Claim: LGBT is an acronym.

LGBT , or GLBT , is an initialism that stands for lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender . In use since the 1990s , the term is an adaptation of the initialism LGB , which was used to replace the term gay in reference to the LGBT community beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s . Activists believed that the term gay community did not accurately represent all those to whom it referred .   The initialism has become mainstream as a self-designation ; it has been adopted by the majority of sexuality and gender identity-based community centers and media in the United States , as well as some other English-speaking countries . The term is used also in some other countries , particularly those which languages use the initialism , such as Argentina , France , and Turkey .   The initialism , LGBT , is intended to emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based cultures . It may be used to refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or non-cisgender , instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian , gay , bisexual , or transgender . To recognize this inclusion , a popular variant adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual identity ; LGBTQ has been recorded since 1996 . Those who add intersex people to LGBT groups or organizing use an extended initialism LGBTI . Some people combine the two acronyms and use the term LGBTIQ . Others use LGBT + to encompass a spectrum of gender and sexuality .