besmerched by both hetero's and gays. I think we need to educate, educate. We need to form an alliance and stand togther for our rights against all discrimination.
Anonymous
We use all these phrases and the words "queer" and "dyke" all the time to describe our special sorts of community. No one term will ever capture it all.
Anonymous
Absolutely!
Reed Braden
I organise my school's GSA, and abbreviations make life easier for everyone. In order to represent everyone equally, I can't say Gay and leave the others out. It gets really taxing on both the writer and the reader to write out "gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people" every time.
What's next? Do I have to write "gay, lesbian, bisexual, transexual, transvestite, pre-op, queer, hermaphrodite, and whatever else?" No thanks. It's like the 'differently abled' debacle... should we lump it all into "differently gendered?" Do you see how rediculous this political correctness crap is?
Maybe we shouldn't say LGBT, but I have no qualm writing it.
r.curtis
gay men, gay women, gay transgendered, gay if you are with same sex straight if your with opposite. Us old folks worked hard for "gay" unified word for a unified people. Can't we keep it simple. Out-side our world they call us all just "gay" we fought for it we're gay and should proud , look it up in the dictionary be gay and happy and keep fighting for our rights. I'm 74 and proud to be just "GAY
Pippin Fowler
'gay' and 'lesbian' may be on the way out, but replacing 'gay and lesbian' with a string of impersonal initialism is not the way to go. Gays and lesbians are people, but 'LGBT' is a statistic or demographic--a thing--and wouldn't those who oppress us love it, if we willingly renamed ourselves as an impersonal clump that is more easily despised?
Anonymous
Identity politics is boring!
Anonymous
Identity politics is boring!
Drew
I don't really understand why this question is being phrased as such as it is worded to provoke a debate that works only to divide and conquer. Though often times the gender identity issues surrounding genderqueer/trans/intersex individuals are different from those facing lesbian and gay men, adverse social and political issues affect us all. Just because I now identify as FTM does not erase the 11+ years I spent in the lesbian community. I am as invested in GLBTQ issues as I ever was. Additionally, GLBTQIA is a phrase that relies on identity labels. As long as people continue to grow and change, identity labels will need to grown and change as well. Ideally we shouldn't have to rely on labels at all (as they are limiting) the material conditions exist that necessitate us to organize around them. So...hopefully we can stop asking stupid poll questions like this and get some real work done-together.
Anonymous
I can find no sensible reason we can't all join hands under the rubric Gay.
LL
a lesbian
Steven
We’re all perceived to be cut from the same cloth by the larger, heterocentric, anti-gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community. All of our struggles, and those of communities of color, are intrinsically tied together into a web of common destiny. MLK was right when he said that injustice against one is injustice against all. Misogyny, anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia, and all of the other “-isms” that plague our society travel hand-in-hand. We can’t fix one without fixing them all – and why would we want to fix just one of them without trying to fix them all? That’s why I use LGBT or, better yet - LGBTIQQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Allies)!
Anonymous
Are we also going to add CS, SC, SBTGSOAIWFMTIABIFSG...
(Confused Straight, Straight Curious, Straight But Tried Gay Sex Once And It Was Fun Might Try It Again But I Feel So Guilty), etc. ????
Steph
There are too many acronyms already!
Denise
I am soo tired of naming every single group -fringe or not that tags along with us.
I don't like the lumping together of different sexual orientations.
My sexual orientation as a lesbian has as much in common as a straight person has with an intersex or trannie or questioning individual.
Be gay be happy
Chloe
I am a bisexual female and I don't think we should have the abbv. of LGBT or GLBTQ instead of gay and lesbian because the LGBT and GLBTQ has too many possibilities and if people use the abbv's then some people will question what the person is talking about: Transgender, Questioning/Queer, Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay. It also seems to put everyone into the same group and their are different names for different reasons.
Julie
...yes, of course..
.because the term LGBT is more progessive and inclusive of all of us who identify as alternate to 'straight' sexual orientation.
for those who dont know what LGBT stands for...it is:- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans.
forgive my ingnorance in not knowing what the Q stands for though... please enlighten me.
