If you are not familiar with the meanings behind LGBTQ, here are some definitions. Many people use other terms they find more comfortable, or no terms at all. Some move from one term to another as they learn more about themselves.

L: Lesbian is a woman who is primarily attracted to other women.

G: Gay refers to men who are attracted to men, but many women use this term as well. It can be a general term meaning anyone attracted to their own gender. If someone identifies as gay, it does not necessarily mean they are in a same-sex relationship; they may just use it to describe their orientation, not their behavior.

B: Bisexual women find themselves attracted to both men and women. This is usually a consistent pattern for their lives, not generally one random episode of same- or opposite-sex attraction.

T: Transgender describes a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their sex at birth.

Q: Queer is becoming more common, and can refer to either sexual orientation or gender identity or both (or neither). It is an umbrella term that covers many different situations.