Bathroom renovation website. Helpful Hints

Lgbt community transcript. What is LGBT: how it stands for, the meaning of the word

And the first social activists and groups advocating the rights of homosexuals began to appear in the new science of sexology. These processes were especially pronounced in Germany.

Stonewall. Radicalization of the movement

Goals of the movement

Repeal of discriminatory laws

Cancellation of criminal and administrative prosecution

In most modern countries, homosexuality or homosexual activity is not considered a crime. In a number of countries in Africa and Asia, homosexuality, manifestations of homosexual activity or even a hint of it are considered criminal offenses that are punishable by imprisonment (as in the former USSR) or the death penalty, as in modern Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia (the territory of Jamaat Al-Shabaab), Sudan, Nigeria (northern states) and Mauritania. In such countries, however, there is no open struggle for the rights of sexual and gender minorities, since participation in it can pose a threat to freedom and life. At the same time, many of these countries are lobbying for the easing of criminal laws against homosexuals. The lobbyists are reformist and moderately liberal forces in the leadership of these countries. In particular, former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami spoke out in favor of softening the legislation on homosexuals. In addition, international pressure is being exerted on these countries in order to force them to respect human rights, and among other issues on the agenda (but not the first and not the most important) is the question of the abolition of criminal and administrative penalties for homosexuality or for manifestations of homosexual activity.

In Russia, criminal prosecution was abolished in 1993 in the course of bringing legislation in line with European norms, but the victims were not rehabilitated, like other victims of the Soviet regime, in accordance with the laws on victims of political repression, which is currently demanded by LGBT activists and a number of human rights defenders .

Repeal of instructions and regulations defining homosexuality as a medical pathology

The idea of ​​the equality of rights of homosexuals and lesbians with other citizens implies the official recognition of homosexuality as one of the variants of the psychological norm in accordance with modern scientific views and with official WHO documents (since 1993).

In this regard, LGBT organizations, professional medical organizations, liberal politicians and human rights activists are fighting for the abolition of instructions and regulations that define homosexuality as a mental disorder, and for the adoption of official documents (at the level of the ministries of health of nation states and at the level of national associations of psychiatrists and psychologists), unequivocally defining homosexuality as a variant of the psychological norm and prohibiting any “treatment for homosexuality” or “correction of sexual orientation” of healthy people, which homosexuals are currently recognized as, since the harm to patients from such influences has already been reliably proven, and reliable facts of “orientation correction " still no.

In many countries, primarily democratic ones, the abolition of instructions and provisions that define homosexuality as a medical pathology or as a sexual deviation has already taken place. In Russia, homosexuality was excluded from the list of diseases on January 1, 1999 (transition to the International Classification of Diseases of the 10th revision, from which homosexuality was excluded).

Repeal of bans on professions

In some countries there have been or are bans on certain professions for people who openly declare their homosexuality. This may be, for example, a ban on the service of representatives of sexual minorities in the army or work as a teacher at school, a doctor. Organizations for the protection of the rights of sexual minorities are seeking (and in some cases have already achieved) the lifting of these bans.

So, for example, special sociological studies conducted in Western countries found that the homosexuality of an officer or soldier does not affect combat discipline or the internal psychological climate of the unit. Therefore, there is no reason to deny homosexuals the right to serve in the army.

In Russia, the "Regulations on military medical expertise" states that the very fact of homosexuality within the framework of this provision is not a disorder and, therefore, is not a disease that prevents military service. According to article 18 of the Regulations, "sexual orientation in itself is not considered a disorder." The fitness category “B (partially fit for military service)” for homosexuality is used only if there are pronounced disorders of gender identity and sexual preference that are not compatible with service and the presence of concomitant diseases. Thus, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, in relation to military service, such persons have equal rights, but in practice, some military commissariats do not call up homosexuals for military service.

It has also been established that the teacher's homosexuality does not lead to any complications in relations with students and does not predispose the teacher to commit indecent acts against students (since homosexuality and pedophilia are fundamentally different things). Therefore, there is no reason to forbid openly homosexuals to work as teachers in schools. The idea of ​​lifting the ban on openly homosexual teaching has been criticized by conservatives, who believe that the mere presence of a teacher with a homosexual orientation in a school teaches children by example, and that in this way the school “propagates homosexuality”. However, supporters of this view do not have any scientific data to prove that schools with homosexual teachers produce more homosexual graduates, or that homosexual teachers are more prone to commit indecent acts towards students, or that they children are taught worse or cannot normally build relationships with them in the “teacher-student” paradigm.

