Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer, Intersex, Asexual. This is an ever changing acronym often used to refer to people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, although it is now often replaced with the acronym SOGIESC (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics) which is considered more inclusive, since the term LGBTIQA+ also leaves out a lot of different identities and expressions.
To make the term more inclusive you may sometimes also see additional letters added, such as SGL (same gender loving, which is sometimes favoured by some African American men in the United States as a way of distinguishing themselves from what they regard as the white-dominated LGBT communities), U (unsure), C (curious), TS/2 (two-spirited, a term preferred by some over ‘transgender’), SA (straight allies), P (polyamorous), H (HIV-infected), O (other), TIH (used in India to denote the hijra third gender identity and related subculture), A (ally), P (pansexual), and T (transsexual).
All young people worldwide should be able to explore, experience and express their sexualities in healthy, pleasurable and safe ways.