Brian
It's important to say the words out loud... abbreviating them to a clean little letter among 4, 5, or 6 others makes it almost meaningless to anyone other than ourselves. Besides... how many other letters are we going to have to add to that list of self-identifications? There comes a point where our message is lost once it becomes evident that we've lost our identity and focus.
mari
bi and trans and intersex people can greatly benefit from the progress already made by the gay and lesbian movement, and we all need this kind of progress. The mission is the same, even though some of the issues are separate. It would be cruel to ignore the rest of us when we play such an integral role to supporting each other.
Torey Bookstein
Unless, of course, you are discussing issues that only affect Lesbians and Gay people. But since it seems that issues that affect *those* people also usually affect people like *me* (bi), Trans people, Intersex people, people who prefer to identify as queer (and people who hate "queer"), and people who are still questioning their sexuality, LGBT is already a step in the right direction. Many people prefer LGBTI, LGBTQQIA, etc., but the longer the acronym gets, the more resistance we face, so...baby steps are Ok with me. But if you're talking about me, please include the B. And so on.
ric
For many years now, many have realized that sexuality and sexual orientation are MUCH more fluid than simply Gay/Straight - the bisexual experience is EVERY bit as natural and part of non-hetero as our Gay and Lesbian sisters and brothers - bisexual folks have had to be invisible within the community for way too long.
As for trans folks, let's not forget the courage that cross-dressers and drag-queens have shown on the front lines of our liberation battles - remember who the Stonewall queers were led by? working class young trans folk!!
Anonymous
Gay doesn't mean Male Homosexual. Why can't we redefine the word "GAY" to be all inclusive? It'll be much easier on anyone.
Gay=not straight... so much easier.
Michael Rankins
At least in certain circumstances, GLBTQ should be used to demonstrate inclusivity of all non-heterosexual persons AND those who are transgender. We can't play some game of "King of the Mountain" when it comes to civil rights. That kind of infighting is exactly what the radical right wishes to promote in our ranks. Divide, then conquer...
Anonymous
To Someone who suggested to use just the word "Queer" - I hate that word, just like I hate to be called "Different" ot "Not Normal" - I'm Gay, I'm not Queer.
Anonymous
why do we need to be abbreviated, why can't we be who we were born to be gay or lesbian Americans
A
Why do we need labels, labels, labels on our people, people, people???
Suzy Roundy-Schmidt
I don't think "replace" is the right word. As someone who has worked at an LGBT Resource Center, I am constantly telling people what LGBT means - I don't think it is in mainstream consciousness enough, yet.
I do feel, though, that the community should be inclusive and that abbreviations should include LGBTQ, although it is difficult to know when to stop - A - I, etc.
I will say, though, that exclusion is completely unacceptable!!! It is only together that we can change the world. When building communities of support for equality, it is when we divide within ourselves that we will lose.
Ted Studebaker
Yes, definitely. The phrase "gay and lesbian" more or less ignores the existence of bisexual and transgendered people, or assumes that they are somehow included in the phrase "gay and lesbian", which they are not.
It is time for a lot more solidarity among people who self-identify (or get labelled as) queer. It is time for bisexuals and transgendered individuals to stop having to say "me too" and make an argument for inclusion. Maybe we should just use the word "queer" a lot more, and forget the rest.
Ted Studebaker
Yes, definitely. The phrase "gay and lesbian" more or less ignores the existence of bisexual and transgendered people, or assumes that they are somehow included in the phrase "gay and lesbian", which they are not.
It is time for a lot more solidarity among people who self-identify (or get labelled as) queer. It is time for bisexuals and transgendered individuals to stop having to say "me too" and make an argument for inclusion. Maybe we should just use the word "queer" a lot more, and forget the rest.
Eileen Novack
Yes, LGBTQI is much more inclusive of all members of the community.
Anonymous
The realities within human existence beckon us to be inclusive in building our beautiful community. Using the LGBT or GLBTQ abbreviation opens the door of support to everyone who does not fit the societal expectation of being "heterosexual".
Anonymous
I believe there is too much prejudice among the groups themselves to lunk them all together. Some gays and lesbians are against bisexuals, specially those that are married or in a relationship with someone of the opposite sex. Seems like, to me, that bisexuals are more open and accepting of all the groups.