Cancellation of the ban on donation

In some countries, there is a ban on donating blood and organs from members of sexual minorities. LGBT organizations are making attempts to challenge this norm and achieve the abolition of discrimination. In 2006, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation undertook to prepare an amendment to repeal this discriminatory policy. On April 16, 2008, the Minister of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, Tatyana Golikova, issued an order “On Amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated September 14, 2001 No. 364 “On Approving the Procedure for Medical Examination of a Blood Donor and Its Components””. Since May 13, 2008, homosexuals have been excluded from the list of contraindications to donating blood and its components.

Respect for the human rights of LGBT people

Even in countries where criminal and administrative penalties for manifestations of homosexuality have been abolished, the practice of violating the human rights of homosexuals has persisted for a long time.

LGBT organizations have fought and are fighting not only for the formal abolition of criminal punishment for homosexuality, but also for changing real police and administrative practices. Including for ensuring that the concept of “violations of public order” is equally applied (or not applied) to same-sex and opposite-sex couples kissing or hugging in public places, and raids on “drug dealers or violators of the passport regime” are carried out non-selectively in crowded places homosexuals.

Also, LGBT organizations fight for the observance of such human rights in relation to homosexuals as the right to peaceful public meetings (including gay prides), the right to create public organizations, the right to cultural self-realization, the right to access information, the right to freedom of speech, the right to equal access to medical care, etc. In Russia, these rights are regularly violated: the police, under various pretexts, raid gay clubs, keep “lists of gays”, not a single public action in defense of LGBT people has been sanctioned by the authorities, LGBT organizations are denied registration, cultural events of gays and lesbians are often disrupted , there are no programs to implement HIV prevention among gay men.

Adoption of anti-discrimination laws

LGBT organizations also advocate for the inclusion of explicit reference to members of sexual minorities in anti-discrimination laws (or for the adoption of separate anti-discrimination laws for sexual minorities). They also seek a direct mention of sexual orientation and gender identity in the relevant articles of the Constitutions, which guarantee equal rights to all citizens, regardless of gender, age, religion, nationality.

The right to register a marriage

In recent years, there has been a growing movement in support of same-sex marriage. The fact of marriage registration secures for a same-sex family such rights as: the right to joint property, the right to alimony, the right to inheritance, social and medical insurance, preferential taxation and crediting, the right to a name, the right not to testify in court against a spouse, the right to act as a proxy on behalf of the spouse in the event of his incapacity for health reasons, the right to dispose of the body of the spouse in the event of death, the right to joint parenthood and the upbringing of foster children and other rights that unregistered couples are deprived of.

Opponents of same-sex marriage argue that, according to tradition and religious norms, only a man and a woman can enter into marriage, and therefore the demands of gays and lesbians to recognize the same right for them are absurd and this is not about equal rights for homosexuals and heterosexuals, but about providing homosexuals with a new unprecedented right. Supporters of same-sex marriage point out that the registration of marriage is a legal act, independent of religious norms (in most modern states, legal and church registration of marriage relations occur separately), and that the law should follow social changes that lead to the elimination of inequality between people - like this and occurs over the past centuries, when the prohibitions that existed before on registering marriages (for example, between spouses belonging to different faiths or races) were gradually abolished. In addition, the American Psychological Association claims that the denial of the legal right to enter into gay marriage is a source of tension for same-sex couples, which has an extremely negative effect on their psychological state. Other researchers note that in those countries where same-sex marriages were legalized, there were no significant upheavals in society.

Among the countries that have granted same-sex couples the full right to marry are, for example, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Denmark, Brazil, France, Uruguay, New Zealand, Luxembourg, USA, Ireland, Colombia, Finland and Germany. Same-sex marriages are also performed in England, Wales, Scotland and some states of Mexico. In addition, in many countries so-called “same-sex unions” are concluded, which are some kind of marriage, but do not have all the rights that married spouses have. In different countries, such same-sex unions may be called differently. The list of rights and obligations enjoyed by members of such unions also differs (from the full set of marital rights to a minimum).

