| LGBT and Queer studies series |
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| Lesbian · Gay · Bisexual · Transgender · Homosexuality |
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| Timeline · Gay Liberation · Social movements · AIDS timeline |
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| Community · Pride · Coming out · Gay slang · Gay village · Queer theory · Religion · Symbols · Queer · Questioning |
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| Marriage · Civil union · Adoption · Sodomy law · Military service · Hate crime · Around the world |
| Anti-LGBT discrimination |
| Heterosexism · Homophobia · Lesbophobia · Biphobia · Transphobia |
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The phrase "gay community," sometimes synonymous for "LGBT community" or "queer community," is a term used to describe the gay, LGBT, or queer demographic. LGBT (also GLBT) is an initialism referring collectively to Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and Transgender / transsexual " Queer studies " is the study of issues relating to Sexual orientation and Gender identity. A lesbian is a Woman who is romantically or sexually attracted only to other women In the English language, gay is an Adjective that in modern usage refers to Homosexuality. Bisexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of both sexes or to a bisexual orientation Transgender (trænzˈdʒɛndɚ from ( Latin) derivatives Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. LGBT history refers to the History of Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Transgender peoples and cultures around the world dating back Timeline of Lesbian, Gay, bisexual and Transgender ( LGBT) history Homosexual rights during the 20th century Gay Liberation is the name used to describe the radical Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender movement of the late 1960s and early to mid 1970s Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender social movements share related goals of social acceptance of Homosexuality, Bisexuality and Transgenderism Lesbian This is a Timeline of AIDS, including some discussion of early AIDS cases (especially those before 1980 Poliamory pride in San Francisco 2004jpg|thumb|Representatives of the Polyamory community at a San Francisco parade LGBT pride or gay pride refers to a world wide movement and philosophy asserting that LGBT ( Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Closeted Coming out (that is " coming out of the closet " describes the voluntary public announcement of one's Sexual orientation and/or Gender identity A gay village (also known as a gay neighborhood or by the slang gayborhood) is an urban geographic location with generally recognized boundaries Queer theory is a field of Gender Studies that emerged in the early 1990s out of the fields of gay and Lesbian studies and feminist studies the relationship between homosexuality and religion can vary greatly across time and place within and between different Religions and Sects and regarding different Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender ( LGBT) communities have adopted certain Symbols and symbolates for Queer has traditionally meant odd or unusual but is now also used to refer to anyone who is not heteronormative. Questioning is a term that can refer to a person who is questioning their Gender, Sexual identity or Sexual orientation. The countries of the world have a wide variety of laws relating to sexual relations between people of the same sex - everything from full legal recognition of Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same A civil union is a legally recognized union similar to Marriage. LGBT adoption refers to the Adoption of children by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgendered people A sodomy law is a Law that defines certain Sexual acts as sex crimes. The militaries of the world have a variety of responses to Gays Lesbians and Bisexuals Most Western military forces have now removed policies excluding sexual Hate crimes (also known as bias motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her membership in a certain Social group, usually defined The countries of the world have a wide variety of laws relating to sexual relations between people of the same sex - everything from full legal recognition of Same-sex marriage Heterosexism is a term that applies to attitudes, Bias, and Discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships BenPhelpsJPG|thumb|right|Westboro Baptist Church picket signs with Ben Phelps grandson of Fred Phelps Lesbophobia (sometimes Lesbiphobia) comprises various forms of negativity toward Lesbian women as individuals as a couple or as a social group Biphobia is a term used to describe the fear of aversion to or discrimination against Bisexuality or LGBT people who are bisexual or perceived to be bisexual LGBT (also GLBT) is an initialism referring collectively to Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and Transgender / transsexual Queer has traditionally meant odd or unusual but is now also used to refer to anyone who is not heteronormative. Within this demographic are many identifiable "sub-communities" - the leather community, the Bear community, the chubby community, the lesbian community, the bisexual community, the transgendered community, the drag community, the rave community, and so on---each of which represents a sub-demographic of the "gay community" at large. The leather subculture denotes practices and styles of dress organized around sexual activities and Hedonistic Eroticism (" kink " Bear is LGBT slang for those in the bear communities a subculture in the Gay / Bisexual male communities and an emerging subset of The chubby community is a subculture in the Gay community Chubbies (or "chubs" are gay men who are Overweight or obese. A lesbian is a Woman who is romantically or sexually attracted only to other women Bisexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of both sexes or to a bisexual orientation Transgender (trænzˈdʒɛndɚ from ( Latin) derivatives A drag queen is a person usually a man who dresses (or "drags" in female clothes and make-up for special occasions and usually because they are performing and entertaining A rave (or rave party) is a term in use since the 1980s to describe Dance Parties (often all-night events In other cases, the speaker may be referring only to gay men.