Ruth
I have never received a bigoted or prejudiced remark from a straight friend, but I constantly receive them from lesbians. It was a confusing response to my coming out. I doubt an abbreviation would make me feel welccome in the gay and lesbian community, but I would like to see it all the same. Maybe I would get sneered at less. I'm willing to try anything, it hurts so much.
Anonymous
More inclusion, not less.
Anonymous
Our world is too polarized -- whether it's black/white, straight/gay, us/them, etc. The alphabet letters, even if cumbersome, remind us that it's not an either/or world we live in.
Dean
In a world or growing divisiveness, fueled by conservatives that would like to see us all go away, a united front is imperative. We are stronger together than any of us are individually. To quote a famous activist, MLK, Jr., "If one of us is oppressed, we are all oppressed." Using the most inclusive termanology in our efforts for equal rights is essential.
Will Van Roosenbeek
I work on a collge campus and we use LGBTQA to be welcoming and inviting to the entire community. To think that the community only includes gay men and lesbians is incorrect and would especially alienate young people and people of color.
Our community does inculde people who identify as bisexual, transgender, queer and our allies. We must stand united to fight the hatred in the world.
Anonymous
bissexuals are much MORE discriminated than gay or lesbian people
Selfellatio
I am not gay or straight but I am myself. We are all a sexual minority but if we all stand together there may be larger power to make changes and acceptance. I don't like being labeled as anything.(open minded is the easiest way to describe me.)
What upsets me is that the labels make it easy for people to lump us all together as different and less than human compaired to them and therefore shouldn't have the same rights as all homosapiens.
Anonymous
A great question if the goal here is to finally assess how gays and lesbians see their own prejudices. LGBT/GLBTQ does NOT replace the use of gay and lesbian (G and L), however. It simply offers a more inclusive alternative. As a lesbian, I know how homophobia feels like and consciously avoid contributing to a discriminatory discourse. If we do not recognize trans & bi legitimacy and contributions to our successes, who will?
Anonymous
Just as the Straight community uses exactly that word "Straight" so should our community use "Gay " to cover the rainbow!
Anonymous
I don't understand how others can be so sexuocentric as to think that it shouldn't include all non-heterosexuals. I mean, I suppose we could divide ourselves into two separate communities, one for "traditional," if you will, gays and lesbians, and one for bisexuals, pansexuals, and transgendered people (or any other non-straight lifestyles that I may have missed) but that would be stupid. Solidarity in our acceptance of ourselves and others is the answer, not Pat Robertson-style hate.
Anonymous
Pity the POOR bisexuals who get to own 1/2 heterosexual priviledge. How terrible their trauma must be. We have so diluted our political clout that we are nothing more than a joke. Much the same as the democrats (I am one) who have so much inner turmoil that they can't win a major election to save their souls, the GLGTQEMSHL community can't decide on anything except the mind-numbing stupid belief that marriage equality is just around the corner. Have a bake sale!
shawn
i dont want to be put in a big pot and stired up. it only makes it easier for people to discrminate. we are all human. lets just play nice for a change? why cant we all respect each other as people ? theirs enough labels out their stop the abreaviations please.
Smurf
I'm Bi and feel a more inclusive abbreviation should be used. Surley we all have more to gain by standing together and being more inclusive than spliting into a number of smaller minority groups.
Anonymous
Let's be inclusive.
Max
Bis and transgendered are subjected to the same discrimination. We're here and queer too, get used to us.
wanderingrichard
we are too diverse and too representative of the real population of the world to let only one or two small parts of this large group be used to idenbtify the rest of us.
Laura Colbert
I am an out bigendered bisexual person and I think that I should be included too.
wryterzblock
You know, I've come across the occasionally ignorant person who claims that either a. there is no such thing as bisexuality or b. we, as bisexuals, have a CHOICE as to whom we want to be with so we somehow don't qualify as remotely queer. But I'm a little surprised to see The Advocate ask such a ridiculous question. I am so sick of the inability of the monosexual majority (gay AND straight) either misinterpreting or just plain misunderstanding who we are, just because they cannot fathom the concept of the unimportance of gender in choosing a partner. I consider myself and have always referred to myself as just plain ol' queer, because- to me- that is an all-encompassing term. I hope I did not make a mistake in actually thinking that I was a member of the GLBT community. It was something that I took great pride in.