Closely related to the right to register a marriage or union is the right to immigrate.

Adoption

The LGBT movement seeks the right to adopt a child of one of the partners in same-sex families by another partner, the possibility of adoption by same-sex families of children from orphanages, for the possibility of equal access to assisted reproductive technologies for same-sex and different-sex families. It should be noted that in many countries where broad rights are granted to same-sex couples, these issues are considered separately.

In accordance with Russian law, adoption can be issued for one citizen or for a married couple. The law does not mention a citizen's sexual orientation as a ground for refusing adoption or guardianship, but in practice homosexuals often face denials. Sexual orientation is also not a restriction on access to assisted reproductive technologies, but at the same time, a same-sex family has problems establishing the parenthood of a child.

social activities

LGBT organizations are engaged in social activities, such as organizing various cultural events (film festivals, sports competitions, music competitions and concerts, photo exhibitions, theatrical performances, installations, flash mobs, etc.), the purpose of which is the social adaptation of the LGBT community, the development of its cultural potential, establishing a cultural dialogue with the rest of society. In addition, as a rule, any event is educational in nature.

Various books, magazines, and even radio and television broadcasts are also published.

Separately, there is the organization of services - affordable and high-quality specific psychological, legal and medical assistance to representatives of the LGBT community, helplines, self-help groups.

Gay nationalism

A special variety in the gay and lesbian emancipation movement is gay nationalism, which proclaims the LGBT community as a new nation with its own culture and historical destiny.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. Surely you have heard or seen the LGBT abbreviation in magazines and newspapers more than once, but not everyone understood what is hidden behind these four letters (although they guessed 🙂).

Today I will try to explain in simple terms what it is, how this abbreviation stands for, and I will tell you other information on this topic.

What is LGBT and how it stands for

Let's figure it out.

According to Wikipedia, LGBT is an acronym used by to refer to all sexual minorities: lesbian, gay, bisexual and .

The designation came from the English language, where LGBT deciphered as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender. The abbreviation has been used since the 90s of the XX century to unite all representatives of non-traditional orientation in order to tell the world about its different sides.

The purpose of the movement under this name is the struggle for the rights of sexual minorities, and the motto "My life - my rules" encourages others to consider gay people as full members of society.

The color of the flag and other symbols of the LGBT community

Now that you know what LGBT means, it's time to talk about the symbolism of the movement. There are several distinctive signs that help members of non-traditional sexual minorities stand out and are regularly used in gay parades and other events.

Among them:


LGBT activists and the fight for equal rights

In principle, this knowledge about LGBT (deciphering each letter from the abbreviation and information about symbols) will be enough for most readers (for general development, so to speak). But I still briefly propose to talk about the activists of the movement.

The leaders of this movement seek recognition of the rights of sexual minorities in each particular country at the legislative level.

In order to popularize their views, activists organize gay parades, demonstrations, and others in order to win people over to their community.

In addition to stories about LGBT, what it is and what goals it pursues, they are trying to draw attention to the problems of modern sexual minorities in society.

Priority Goals movement activists:

  1. the possibility of representatives of non-traditional orientation to social adaptation;
  2. reducing the level of hostility, attacks and insults towards LGBT people;
  3. providing timely medical assistance to transgender people, homosexuals, lesbians;
  4. the opportunity to enter into official same-sex marriages, to have children;
  5. equality in all spheres of activity, including when applying for a job or study at a higher educational institution.

In the EU and the US, LGBT activists have achieved their goals. Gay parades are periodically held in China, Venezuela and even Turkey, where the majority of the population is Muslim.

A deplorable situation for representatives of non-traditional orientation and strict Muslim countries like Iran, Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia, where homosexuals are sometimes physically destroyed.

Many celebrities do not hesitate to openly declare their orientation and actively fight for equal rights for representatives of sexual minorities, being an example for others.

