LGBTQ

LGBTQ+ (or, less commonly, GLBT) is an acronym for "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender". 
It is used to describe all the issues related to the included communities – plus a few others thrown in for good measure, as the initialism LGBTQ+ is intended to emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based cultures and is sometimes used to refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual and/or non-cisgender instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual orientations.
==Expanding the acronym...==
Before there was an acronym, a variety of terms were used. In the United States, an early one was "homophile", which more or less became "homosexual", then "gay". Gay was often an umbrella term, though following the Stonewall riots, became less inclusive in some milieus (particularly towards bisexual and trans people who were considered less easily compatible with respectability politics). One cited example being the which split from the more radical — partly because the latter raised bail money for the Black Panthers. Lesbian women wanted to distinguish themselves in the community, so it became "gay and lesbian" or "lesbian and gay". Some in the community argued this was divisive, but it took root.
The original acronym, now distinguishing and so explicitly (re)integrating bisexuals, was LGB, or GLB. Following some confusion over issues of sexuality and gender (no, they're not the same) and the fact that the term "gay community" did not accurately represent those to whom it referred, transgender was added to the acronym during the '80s, forming the LGBT that is in common use today.Acronyms, initialisms & abbreviations dictionary, Volume 1, Part 1. Gale Research Co., 1985, ISBN 978-0-8103-0683-7.
Factsheet five, Issues 32–36, Mike Gunderloy, 1989
"Intersex" being a medical term used to describe those born with intermediate or atypical combinations of physical sexual characteristics fails to be properly described by "transgender" and as a result of feeling left out, "intersex" has found its way into vaguely common use, forming LGBTI, while others insist that they are not a part of the LGBT community and would rather that they not be included as part of the term.
Alternatively, the acronym is sometimes expanded to LGBTQ, with the Q standing for either "queer" or "questioning", depending on who you ask.
QUILTBAG stands for "Queer, Unidentified, Intersex, Lesbian, Transgender, Bisexual, Asexual, and Gay".
For those hardcore individuals interested in a challenge, try to work out what LGBTTI2QQAP stands for.
To summarize:Most from or cited elsewhere in this article
* A = asexual 
* B = bisexual
* C = curious
* G = gay, genderqueer
* H = HIV-positive, HIV-affected, hijra
* I = intersex
* L = lesbian
* O = other
* P = polyamorous, pansexual
* Q = queer, questioning
* SA = straight ally
* T = trans, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit
* TS = two-spirit
* U = unsure, unidentified
* 2 = two-spirit
* + = other
An occasionally used alternative initialism is GSM or GSRM (Gender, Sexual, and/or Romantic Minorities), which is short yet includes every possible marginalized sexual orientation and gender identity, and the latter includes various different romantic orientations as well. Some activists object to the term, noting the use of the term "sexual minority" in some quarters to attempt to include pedophilia as just another sexuality (despite being age-based rather than gender/sex-based), as the term "sexual minority" was coined in the late 1960s under the influence of Lars Ullerstam's book "The Erotic Minorities: A Swedish View", which came strongly in favor of tolerance to paedophilia and "sex criminals". Despite this, the term "sexual minority" usually refers to those who are widely accepted as part of the LGBT acronym, in particular gay people. Another alternative term is " or "gender and sexual diversity".
Some people in the communities are giving up on the acronym and using the phrase "alphabet soup" instead. Although the phrase "alphabet soup" has been used as a pejorative by right wingers and homophobes/transphobes. Others are using LGBT+, with the plus sign representing all other sexual and gender minorities.
Another alternative to the alphabet soup is MOGAI, standing for Marginalized Orientations, Genders, Alignments, and Identities.
==Good eating==
Incidentally, an LGBT sandwich is a lettuce, guacamole, bacon, and tomato sandwich. And a good friend.
==See also==
*Refuting anti-LGBT+ arguments
*Corporate Equality Index
*LGBT rights
*LGBTQ orientation glossary
*Transgender glossary
== External links ==
* Archives of the GLBTQ encyclopedia.
* Directory of U.S. and international LGBT Community Centers
* American Psychological Association's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns Office
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Gender
Category:Homosexuality
Category:Social justice