stigma around LGBTQ+ communities

Hi there!

Today we'll be talking about LGBTQ+ communities and the stigma around them. I feel like this is something that needs to be talked about more and be more socially accepted. I really hope you read through this and understand:)

If you don't know what LGBTQ+ communities/LGBT are, I'm glad you're here, because let me enlighten you on it. 

Here are some common terms that you should be aware of: (Note - None of the definitions are original, they are sourced from Wikipedia, Oxford & other websites.)

LGBT is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. 

The LGBT community is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, LGBT organizations, and subcultures, united by a common culture and social movements. 

Homosexuality is the quality or characteristic of being sexually/romantically attracted solely to people of one's own sex. 

Bisexuality is the quality/characteristic of being sexually attracted not exclusively to one gender; attracted to both men and women. 

Cisgender describes a person whose gender identity and sex assigned at birth are the same. 

Transgender describes a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex. 

There are still so many more terms surrounding the topic and I would suggest you educate yourself on it. (I will try making a post on different terms after this!)

Let's get into the stigma around LGBTQ+ communities: (Note - The following content is fully original.)

Society has confined gender and sexuality to limited & defined structures that anything out of that structure is being considered wrong. 

This is not accurate because we are all unique and complex creatures that we can't confine human emotion and expression to types and definition. But this is still normalized in society. 

Coming out as LGBT is not a "trend" or something new. Across cultures people have been identifying as LGBT for as long as people have been around. For years, LGBT communities have been looked down on as something 'unnatural.' They have been put down by being told that it is wrong to be who they really are. 

Discrimination, inequality and crime against these communities have been common. I mean, how often is it that whenever you come across an openly trans person, that the people around you make fun/talk shit about them? Or how often have your peers made jokes on being gay? I know - too often. 

Although, society is being more inclusive of these communities now-a-days, LGBT people are still confined and oppressed. This is why education on LGBTQ+ communities is vital to destigmatize and normalize the LGBT cultures because, it is, after all, self-expression. 

All sexualities/gender identities are valid. Periodt.

Pranavaa <3