Here are a few famous personalities who did not hesitate to reveal themselves:

  1. Elton John. The singer committed (confessed to homosexuality) back in 1976, when even Western countries were not so loyal to homosexuals. Now Sir Elton John is officially married and has children.
  2. Tom Ford. The famous designer confessed to being gay in 1997, later married a man, and since 2012 they have been raising a child together.
  3. Thomas Hitzlsperger. In the sports world, people are still afraid to admit their non-traditional sexual orientation, fearing misunderstanding on the part of fans and potential employers. German football player Thomas Hitzlsperger played for clubs such as Bayern, Aston Villa, Stuttgart, Lazio, Westham, Wolfsburg and Everton, after which he ended his playing career and admitted to being homosexual.

How do LGBT people live in Russia

In Western countries, children from an early age are told “about this” (what this concept means), and they explain that such people also have the right to self-expression (which is not bad). Another thing is that lately it has become more like an ad such a way of life as more correct (which is absurd).

In Russia, however, representatives of sexual minorities are faced not only with homophobia (although this happens), but with intolerance on the part of the population and the government towards advertising and popularization of deviations. At the legislative level, officially propaganda is prohibited non-traditional sexual relations among persons under 18 years of age.

Gay parades, same-sex marriages, direct or indirect support for LGBT people - all this is an unaffordable luxury in Russia. Representatives of sexual minorities most often have to hide their orientation, and there is no possibility for them to create a family at the official level.

Tolerance, but not the creation of a cult (IMHO)

Now you know more about this topic and which celebrities are open about their homosexuality, and how do they relate to sexual minorities in Russia. I will dwell on the latter for a moment.

Now in the USA there is an acute problem (all their major media write about it) - men. This may seem strange to us from Russia, but for its rights it has so distorted the situation that men in the United States are now practically powerless and are slowly “degenerating”.

In South Africa, the situation with the struggle of the black population for their rights led to an absolutely opposite result. Now there is apartheid on the contrary - the white population is practically deprived of all rights and is openly discriminated against.

Having accelerated, it is very difficult to stop and not outweigh the thicket of scales in the other direction.

It will lead to the same unfortunate result aggressive wrestling for the right of "normality" of the LGBT community. This must be understood and taken into account. It is one thing to educate a tolerant attitude in society (people with deviations are not to blame that nature has decreed this) and another thing is to “swing rights”, as feminists in the States have done for decades.

Therefore, I am impressed by the balanced approach of Russia in this matter. But that doesn't mean you have to agree with me. It is even good when there are many opinions, because this allows you to achieve the most.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the blog pages site

You may be interested

What does coming out mean in simple terms Emancipation is the equalization of the rights and freedoms of women with men, minors with parents and other disadvantaged groups Tomboy - who is it, features of appearance and haircuts of tomboys Who is pansexual - features of orientation and differences from bisexual Who is transgender and how do people become transgender Hetero orientation is normal Latent - what science and gays hide What is a class in history Who is asexual What is feminism and who are feminists Who is metrosexual

News and Society

How does LGBT stands for. LGBT communities. What is LGBT?

July 11, 2014

In our time, every person can defend their rights. To do this, he only needs to join a community of interests (as one of the options) or by common views on different things. There are many associations of people who seek to improve their lives or ... prove a point. Communities of this type direct their activities to achieve certain results, goals, or to combat problems that have arisen.

In addition to certain communities, there is the concept of "movement". It also consists of various groups of people who share common views on life or certain things. They strive to prove their point of view to the world, they want to be heard. Among these formations, LGBT people are singled out. Who it is, or rather, what it is - not everyone knows. So let's try to figure it out.

What is LGBT?

One thing is clear - this is an abbreviation. Among tens of thousands of different communities, there are a lot of those whose name consists of only a few letters. But what do they mean? For example, many are interested in how LGBT stands for. In simple words, this is a group of people united by their views and principles of life. They are often referred to as gay communities. They include representatives of various communities, groups of communication, currents, quarters and organizations.

But why LGBT? The decoding is simple: a community of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders. All people who consider themselves to be part of this formation are united by common problems, interests and goals. In any case, LGBT representatives consider themselves full members of society, which they are trying to prove to others, since many do not recognize their views and lifestyle.

