Is the goal to use every letter of the alphabet?
I’m gay and I support this comment.
We do not need to represent every single minority in the acronym, that’s what the rainbow flag is for, that’s literally the entire point of the flag because a rainbow includes every color. “LGBT” rolls off the tongue nicely and there are zero repercussions in tacking a + on the end of it. If I have to memorize a new, extended acronym every fucking few months just because Tumblr can’t stand not being on their social high horse I am gonna have a fucking aneurysm.
I’m bisexual and I get why people keep adding letters, inconvenient as it may be to some.
It’s easy to say “this is enough” when you already feel represented. You don’t need to use a longer acronym than you are comfortable with, but likewise you should not expect others to shorten their acronym for your convenience.
Some gender and sexual minorities are neither lesbian, gay, bisexual nor trans, yet they want to feel seen: they have been hidden, ignored or ostracized for too long. They don’t want an umbrella like + or ‘queer’ to hide under. They are their own thing, so they want to have their own label to recognize themselves and to be recognized.
Once gender and sexual minorities have been understood and accepted more broadly, people within them will organically become more accepting of umbrella terms. But today is not the day. Not yet. Today let’s continue to welcome more people until we are all here.
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The answer is to use ‘SOGIM’: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Minorities
It’s great that you have found a term you like. Other people may prefer a different one, and that’s also okay.
Fine by me as long as I’m not expected to use them. I see nothing wrong with GSM (gender/sexual minority).
Hello, Tumblr. By the time “we are all here”, the acronym will include the alphabet, numerals, and quite possibly other glyphs (if someone throws an emoji on there so help me god). Human sexuality is varied and diverse if you haven’t noticed. I am not learning an acronym long enough to singlehandedly win a game of Scrabble just so everyone can feel special. Not happening, sport, and most people would agree – which is why this will never catch on and Tumblrinas need to stop trying to force it to.
Hello, fellow human.
I am not learning an acronym long enough to singlehandedly win a game of Scrabble
Nobody is forcing you to use any term you don’t like. You can use whatever term you want and other people can also choose whatever they prefer. If you find people choosing their own labels troublesome, imagine how you would feel if people started forcing you to call yourself something different.
Also, being friendly on the internet costs nothing. Yes, even to people with other viewpoints.
We do not need to, but if the cost of doing so is a few grumpy fellas getting aneurysms out there, we’re in for a treat. Let’s add more!
Nice bigot comment.
Nice knee jerk response to valid criticism. It is objectively difficult to support a cause when a) you can’t remember the current “correct” name, or b) you get non-inclusive shamed for not using the (current) right name, or c) you get called a bigot for pointing out either of these things by knee jerking shit heads like yourself.
It is objectively difficult to support a cause when a) you can’t remember the current “correct” name
Feel free to use whatever term you like the most.
b) you get non-inclusive shamed for not using the (current) right name
Has that actually happened to you, or is it something you fear? I understand how that would be upsetting. Being demonized when you have acted in good faith hurts.
c) you get called a bigot for pointing out either of these things
Gender and sexual minorities have been demonized for centuries and are now finally trying to both understand themselves and to be understood. This process of (self) discovery is slow and in the meantime we will have this alphabet soup until things settle down to simple convenient umbrella terms.
For now, let’s try to be friendly and welcoming to everyone.
A) LGBT is/was fine, and yes I live in an area
B) Yes, at a pride parade most recently of all things. Had to be defended by my two gay room mates.
C) Don’t deflect. Homey (forget if it was you) was being an asshole; and the reality is that nobody can keep up with your brand if you’re constantly changing the name. Things rebrand seldomly and deliberately for a reason.
I’ve been to gay weddings, two of my best friends are gay, members of my family are gay, my wife’s best friend works in gender affirming care. All of the people I just mentioned acknowledge that this constantly expanding need-to-include-everybody in a name somehow has a negative impact on both perception and support. So if you can’t accept that opinion, even if you disagree, it’s short sighted of you. And challenging anyone that points it out as a bigot is closed minded.
A) LGBT is/was fine
It is. Some people prefer using a different term, and that is also fine.
B) Yes, at a pride parade most recently of all things. Had to be defended by my two gay room mates.
Please do elaborate. Did the problem arise because you used your preferred term and somebody corrected you, or the other way around? Because at least in this post it’s been you who has been demanding other people to use your preferred term, not the other way around.
Don’t deflect. Homey (forget if it was you)
It wasn’t me, and you could have checked very easily.
So if you can’t accept that opinion, even if you disagree, it’s short sighted of you
So, people can either agree with your opinion or be shortsighted? Is there no room for anything else?
Whether your various queer acquaintances agree with you or not, other queer people like me can disagree, because we are not the Borg. Speaking of consensus, if we have one thing in common it is probably being tired of straight people telling us how to be queer.
