“It’s made up of three components: identity (I’m homosexual), conduct (I have sex with the same gender), and attraction (I’m sexually attracted to the same gender), and all three may not be present in all persons.” (Don’t use the phrase “sexual preference,” which implies it’s a choice that may be modified.)
“There are three separate components of sexual orientation,” said Ryan Watson, a Human Development and Family Studies professor at the University of Connecticut. Sexual orientation: A person’s perception of their sexuality. Queer: Originally a derogatory term, queer has evolved into an umbrella phrase to cover the numerous ways people reject binary classifications of gender and sexual orientation to express who they are. When you hear the term “gender stereotypes,” it refers to how we anticipate someone to act and behave based on their gender. Gender: The social constructions that we attribute to persons depending on their sex features. Sex: The designation given to you at birth is based on your anatomical traits, chromosomes, and hormone levels.
Speaking of intersex, this is a person who is born with sex traits such as genitals or chromosomes that do not meet the traditional classifications of male or female. Intersex is represented by the letter I and asexual/aromantic/gender is represented by the letter A. You may also come across the terms LGBT+, LGBT*, LGBTx, or LGBTQIA. LGBTQ: An abbreviation for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.” Some people use the Q to represent “questioning,” which refers to persons who are unsure of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Also, you must try to play this What LGBTQ Are You Quiz. But be careful not to place the responsibility of your education on others when there is a vast world of options available. If you’re perplexed by a term and believe you can approach someone you care about in the LGBTQ community to help you understand it, go ahead and do so. This is by no means an entire list, and because these concepts are so personal, they are likely to imply various things to different people.