LGBT movement

In addition to the community of gays, lesbians and other representatives of sexual minorities, there is a special LGBT movement. It includes all the same people with a non-traditional orientation, but they are active in order to prove their rights and live as full-fledged individuals in today's society.

The LGBT movement, whose abbreviation consists of the first letters of four words - lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, stands for the equality of citizens, sexual freedom, tolerance, respect for human rights and, of course, the eradication of xenophobia and discrimination. In addition, the main goal of the participants is the integration of people with a non-traditional orientation into society.

Community history

The history of the LGBT movement dates back to the time of World War II. Yes, yes, oddly enough, but at a time when it was not only embarrassing, but even scary to ask a question about how LGBT is deciphered, a society of people of non-traditional orientation already existed, and every day there were more and more supporters. People slowly gained courage and ceased to be afraid of the reaction of society to them.

In general, the history of society is divided into five long periods: pre-war, post-war, stonewall (gay liberation uprising), AIDS epidemic and modern. It was after the second stage of the formation of LGBT that the ideology in society changed. The post-war period was the impetus for the formation of gay neighborhoods and bars.

Community symbols

The LGBT community is a formation that was formed by people who have the same views and interests, namely a non-traditional orientation, which in our time is perceived in completely different ways. In the course of the development of an unusual organization, its own symbolism appeared. These are special signs that have a meaning and a unique origin. They help to navigate in society and distinguish their like-minded people, supporters. In addition, the symbolism demonstrates the pride and openness of the community. It is quite clear that it plays a special role for every gay person.

Signs symbolizing the LGBT community are the rainbow flag and the pink triangle. Of course, these are not all designations, but they are the most common.

Earlier, during the Second World War, homosexuality was considered a big crime, for which the government punished, a person was prosecuted by law. Homosexuals were forced to hide. The LGBT community as a public organization was founded by the US government in 1960, after which the life of all representatives of sexual minorities has improved significantly.

Equality for sexual minorities!

"LGBT - what is it?" - many people ask, and having learned the decoding, they perceive such unions as something frivolous. In fact, the power and action of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community should not be underestimated. After all, it is thanks to him that all LGBT people can now enter into legal same-sex marriages, and no one has the right to condemn them for this.

Throughout the entire period of the existence of the community, it tried to achieve a change in legislation in favor of sexual minorities. After all, the main goal of LGBT is the protection of human rights and its social adaptation. It should be noted that this organization was once opposed by the anti-homosexual movement, which does not recognize LGBT representatives as equal members of society, or religion does not allow them to accept them.

In addition to the fact that sexual minorities fought for human rights, all of them have long dreamed of marrying each other. Previously, this was unacceptable! In this regard, same-sex civil partnership did not suit gays and lesbians, they needed official legalization of relations and family. Even the possibility of adopting a child was not ruled out. Eventually, thousands of gay couples were granted permission to enter into same-sex marriages.

Right to Adoption

Few people know how LGBT stands for, but this does not mean that people should not be interested in it. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders fought and continue to defend their rights. And absolutely not in vain. After all, after a lot of effort, they were still allowed to enter into same-sex marriages. A little later, gay couples had a desire to raise a child. Thus, another problem arose - adoption. The LGBT is seeking the right to have a child, and in some countries members of sexual minorities are able to do so. The problem is only in establishing the parent. Many social services don't understand how to register mom and dad as guardians when they're both female or male.

Activities of the LGBT community

It should be noted that LGBT (an abbreviation whose meaning is now clear to you) is successfully engaged in social activities. The community organizes various events, including original film festivals, competitions, concerts, sports competitions, photo exhibitions and flash mobs, theatrical performances and more. The purpose of these events is the adaptation of people with non-traditional orientation. A feature of the event is its educational nature. It should be noted that the LGBT is engaged in the publication of magazines, books, and also speaks on television and radio. Community representatives provide amazing psychological, legal, medical and other types of support and assistance to their like-minded people.


Repeal of bans on professions

Now you know what LGBT is. Note that this formation is often mentioned in connection with social activities. Surprisingly, there were times when people with a non-traditional orientation were forbidden to work in certain positions. For example, they could not serve in the army, be a teacher or a doctor. Today, most of these prohibitions have been lifted, and all this has been achieved by a community created by representatives of sexual minorities. Of course, how LGBT stands for is known only to those people who are interested in this issue. In other cases, they prefer to remain silent about such formations.