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Defining the community
The notion of a "gay community" presents several conceptual and empirical problems. There are certainly sexual minority cultures which are shared by a substantial fraction of the population, but there are also people in the population who do not share in the culture--an observation which gives rise to skepticism about the usefulness of "gay community" as a description of an actual social entity. Poliamory pride in San Francisco 2004jpg|thumb|Representatives of the Polyamory community at a San Francisco parade While the social networks of many LGBT people have most visibly concentrated in gay villages (which are themselves sometimes referred to as "gay communities"), this is changing as the profile of the LGBT demographic evolves, reflecting the influence of the Internet and also the increase of gay families seeking amenities more commonly found in suburban and even rural areas. A gay village (also known as a gay neighborhood or by the slang gayborhood) is an urban geographic location with generally recognized boundaries The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks Many other LGBT people remain geographically or socially isolated from these centers and each other, or don't feel their social connections to their LGBT friends are different from those they have with heterosexual friends.
While it may be possible to conceive of a worldwide or a local LGBT culture or social network, no one network or "community" is likely to include all of the people who identify in one way or another as LGBT. There is also a potential distinction to be made between one's social network and one's sexual network (or universe of possible sexual partners).
The term "gay community," therefore, while not referring to an actual social entity, may be most useful for encouraging LGBT people to imagine more inclusive goals and work together toward more inclusive ends. As generally imagined and idealized, this community celebrates pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality. LGBT pride or gay pride refers to a world wide movement and philosophy asserting that LGBT ( Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified As commonly used, individual refers to a Person or to any specific object in a collection Generally speaking human sexuality is how people experience and express themselves as sexual beings So construed, the "gay community" is argued to present an antidote to heterosexism, homophobia, sex-negativity, and conformist pressures thought to be prevalent in the larger society. Heterosexism is a term that applies to attitudes, Bias, and Discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships BenPhelpsJPG|thumb|right|Westboro Baptist Church picket signs with Ben Phelps grandson of Fred Phelps Sex-negativity is a term ascribed to the philosophy that attaches a negative or conservative meaning to the human sexual act In English history, Conformists were those whose religious practices conformed with the requirements of the Act of Uniformity and so were in concert
The "gay community" is also supposed to entail political activism aligned with liberal and libertarian issues (but there are, of course, LGBT people of every political stripe, including Log Cabin Republicans). The Log Cabin Republicans ( LCR) is a federated gay and lesbian political organization in the United States with state chapters and a national office in
Heterosexual people are invited to imagine themselves as part of the "LGBT community" as allies or Gay friendly, in recognition of their support for the political rights and social dignity of LGBT people. Heterosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the opposite sex or to a heterosexual orientation Gay-friendly refers to places policies people or institutions that actively seek to create an environment friendly towards LGBT people
Human and legal rights
The lesbian and gay community represents a social component of the global community that is believed by many, including heterosexual allies, to be underrepresented in the area of civil rights. The current struggle of the gay community has been largely brought about by globalisation. In the United States, World War II brought together many closeted rural men from around the nation and exposed them to more progressive attitudes in parts of Europe. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Upon returning home after the war, many of these men decided to band together in cities rather than return to their small towns. Fledgling communities would soon become political in the beginning of the gay rights movement, including monumental incidents at places like Stonewall. Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender social movements share related goals of social acceptance of Homosexuality, Bisexuality and Transgenderism Lesbian The Stonewall Inn, and its surrounding area also known as Stonewall, was the site of the famous Stonewall riots of 1969, which have come to symbolize the Today, many large cities have gay and lesbian community centres. Many universities and colleges across the world have support centres for LGBT students. The Human Rights Campaign advocates for LGBT people on a wide range of issues in the United States. There is also an International Lesbian and Gay Association. The International Lesbian and Gay Association ( ILGA) is an international organization bringing together more than 400 lesbian and gay groups from around the world
Equal marriage
In parts of the world partnership rights or marriage have been extended to lesbians and gay men. Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** A lesbian is a Woman who is romantically or sexually attracted only to other women Advocates of gay marriage cite a range of benefits that are denied to people who cannot marry, including immigration, health care, inheritance and property rights, and other family obligations and protections, as reasons why marriage should be extended to gay and lesbian couples. Opponents of gay marriage within the gay community argue that fighting to achieve these benefits by means of extending marriage rights to same-sex couples privatizes benefits (e. g. , health care) that should be made available to people regardless of their relationship status. They further argue that the same-sex marriage movement within the gay community discriminates against families that are composed of three or more intimate partners. Opposition to the same-sex marriage movement from within the gay community should not be confused with opposition from outside that community, which is often based on religious belief.