Cherie Baldwin
As a bisexual women married to a bisexual man I believe any other label is inaccurate when describing our joint community. We co-facillitate a Bisexual support/social group meeting at a "Gay and Lesbian Community Center" and it is painful to see the lack of inclusiveness in naming of the center. We are here to stay s part of the Queer community even if there is controversy . Our group has a history of consistent meeting twice monthly for greater than 7 years. The longevity and commitment I believe, speaks to our mutual concerns and identity issues and gives us the right to recognition.
cheryl
I am neither gay nor lesbian but bisexual, so that phrase would not apply to me.
larisa
Yes. I'm bi and I'm sick of not feeling like part of the community because I'm so called not "queer enough."
Anonymous
no NO NO NOThese are awful PC terms that are silly and awkward. And what has being a transexual got to do with being gay? Nothing! We can wish them well and give them support, but they are not part of the gay and lesbian community except by invitation here and there. Bisexuals seem to be able to take care of themselves. They get the best--or the worst--of both worlds.
Anonymous
no NO NO NOThese are awful PC terms that are silly and awkward. And what has being a transexual got to do with being gay? Nothing! We can wish them well and give them support, but they are not part of the gay and lesbian community except by invitation here and there. Bisexuals seem to be able to take care of themselves. They get the best--or the worst--of both worlds.
Anonymous
Its really, really, really, really, really stupid.
Anonymous
More and more medical research suggests that all orientations have biological bases, and that sexual orientation and gender identity have a great deal in common -- though admittedly they also have significant differences. We ought not to forget as well that the Stonewall Rebellion was sparked in large part by drag queens (who are usually not transgendered) and other people who were trans. United we may stand; divided we will fall -- again.
Anonymous
are gays and lesbians guilty of being just as discrimanatory as they accuse heterosexuals of being?
so,,,,,amongst those who have suffered persecution,,,the model of that should be perpetuated?
Anonymous
gays and lesbians sometimes forget that bisexuals were there fighting with them in the early days of liberation. those who have fought for inclusion should think seriously about doing to others as they would have done to them.
Anonymous
Ideally we'd have another word (NOT "queer," which is WAY more offensive to many) that is more inclusive, but I think gay and lesbian fits most uses and it could be clarified in other cases that bi's and trans people are included by adding them. I think this abbreviation thing is getting a bit too long and unwieldy.
Bigregory
L and G are diffrent than B orT and T is diffrent thanG and B is diffrent than L and G is diffrent than L opps diffrent but the same.Cats,dogs,birds and gerbils all pets but all diffrent.LGBT same thing.I guess LGBT somehow unites us some way,but i don't really want to be mixed in with gerbils.
Gustavo
Oh, please, it's a matter of semantics... whenever one says an abbreviation or "gay and lesbian", they are referring to both... As if transgenders, bisexuals and everything else are not just kinds of gay...
jay lee
A NOTE FOR THE ADVOCATE EDITORIAL STAFF: as you can see below, a TON of bisexual and transgender people read your site. if part of the rationale for this poll is to figure out your own editorial policy, then the answer is that you need to figure out how to be much more inclusive. every time i read this site or your print magazine, i feel disappointed at the lack of consideration for and representation of transgender and bisexual people. all of the allegedly queer/trans media makes me feel let down. i know your editorial board may not inherently understand anything outside of their own comfy categories (i'm guessing they're all gay or lesbian, or if not then they are totally hoarse by now from screaming and not being heard) -- but it's time to stretch yourself. thanks.
Anonymous
The abbreviations are clunkier, but they're certainly a lot more accurate than gay and lesbian are. I'm a bisexual woman, not a lesbian.
Anonymous
absolutely, YES! bisexual and transgendered people have been foundational in the fight for equality and deserve acknowledgment. use of the phrase "gay and lesbian" promotes the invisibility of the bi and trans communities.
Anonymous
definitely, the more inclusive we are, the more influence we'll have
Anonymous
"Queer" would be the most preferable to me, seeing how it includes transpeople, intersex people, pansexuals, bisexuals, etc. without being a long unpronounceable acronym.
But if people are really hesitant about reclaiming "queer," a more inclusive acronym is still better.
