Word of the Gay: "Monosexism"

"Monosexism" is the belief that Homosexuality or Heterosexuality are superior or more valid than a Bisexual orientation. People who are "Monosexist" dismiss Bisexuality as confusion, hedonism, sinful, and/or people who are closeted about their Hetero or Homosexual orientation.

Word of the Gay: "Gay"

You can't have "Word of the Gay" without the word "Gay" hehe. So why not? "Gay" is an adjective that refers to homosexuality. The word has been used as an umbrella term for the LGBT community, sometimes to describe both same-sex oriented men and women, and as of more recent just refers to homosexual men.

The word "Gay" has also been used disparagingly to refer to people or objects as stupid or lame.

Word of the Gay: "Ex-Gay"

The "Ex-Gay" movement are people who claim to have once been LGBT and have converted their sexual orientation to straight or their gender identity to match their biological sex. Most so called "Ex-Gays" are driven by religious values that disparage homosexuality/transsexuality and regard it as sin. The "Ex-Gay" movement uses reparative therapy to try and "fix" LGBT people but it is a complete sham. The American Psychological Association and American Medical Association dismiss the notion that sexuality and gender identity can be changed and regard the practice as unscientific and dangerous to the mental well being of people.

Word of the Gay: "Dyke"

"Dyke" has traditionally been an offensive term for Lesbians who are noticeably more masculine. The term can still be used in a pejorative fashion but has also been reclaimed by Lesbian activists who view the word in a positive light. The term has become a description for independent, assertive, and tough Lesbian identified females.

Word of the Gay: "Fag Stag"

"Fag Stag" - A heterosexual male who enjoys the company of or has many gay/bi male friends. It is the male equivalent of the term fag hag, and although still rarely used it is becoming more popular as homosexuality is becoming more widely accepted.

Word of the Gay: "Pomosexual"

"Pomosexual" stands for post modern and is used for people who do not fall into the traditional labels given for sexual orientation or gender identity, they are more undefined or fluid in nature.

Word of the Gay: "Bent"

"Bent" - A term used within the U.K. as a slang for homosexuals. It also means predisposition, abnormal or unorthodox behavior. Of late the term has been reclaimed and many groups and publications proudly use the term "Bent" as a source of gay pride.

Open Forum: LGBTQAIZ5123?

Labels for the community have been evolving and continue to evolve to this day. It started with "Gay" which included same-sex attracted males and females, then it branched out to include "Lesbians" as their own separate label. Over time other movements like the "Bisexuals" and "Transgender" populations joined in under the acronym "GLBT". The acronym was thought to be biased towards the "G" and hence the more popularized acronym became "LGBT". Now we see movement to change the acronym so that perhaps the "B" or "T" come before the "L" or the "G" in the sequence of the letters to be more reflective of an inclusive community.

Just when you thought the whole "LGBT" or is it "GLBT" drama was settled we now have new movements boarding the sexual/gender minority bandwagon. "Queer" people who reject the notion that sexuality is fixed and who don't attach binaristic labels want "Q" added to the ever long list of letters in the acronym. People who are "Questioning" their sexuality or are curious want the "Q" to represent the term "Questioning". "Intersex" people don't want to be lumped under the "Transgender" umbrella and want the "I" added to the list. "Asexuals" want to be recognized as a legitimate sexual orientation and have "A" added to the list. "A" has also been representative of those who consider themselves "Allies" to the community.

So we already have a long and varied list with letters overlapping for different communities who want representation. Confusing huh? Well there are also movements by "Polyamorous" families, fetish groups, "Pansexuals", "Two-spirits", and others who want to be part of the acronym.

How far do we go with the acronym, is the label "LGBT" fair and inclusive? Or should we come up with a new term to describe all of these sexual/gender minorities. Is Queer too broad and open so that if we use it nobody will know what we are talking about? Share your thoughts on this ever growing and evolving debate...

Word of the Gay: "Faggot"

"Faggot" - A pejorative word describing homosexual men or those who embrace feminine or stereotypical gay male behavior patterns. The origin of the term is controversial but "faggot" has traditionally meant a bundle of sticks and thus in reference to gay men would insinuate the action of burning a gay man at the stake.

The word "faggot" or "fag" has been used predominantly in North America but has spread internationally as a slang word to describe gay men.

In recent years a minority of Queer activists have sought to reclaim the word and wear the label proudly.

