Crash course in lgbtqia
LGBTQIA stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans(gender/sexual), (Questioning/Queer), Intersex, and (Asexual/Ally). For a quick and useful list of these terms and terms like them, please see this website: http://lgbtrc.ucdavis.edu/lgbt-education/lgbtqia-glossary.
To my understanding, the acronym lengthens and shortens depending on where you go. Most resource centers and historical websites I have seen just say LGBT or LGBTQ and the signs I found all corresponded with that. I will continue to keep a lookout for signs of the other letters and will update accordingly!
From what I've seen, all the letters are for inclusion. The idea of turning marginalized groups that fight for their own rights into marginalized groups fighting for one another and eventually equalizing rights so that there are no longer marginalized groups.
To my understanding, the acronym lengthens and shortens depending on where you go. Most resource centers and historical websites I have seen just say LGBT or LGBTQ and the signs I found all corresponded with that. I will continue to keep a lookout for signs of the other letters and will update accordingly!
From what I've seen, all the letters are for inclusion. The idea of turning marginalized groups that fight for their own rights into marginalized groups fighting for one another and eventually equalizing rights so that there are no longer marginalized groups.
How do the lgbtqia and the deaf communities intersect?
Since they are both marginalized groups with their own communities and cultures, the way they intersect is very similar. The deaf-hearing binary is a difficult line to break in terms of understanding. Because most of the people born deaf or hard of hearing are born to hearing parents, the prevalence of deaf culture in the lives of deaf children is very slim. Until the parents educate themselves about deafness, residential schools, and the like there is very little thought about much beyond mainstreaming their child into the hearing world.
There are a lot of similarities with the LGBTQIA community, however since this community is better represented in the hearing world. The issue occurs when someone is both deaf and an LGBTQIA individual. This is tied into intersecting identities because in the words of Tina M. Neuman in her article "Deaf Identity, Lesbian Identity" identity "is created in relation to the communities and cultures of which the speaker feels herself to be a part, how she sees her place within the world, and how she perceives the world's place within her life."
These communities intersect however the individual can get them to. Because they are marginalized there is an obvious juggle between those communities and one's family life. It is not all up to the individual how things turn out, but a great deal of the individual's perception goes into intersecting identities. It is important to note that people are people and not spokespersons for their cultures, everyone represents and performs their identity in a unique way which is what makes the individual individual.
There are a lot of similarities with the LGBTQIA community, however since this community is better represented in the hearing world. The issue occurs when someone is both deaf and an LGBTQIA individual. This is tied into intersecting identities because in the words of Tina M. Neuman in her article "Deaf Identity, Lesbian Identity" identity "is created in relation to the communities and cultures of which the speaker feels herself to be a part, how she sees her place within the world, and how she perceives the world's place within her life."
These communities intersect however the individual can get them to. Because they are marginalized there is an obvious juggle between those communities and one's family life. It is not all up to the individual how things turn out, but a great deal of the individual's perception goes into intersecting identities. It is important to note that people are people and not spokespersons for their cultures, everyone represents and performs their identity in a unique way which is what makes the individual individual.