Media
The contemporary lesbian and gay community has a growing and complex place in the American & Western European media. The community has been targeted by marketers who view LGBT people as an untapped source of discretionary income, as many couples have a dual income with no children. Despite this, lesbians and gay men are still often portrayed negatively in television, films, and other media. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic There is presently a widespread ban of references in child-related entertainment and when references do occur, they almost invariably generate controversy. In 1997, when US comedian Ellen DeGeneres came out of the closet on her popular sitcom, many sponsors, such as the Wendy's fast food chain, pulled their advertising. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Ellen Lee DeGeneres (born January 26 1958 is an eleven time Emmy Award -winning American stand-up comedian, Television host and actress Wendy's is an international chain of Fast food Restaurants founded by Dave Thomas in 1969 in Columbus Ohio. In the USA, gay people are frequently used as a symbol of social decadence by celebrity evangelists and by organizations such as Focus on the Family. Many LGBT organizations exist to represent and defend the gay community. For example, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in the USA and Stonewall in the UK work with the media to help portray fair and accurate images of the gay community. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( GLAAD) is a Non-profit organization of LGBT Activism that is "dedicated to promoting and Stonewall is a Gay rights campaign organisation in the United Kingdom named after the Stonewall Inn of Stonewall riots fame
Buying power
According to Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc. and Marketresearch. Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender social movements share related goals of social acceptance of Homosexuality, Bisexuality and Transgenderism Lesbian The countries of the world have a wide variety of laws relating to sexual relations between people of the same sex - everything from full legal recognition of Same-sex marriage LGBT history refers to the History of Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Transgender peoples and cultures around the world dating back A list of LGBT rights activists who have worked to advance gay rights by political change legal action or publication The Declaration of Montreal on Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Human Rights is a document adopted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on July 29 Same-sex marriage (also referred to as gay marriage) is a term for a legally or Socially recognized Marriage between two people of the same LGBT adoption refers to the Adoption of children by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgendered people LGBT rights opposition refers to various movements or attitudes which oppose the extension of certain rights to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Heterosexism is a term that applies to attitudes, Bias, and Discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships Violence against LGBT people queer identifying and the same-sex attracted are actions which may occur either at the hands of Witeck-Combs Communications Inc is a Washington DC -based Communications firm that provides strategic Public relations and Marketing communications com, the 2006 buying power of U. S. Gays and Lesbians was approximately $660 Billion and is expected to exceed $835 Billion by 20111. Gay consumers are very loyal to specific brands, wishing to support companies that support the gay community and also provide equal rights for LGBT workers. LGBT (also GLBT) is an initialism referring collectively to Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and Transgender / transsexual
Criticisms
Some criticize the "LGBT community" for adopting what they see as negative aspects of larger society, especially commercialism (including treating LGBT people as a distinct market segment or audience), conformism (though it may have different norms to which it pressures members to conform), dehumanizing those who do not define their life and behaviour by their sexuality, and ghettoization. A gay village (also known as a gay neighborhood or by the slang gayborhood) is an urban geographic location with generally recognized boundaries Some describe the existence of the community itself as a reaction to societal discrimination.
See also
- Sexuality and gender identity-based cultures
- LGBT history
- Category:LGBT youth groups
External links
- Life Celebrates Diversity, a community devoted for the celebration of diversity in life. Poliamory pride in San Francisco 2004jpg|thumb|Representatives of the Polyamory community at a San Francisco parade LGBT history refers to the History of Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Transgender peoples and cultures around the world dating back
- LifeLube.org, a non-profit compendium of cultural and health resources by and for the gay community maintained by the Sexual Health XChange.
- The National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Centers (NALGBTCC)
- The Pink Triangle Trust, UK charitable trust, established 1992, for humanists who are gay.
- Pink Triangle is the official weblog of the Pink Triangle Trust.
- Coming Out 101 - Come out or stay in, but join our safe online community as we celebrate your right to choose without judgment.
- Human Rights Organization working on promoting integration and understanding between sexual minorities and Heterosexuals as well as between foreigners and Uruguayans
References
1. PRNewswire. "Buying Power of US Gays and Lesbians to Exceed $835 Billion by 2011. " January 25, 2007.
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