[CHAT] The ABCs of LGBT
There are so many ways in which people have realized their LGBT identity. Maybe you’ve known your whole life. Maybe you didn’t realise it was a thing until you found out about that identity. Or maybe it was a celebrity or character in your favourite movie/TV show who gave you those special feelings. Either way, LGBT identity is as diverse as the many ways in which people come out.
And yet, why can it be such a struggle to know who you are? It only takes one bite to figure out whether you’re a fan of coriander, or a few classes to figure out which school subjects you naturally excel at. So why can it take years, decades even, to figure out where on the LGBT spectrum you sit?
Figuring out your LGBT identity isn’t always as simple as deciding on your favourite flavours or school subjects. For one, not everyone has the most straightforward journey. Plenty of people may identify with different labels before settling on one permanently, and some might not want to label themselves altogether. Others might spend most of their lives not realizing until they have that mental breakthrough.
However sure (or unsure) you might be in your sexual or gender identity, having a community or a space to talk about it can be so helpful, and not just for figuring out where you sit on the LGBT spectrum! Considering that LGBT young people have some of the worst rates of mental health among their peers, helping the LGBT community feel safe and accepted is something we all should work towards, regardless of how we identify.
That’s why we’re opening up a GR session on gender and sexual identity! Regardless of whether you’re 100% sure or 5% sure in your sexual identity, come and join us at 8pm AEST on Monday the 25th of July to talk about the ins and outs of being LGBT
@N1ghtW1ng the research is a good point! Not every LGBT idendity is represented in the mainstream, so that could stall identifying for a while
@Ben-RO I just really hate the idea of labels being necessary in life. You shouldn't have to decide something if you don't want to and name yourself as something just to be included. Personally, I believd it's a construct that is so engrained into our lives it's become a part of our nature.
Finding out you sexuality or gender isn’t always a straightforward experience; some people figure it out right away while for other people it can take years! Why do you think the process of coming out can be so different for different people?
Your situation plays the biggest part in your coming out. Well, not the biggest but in part, I suppose it could. The process can become harder if you are in a disapproving environment but easier in a supportive one. And sometimes people aren't totally informed on some things and have to do research to find exactly what fits them. This can sometimes take time.
@Chessca_H @lokifish I concurr. If you choose to change your sexuality because you feel it, then you do it! If someone is telling you, then you metaphorically kick them in the mouth and saunter away like the royalty you are because you know who you are, not them.
@DruidChild I definitely think sexuality can change but it can't BE changed.
@N1ghtW1ng Oh, yep, I definitely agree with you that it can't BE changed! I phrased that comment kind of poorly, sorry.
@Ben-RO It's not mine, and I'm not too sure of the source, but it's pretty cool 🙂
Finding out you sexuality or gender isn’t always a straightforward experience; some people figure it out right away while for other people it can take years! Why do you think the process of coming out can be so different for different people?
It might be harder for you to accept that you are LGBT, especially if you grow up in a really homophobic/biphobic/transphobic/generally terrible environment. It could also be because a lot of coming out stories focus on adopting a particular identity which already exists, rather than just realising you might not be straight. Plus knowing that you aren't straight isn't the most straightforward (lol) process, so perhaps for some it might be more confusing than others
@lokifish I didn't even think of that. It makes me sad, and abit confused but never mind that. I guess... it's because they who agree with conversion therapy could say that those being conversioned are just changing their preference because it's not a set thing. Is that right?
@lokifish @Chessca_H I think I get what you mean with age. Younger people who have discovered themselves might change later in life but those who discover later in life are less likely to change because they don't have as much... (sorry if this makes no sense) experience with their choice than younger people.
@lokifish that's a good point though, I can imagine conservative types would take the sexual fluidity thing as an excuse for conversion therapy
@Ben-RO Maybe that's why some people opt out of identifying with a sexuality altogether? Either way, it is strange that gender fluidity is normalised but sexual fluidity not so much. Perhaps bi/pansexuality is what people assume sexual fluidity is?
@Ben-RO Interesting point! Do people think there's a difference between being bi/pan and sexually fluid?
Really, it's totally up to you.
@Chessca_H that's how I thought too! I thought you just found an identity and that was the end of that. Never anticipated the fact that you might be confused or doubtful in your identity sometimes
So we know that different genders and sexualities sit on a spectrum, rather than just being one or the other, but do you think that they can be fluid or do they stay the same over time?
I am kind of undecided on this one. Do people have a fluid sexuality or gender, or is there a static identity that you kind of spend some time exploring and obiting around. Or is having fluidity another type of gender or sexuality that we should recognise? Hmm.
Hi everyone 🙂
So we know that different genders and sexualities sit on a spectrum, rather than just being one or the other, but do you think that they can be fluid or do they stay the same over time?
I agree in thinking that they can definitely change over time, but for some people they tend to be more stable. I think it depends on the person and the way they want to think about their experiences.
@Ben-RO that's a really interesting point! Being genderfulid is identified as its own seperate identity, but there's isn't a seperate identity for sexuality being fluid. Gotta think about that one 😛
Hello and welcome @N1ghtW1ng and @MsHarry!!!!
So we know that different genders and sexualities sit on a spectrum, rather than just being one or the other, but do you think that they can be fluid or do they stay the same over time?
I think it can be both generally, and maybe whether they stay the same or change over time can depend on the person. It could also depend on how well a particular identity fits you - you might feel 100% comfortable identifying as gay or bi, but others might change how they identify if they find a label or identity which explains their gender/sexuality better
So we know that different genders and sexualities sit on a spectrum, rather than just being one or the other, but do you think that they can be fluid or do they stay the same over time?
Yes. Especially with genders, but with sexuality too. I mean, some people are perfectly happy with their decisipn but sometimes it changes. They flucuate and it is perfectly normal.
Hey everyone! 😄 Holy shit @N1ghtW1ng how many times did you refresh this page in order to post that so soon? 😛
So we know that different genders and sexualities sit on a spectrum, rather than just being one or the other, but do you think that they can be fluid or do they stay the same over time?
I don’t know that they really change over time – I think maybe we just become better at figuring it out as we get older
@lokifish age is definitely an important factor, different life experiences might influence peope to think about themselves in different ways to how they did when they were younger