Cancellation of donation bans

Asking a question about what LGBT is, a person with a traditional orientation wants to get a normal, satisfying answer. But far from everyone has to "taste" the reality and the whole truth, which lies in the decoding of this concept. So, there were times when lesbians and gays were forbidden to become donors. Their blood was considered "dirty", unworthy of an ordinary person. It is quite natural that sexual minorities were extremely offended by this attitude, and they began to fight against injustice. However, there are still countries today that continue to ban homosexuals from donating blood and organs.

So, we looked at what LGBT is. Who they are and what goals they pursue, also found out. The main task of this community today is to eradicate negative attitudes towards people who are different from the majority.

A couple of decades ago, the term LGBT appeared, which means "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender" for short. The first three positions refer to a person's sexual orientation, the fourth to their gender identity. The word "lesbian" comes from the name of the island of Lesbos, where the poetess Sappho lived in ancient times. Since then, the name Lesbos has been a symbol of love between women. The word "gay" has two meanings: gay - "a cheerful guy" and the abbreviation "good as you". Bisexual and transgender should be understood literally: a person with dual sexuality and a person who changes sex (the latter is not entirely true, transgender people do not always change their physiological gender, they are often content with changing their image and documents).

Story

The term LGBT has existed since the consolidation of sexual and gender minorities into a single community. But the LGBT movement itself began earlier. It is considered to be the beginning of the Stonewall Riot (June 1969), when gays for the first time in the history of America rebuffed the police who carried out planned raids in clubs. The emancipation of the community continues to this day. This process is extremely difficult in states with a weakened economy and legal system, with a low level of education and a political regime close to totalitarian. In such countries, the authorities, in order to distract the population from economic and social problems, cultivate the image of an internal enemy, exploiting the age-old prejudices of people imposed by orthodox religions. The ideal "enemy" for ignorant people is LGBT, which means the marginalization of the community and the escalation of violence against its members.

Organizations

Every country has its own LGBT organization. There are several of them in Russia. There are also branches for a narrow purpose:

Film Festival "Side-by-side" fulfills an educational mission;

The main function of the "Forum of LGBT Christians" is to search for a consensus between the believing representatives of the community and the orthodox church doctrine, positioning same-sex intimate relationships as a sin;

The Coming Out organization (LGBT Coming Out, which means open recognition of one's orientation) provides legal and psychological support to members of the community.

Russian organizations:

- "LGBT Network" in St. Petersburg;

- "Rainbow Association" in Moscow;

- "Another View" in Komi;

Initiative groups in all major cities of Russia.

These organizations are multifunctional: their tasks include educational activities, support, and political struggle.

There is also an organization "Children-404", focused on the psychological adaptation of homosexual teenagers, who are actually denied the right to exist by the legislation on the information protection of minors.

The LGBT Network in St. Petersburg, the Rainbow Association in Moscow, etc. have their official LGBT website.

LGBT in the protest movement

There are many heterosexuals in the LGBT movement. In St. Petersburg, there is the "Alliance of Heterosexuals for LGBT Equality", consisting mainly of representatives of the majority. There are heterosexuals in the Moscow "Rainbow Association" and in groups in other cities. Russia is characterized by a general civic orientation of LGBT activities, which means a close connection between the movement and the struggle against patriarchal gender chauvinism, as well as with other anti-fascist and democratic associations, both with a liberal and left-wing political platform.


Attention, only TODAY!

Almost all over the world attitude towards sexual minorities is very loyal. Today, gay people rarely cause bewilderment or ridicule. Moreover, the term LGBT has emerged, which is intended to unite all these personalities. How is the abbreviation LGBT correctly deciphered and what is its real meaning? All of this is detailed below.

Decoding and main meaning of the abbreviation LGBT (LGBT)

What does LGBT mean, how to decipher this word? In fact, the word must be understood as a kind of definition of all sexual minorities. The term LGBT (LGBT) is of English origin, the full abbreviation can be deciphered as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. In Russian, LGBT literally has the following decoding: Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transsexuals.

