Defining more than LGBTQ2+

By Khushi Kumari

TheLGBTQ2+ community includes countless identities that reflect many ways of experiencing gender and sexuality. The community is constantly evolving, which can make it difficult to keep up with all the new queer terminology — luckily, the Gazette has you covered.

Many define their sexuality as fluid — meaning it is in a constant state of change — and on a spectrum. There is no linear path, nor a “one size fits all” to figuring out who you are and what you like. Maybe because of this, we’re seeing an ever-growing number of microlabels, which are hyperspecific labels within the queer community that can fall under umbrella terms such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer. For example, bisexuality can act as a spectrum or umbrella term which microlabels like pansexual, polysexual and omnisexual can fall under.

As queer discourse grows, society’s understanding of queer terminology deepens. As such, it’s extremely important to respect that these identifications are necessary and significant. Not everyone wants a label, but for those that do, they can be keys to understand themselves better and feel connected to a community.

LGBTQ2+ is an evolving acronym used to signify Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or Questioning) and Two-Spirit people collectively, and the plus is included to demonstrate the many more sexual identities that aren’t included in the acronym.

Here are a few of the many identities which fall under the plus.

Androsexual

A term used to communicate sexual or romantic attraction to men, males or masculinity. This term intentionally includes attraction to those who identify as men, male or masculine, regardless of biology, anatomy or sex assigned at birth.

Apothisexual

Falls on the asexuality spectrum and is defined as being “repulsed by the idea of engaging in sexual activity.”

Cupiosexual

Describes asexual people who don’t experience sexual attraction but still have the desire to engage in sexual behavior or a sexual relationship.

Demisexual

A person who may only experience sexual attraction after a strong emotional attachment is formed.

Frayromantic

One who experiences romantic attraction towards strangers or those they are unfamiliar with, which fades once they get to know the person.

Gray-asexual

A person who identifies in the “gray area” between asexuality and sexuality.

Gynesexual

A term used to communicate sexual or romantic attraction to women, females or femininity. This term intentionally includes attraction to those who identify as women, female or feminine regardless of biology, anatomy or the sex assigned at birth.

Lithromantic

A romantic orientation on the asexuality spectrum which describes an individual who feels romantic attraction towards others, but who does not desire reciprocation of that attraction or does not wish to enter a romantic relationship.

Omnisexual

Omnisexual is similar to pansexual and can be used to describe people who have a romantic, emotional or sexual attraction to people of all genders.

Pansexual

A person who is emotionally, romantically, sexually, or otherwise attracted to people regardless of their gender identity or sex assigned at birth.

Pomosexual

A person who chooses not to subscribe to a label for their gender or sexuality.

Polysexual

An attraction to multiple genders and/ or sexes.

Skoliosexual

Someone who is sexually attracted to non-binary-identifying individuals.

It’s important to know these are just a few terms, and that sexuality doesn’t need to have a label. To label or not to label is a choice unique to each person. But, these choices are what allow us to understand the breadth of gender and sexuality, and uncover what our identity really means.