Most LGBT people still find the word deeply offensive and it is widely used to disparage people regardless of their orientation and has been included in much of the bullying and violence that occurs in society today.

Open Forum: Is Bisexuality Old School?

Bisexuals get the hard end of the stick, they are often shunned by heterosexuals as being "confused", "selfish", "hedonistic" and often times they are rejected by gays/lesbians as being "traitors" or unwilling to admit that they are gay.

Bisexuality is very much a valid orientation as demonstrated by Dr. Kinsey who showed that sexuality lies on a continuum and that we all fall along that continuum to some degree or another.

There has been criticism however of the term and identity of bisexuality in recent years, especially by younger demographics who are having a new understanding of sexuality and gender as we have come to see it.

Bisexuality is the attraction two both males and females. "Bi" connotates two and by definition falls into the gender binary system. What if you are someone who is attracted or has the capability of falling in love emotionally/physically with someone who is male, female, transgender, intersexual, or genderqueer?

Bisexuality is often see as an equal division of attraction to both males and females, but some people do not have a 50/50 split in attraction and have varying percentages of how much they like either gender.

More recently many people no longer claim the term bisexuality, and prefer terms like pansexual or queer to define their identities.

Do you feel Bisexuality is an old and antiquated term, should the term be changed to be more inclusive of all gender identities?

Word of the Gay: "Two-Spirit"

"Two-Spirit"-This is a term to refer to third-gendered people.

Traditionally it referred to Native Americans who embraced both genders.

Today many Native Americans as well as others identify with this duality of masculine and feminine spirits within their bodies.

Word of the Gay: 'mo foe

'mo foe: someone who is against the gay community or gay rights. A play on words, 'mo being short for homosexual and also implying that those who harbor anti-gay sentiments are mother fuckers (mofo's) as the slang goes.

I could be wrong and please correct me if so, but I believe Jeremy Hooper over at Good As You is the originator of the term.

Open Forum: That's So Straight!?

Well all grew up hearing the famous phrase "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me". It probably didn't take long to realize that this line is the furthest thing from the truth.

"75.4% of students heard derogatory remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school, and nearly nine out of ten (89.2%) reported hearing "that's so gay" or "you're so gay" - meaning stupid or worthless- frequently or often." (GLSEN)

The National School Climate Survey found that LGBT students are more likely to by physically harassed, skip class, drop out, and have a lower GPA due to assault.

Words are hurtful and many times abuse begins verbally and eventually leads to physical violence. As Queer activists & Allies it is important to stand up, many times people utter these words without thinking twice about what their connotation is and whom they might be offending.

So I pose the question, what if anything do you do to combat hateful words? Do you say something, and if so how do you handle it and what has the outcome been?

Open Forum: Affectional Orientation

I came across an interesting Wikipedia entry about this term called "affectional orientation".

"Affectional orientation (or romantic orientation) is an alternative term for sexual orientation. It is based on the perspective that sexual attraction/desire is but a single component of a larger dynamic. To holders of this view, one's orientation is defined by whom one is predisposed to fall in love with, whether or not one desires that person sexually. Lately, the predominant use of the term "sexual orientation" is considered to reduce a whole category of desires and emotions, as well as power and connection, to sex.

The term affectional orientation is also used by those who consider themselves asexual and only feel emotional and/or physical (aesthetic) attraction. The terms used for different affectional orientations are usually the same as those for sexual orientations; though "homoromantic", "biromantic," "heteroromantic," and "aromantic" have gained some popularity. Asexuals sometimes incorporate colloquial terms to describe both the romantic and sexual components of their orientation (e.g. gay-asexual, bi-asexual, and straight-asexual).

There are also those who hold the view that one's orientation is defined by whom one has affection for and that their sexual attraction (or "drive", perhaps more appropriately) is dependent upon affection for another human being's personal qualities, regardless of their sex, gender or even outward appearance altogether. This use of the term does not require falling in love but is still based on a personal affection. One might now consider the phrase "conditional sexual attraction" to describe the experience of those who are otherwise asexual, as opposed to "primary sexual attraction" used to describe people who are "sexual"."

So what do you guys think? Do you think that the term "sexual orientation" defines our relationships purely on sexual terms and negates the whole aspect that Queer relationships are based on love, sex, financial stability, family, etc. Should we be using the term "affectional orientation" as opposed to "sexual orientation" or are both legitimate in different settings? Thoughts? Comments?