Anonymous
LGBT, is now ,when minds are changing , and people are educating themeselves. Gay, and lesbian is the past with all the hate, and ingnorance attached.
m. garren
Wow! in my previous comment, "you dont hear african americans calling themselves AAs", I has no idea people meant for this to 'include or exclude the other groups, I am still against the acronym and the terms queer and fag, but yes are struggle is innately linked and all should be included, but we shouldnt use acronyms anymore than do other minority groups. Spell them all out, we all deserve our space. otherwise, im just going to start using AA, H&NWH, NA, TT, PI, IP, CWE, etc. and i shall refer to myself as CWENAASPCD and a pissed off RLWR. Enjoy!
Anonymous
Ive seen and heard so many acronyms in the Gay media that I dont even understand most of them any more. one i saw recently was LGBTTQQI, I have nor idea what the last 3 stand for. In addition, I dont understand why so many today are forgoing the word Gay in favor of Queer (which is as offensive to me as Fag/got). Gay and Lesbian are whole identities in and of themselves and should not be pushed aside. you dont hear african americans calling themselves AAs.
Jephtha Brown
"Gay and lesbian" is five syllables. GLBT is four syllables.
There are some instances in which, for clarity sake, gay and lesbian works as a term; at other times, you need the GLBT term or you're excluding people.
We are fighting for "gay and lesbian" marriages, but we are fighting for the rights of GLBTs to marry the same sex. Do you see the difference? In one sentence one term and in the other, the other term applies.
As a bisexual male who is predominantly attracted to the opposite sex, I still want equal rights for gay men and lesbians. I also want the right to have a relationship with another man if one day I meet a man I really like. So the issue affects me, even though I am not currently involved with any men.
By the way, I know many bi people now, and all of them identify with the gay and lesbian cause. I've never met an openly bisexual person who thinks that their option to go with the opposite sex means they can bail on gays and lesbians. But I have read, in this forum, many gays and lesbians who think they can bail on bisexuals. How tragic.
Michael
A lot of people don't know what LGBT and GLBTQ stands for.
Mike
gay/bi or les/bi are probably less cumbersome..and a bit more inclusive.
Problem is...too often...we worry/argue about semantics. Gay/Bi/GLBT, Marriage v. civil union. But no..my vote...no LGBT just doesnt roll off my tongue.
Lindasusan
Of course we should be inclusive! Bisexuals and transgender people have been part of the movement from the start, doing the hard work right along with lesbians and gay men. (Don't forget that Compton's Cafeteria and Stonewall were primarily tranny hangouts! And if you think you don't know any bisexuals, maybe they just don't feel safe coming out to you.) Plus, I don't remember any right-wing bigots asking for proof of orientation before denying ALL of us our civli rights.
Anonymous
Let's not reduce ourselves to an acronym.
Michael
Where is the S for straight allies or the D for disabled persons? I think it needs to be shortened to B-SHT, which covers all the sexual orientations, while eloquently states my fed-up message with discrimination. Stop hiding behind letters and focus on the fight.
Rachel
There are some pretty insensitive comments here. Be nice, people.
The civil rights issues we all face are pretty much the same. As a TS person, any relationship I have will be twisted by someone into being a gay / lesbian relationship. Anyone who hates gay people will probably hate me even more.
There needs to be a term that includes all of us but I agree that the alphabet soup is a mystery to most "straight" people. There are also too many varieties of sexual minorities to name in 4 or 5 letters.
I don't care what's in the name as long as we're all included.
Anonymous
Bi and trans people are not gay, and therefore should be excluded from the "label". Gender identity is not sexual orientation and should not be treated as such. Inclusion is not always best. Why not include disabled people and monorities too? They face discrinimation based on biology too, don't they?
Anonymous
The abbreviation while not rolling off the tongue as easily is more inclusive. Just stating "gay and lesbian" can feel like it excludes bisexual and transgendered (or questioning) individuals. There is power in numbers -- inclusivity is a good thing.
Noel Rosenberg
Inclusive language unites us. Exlusive language divides us.
M.J., Denver, CO
On one hand, GLBTQ (or variations thereof) is much more inclusive, and I'm always for including as many people as possible. However, these abbreviations are only useful in our own community. Any reader of Advocate.com probably knows what LGBT means. However, how many people would understand it on CNN or NBC? While I th