You should really re-read what you’re writing before writing it. The point has now gone over your head three times.
Or maybe some people have trouble empathizing with marginalized minorities who want representation because they’ve never been in their shoes.
valid criticism
Is the goal to use every letter of the alphabet?
lol super valid criticism, not a knee jerk response at all
The acronym used in this post is ELEVEN characters long. When you have an acronym that long, you’ve lost sight of the purpose and acronym serves.
Care to enlighten the community on the purpose of that acronym?
Could it not be the case that the purpose you see in that acronym is a different one from the purpose the activists do?
Do…do you not understand the basic function of an acronym? Which is mainly to serve as a means to shorten things so that they’re easier to remember?
What other purpose would an acronym serve? Regardless of what it is?
I do, of course. It certainly is mainly to serve as a means to shorten things. Still, not every acronym has the exact same purposes behind its design.
Not every acronym is designed to be easy to remember. Obvious example: UNBGBBIIVCHIDCTIICBG, almost 1MM members on reddit; many of whom probably can’t recall the entire acronym and yet it’s a lively subreddit.
What other purpose would an acronym serve?
One of these extra purposes imbued to 2SLGBTQIA+ is to bring visibility. Visibility is achieved by unwrapping a few extra letters from inside the + in there. And the obvious demonstration that it works is this post: some people just learned what 2S means, thanks to it being right there in the acronym.
The equal rights are a bit more important than the name don’t you think? Trying to find the most inclusive name possible that’s apparently ever changing and impossible to remember doesn’t seem super useful.
Feel free to continue to use LGBT+, it’s concise and makes it clear you’re trying to be inclusive.
Trying to find the most inclusive name possible that’s apparently ever changing and impossible to remember doesn’t seem super useful
It’s useful to the people who are trying to understand themselves and to be seen.
You can use whatever term you like, and let other people use theirs.
The fact you’re focusing on the name and not the message is what makes me extremely suspicious about your motives.
Paula is a fantastic human being.
2SLGBTBBQ? never seen this one before, what is the 2s?
I was going to ask the same question but, you know, in a respectful way instead of an idiot’s way.
Thanks for those who replied to this. It would have felt awkward asking after seeing someone asking the same question in bad faith.
In that spirit, for anyone wondering and curious. The full acronym, explanation and details can be found here.
Two spirit, it’s a catch all term for First Nations cultural third genders
I thought it was a version same-sex attraction or something, or is it sorta like the Anima and Animus?
It’s a lot of things. There are a lot of cultures thats concepts of gender boundaries and what constitutes someone outside of male and female doesn’t quite line up. We often consider the eastern hemisphere more unified on these concepts than it is, and we’re a lot more likely to recognize how wildly diverse the native cultures of that continent cluster are than we are of the American continents.
So what is two spirit? Could be what we’d consider gay, bi, trans, nonbinary, intersex, or other, but it comes in an explicit choice to frame it in the context of their culture. What you can gather from someone calling themselves two spirit is that they’re queer and First Nations and they see those as tied together.
Fair enough
I don’t like the idea of expanding the acronym to intentionally place someone “first.”
Everyone has an equal place at the table and this feels like a great way to start the kind of stupid infighting that I’ve found exhausting since I first heard a man claim that he didn’t have an interest in a community that spent any time and energy fighting for anything but his needs. At a Pride parade in the late nineties ffs.
Additionally, it feels hollow in the same way that corporate pride feels. “You haven’t been represented appropriately in this community up until now, but look! You’re first!”
More allies are needed, not less. It’s great to know there is one in the Senate. Haven’t you been paying attention to what bigot Moe and his far right government are doing in Saskatchewan?
Adding is absolutely not the issue here. I think I was pretty clear on that. There is room for everyone in our world.
It’s the intentional effort to put one group before all others, especially when that group has been vastly under-supported, historically.
like a great way to start the kind of stupid infighting
How much infighting regarding this have you been seeing? From where I stand, it has been pretty smooth sailing. The LGBTQIA+ community reaction I’ve seen varies between “meh, whatever” to “yeah that’s kinda cool”.
I specifically referenced an incident but there were others. Did you finish reading that sentence?
That was in the nineties? I mean infighting specifically due to that 2S change. Also, chill.
I absolutely haven’t heard anyone infighting about this thing I’m hearing about for the first time, and also am referencing other times we added things and people engaged in infighting, since last behavior can often help predict future.
I take issue with putting a specific group first, intentionally, and can tell you (now that I’ve had a day) that the first indigenous person I asked about it said that it was “bullshit” because it feels “placating” to persons historically unrepresented and oppressed. Which does support my concern even if n=1.
For clarity, he is neither cisgender, nor heteronormative in any fashion.