That is, the word LGBT allows you to simply designate all bisexual, homosexual and transgender people.

In Europe and America, the term has been actively used since the 90s of the last century, but in Russia it has gained relative popularity recently. Abroad, LGBT has become an extended variation of another term - LGB, which in Western countries from the mid-80s of the 20th century until the beginning of its last decade meant the gay community. At the same time, initially the word referred only to this sexual minority and was not used to identify representatives of other people of non-traditional orientation.

It is worth making a reservation right away: both the translation and the decoding of the LGBT abbreviation are not of any derogatory or offensive nature. Against! The term is intended to demonstrate other aspects and directions of people's sexual life. Gender identity and sexuality are very diverse.

Possible interpretations of the term LGBT

By the way, there is another term from this category. It is represented by the acronym LGBTQ. In Russian, it sounds like LGBTQ. Yes, yes, the last letter was given just such a decoding. The whole point is that here it means "queer" (queer). But in some versions, the letter means questioning, which can be translated as doubting or hesitant. This term was introduced in 1996 and did not last long.

After 3 years, the abbreviation LGBTI was proposed, which was written in English as LGBTI. But the version introduced by the intersex people was soon merged with the previous version. The result is the acronym LGBTQI or LGBTQI.

There are other variations as well. So, earlier there was a version with the addition of the letter "A" at the very end. It meant belonging to the category of such persons as asexuals (that is, Asexual).

Another option is an abbreviation in which the letter “P” (P) comes last. The meaning is simple - pansexuals (pansexual).

Other letters are also used to define the sexual minority community. For example, the presence of the English letter "H" means HIV positive. An additional "2" or the letters "TS" means two-spirit. This can be translated as the term berdache. Sometimes it can be seen in the abbreviation "I". She indicates interosexuals, and "O" indicates others.

The additional letter "C" means experimental, and "T" means transvestites.

There are other letters that can be used in an abbreviation, but as a rule, today four basic letters are enough for everyone to fully reflect the whole essence of the LGBT movement.

Now the basic term LGBT, according to Wikipedia, can be deciphered as the self-name of all people who have created a certain community based on gender identity or sexual orientation. This meaning has been thoroughly included in the speech of most English-speaking countries and the United States. It is also widely used in Europe and almost all countries of the world. Moreover, the term is often heard in the media and at meetings of public organizations.

LGBT symbols

LGBT people have their own symbols. The combination of signs allows people of non-traditional sexual orientation to identify themselves.

A special LGBT symbolism was invented, and it is customary to include among the special signs:

  • rainbow sign;
  • pink and black triangle
  • lambda;
  • purple palm;
  • labrys.

Other LGBT symbols include bear signs, transgender symbols, superimposed gender marks, purple rhino, calamus, green carnation, and others.

LGBT rainbow flag

Of course, the most popular symbol of all sexual minorities is the rainbow flag. It is also called the freedom flag or the pride flag. The sign is presented in the form of a canvas consisting of 6 longitudinal stripes. From top to bottom are all the same colors as the natural rainbow. But there is a difference - blue is missing between green and blue.

The peculiarity of such an LGBT sign is that it reflects all the diversity, freedom, openness and kindness of sexual minorities.

The rainbow flag was created a long time ago. It was invented by Gilbert Baker in 1978. He did it specifically for the gay parade, which was held in San Francisco.

colored triangles

Another popular LGBT symbol is the pink triangle. By the way, this sign is considered one of the oldest attributes of communities to which people with non-traditional sexual orientation belong. The symbol appeared in Germany when the Nazis were in power there. Then gays were sent to special camps, and as a mark, a brand in the form of a pink triangle was put on their body. They were mocked not only by the guards, but also by other men under arrest. Therefore, in the Third Reich, most of the gays were destroyed.

There is another interpretation of this sign. Lesbians prefer to use a black triangle, since this sign also has its own history: it was this mark that the Nazis put on all asocial personalities, which included lesbians.

Other signs of the LGBT community

The history of some other symbols related to LGBT is also interesting. For example, a green carnation has become a sign of gays. And the sign takes its origin in the poetry of Oscar Wilde. By the way, another gay symbol was taken by sexual minorities from the work of Walt Whitman. This is air.