Is it LGBT, or GLBT?

[RandySF]

While it's listed as LGBT here on DU, I've been to many discussions in CA and MI where where the term GLBT is used. I know it's not an earth shattering issue, but I do want to get it right.

[secondwind]

1. I use both, as long as I get the letters in! Am not gay, but

don't ever want to leave anyone out. :-D

If I had to guess, I would say GLBT.

[DURHAM D]

2. As an L I always put it first.

[RandySF]

3. I habitually start with G.

It rolls off the tough easier.

[DURHAM D]

5. JFTR -our group name here is LGBT

[rawtribe]

4. Out of respect

for the Stonewall riots and the friends I lost to AIDS in the 80's I always put the G first.

[Warpy]

6. You say potayto, I say potahto

The name of the group is LGBT. Other than that, I doubt it matters. Fighting for top billing is silly when LGBT civil rights are at stake.

[MADem]

7. It's whatever the last person said it is! nt

[irisblue]

8. *bows before MADem*

channeling solomon....wise (in best deep zen voice)

[LeftofObama]

9. As a gay man I use GLBT

because all lesbians are gay, but not all gay people are lesbians.

Just my .02

[Ms. Toad]

14. You do know how hard lesbians had to work to be acknowledged, right?

because many lesbians do not consider themselves gay (just as many gays do not consider themselves queer).

In the group I have been with through the L, B, and T "wars" with order and naming is very important. L is before G, because of the long history of G making L (and everyone else) invisible.

After about 30 years of expressly requiring equality in leadership (co-leaders of the male and female variety), we have finally reached the equilibrium at which we no longer formally require one of each (in part because there are individuals in our group who do not identify as either, and were excluded from leadership). That last transition came about remarkably easily - but had it been suggested even a couple of years earlier it would not have been so easily accepted.

...not specifically picking on you, but just wanted to point out the history Seems to be my day for history.

[xfundy]

10. It's interchangeable, for me.

But, speaking phonetically, and from my own meme-ing experience, I think EllGeeBeeTee is easier/lighter to say than GeeEllBeeTee. Putting the G first requires more effort.

Did any of that make sense?

I didn't think so.

Carry on.

[Ms. Toad]

15. We have a little alphabet song for the name of the group I hang with...

FLGBTQC (sung to the tune of ABC...)

[Remember Me]

17. and what IS all that?

I've recently been seeing Q and was going to ask about that, but now you've thrown in F and C -- I'm thinking: hey, we could do the WHOLE alphabet and then no one could possibly be left out. LOL.

Seriously, what do the extra letters refer to?

[Ms. Toad]

18. Q is the relatively obvious "queer"

A lot of the younger folks wanted to replace the entire alphabet soup with queer. The older folks aren't ready to reclaim that word yet - too much sting. (and, as with all generalities, the division was not rigid). We also have allies - some of whom identify as queer - in the out-of-the-norm sense (particularly some opposite gender spouses of gay or lesbian members). And, or course, all of the not-yet-specifically-named sexual minorities. So it seemed ok for everyone to have queer as part of our name, but not to replace anything.

F is Friends (the religious variety), and C is concerns. Perhaps a little more than 40 years ago, the group called itself the Committee for Concern - it could not even put gay in its name. Concerns stuck as part of the name.

So: Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns. (And I get to go play with them this weekend!)

[beyurslf]

22. Q was actually added for "Questioning" but I think most people assume it is queer.

Almost all of the young people I work with use queer to describe themselves, almost no matter what they are.

[Ms. Toad]

23. I was responding to a question about the initials in a specific group I belong to.

In that specific group, Q is specifically for queer.

As terminology was developing in recent years (unrelated to our specific group - although it did inform our thinking), it has stood for both queer and questioning.

[Jamastiene]

21. That makes sense to me.

If I'm typing it, I usually use GLBT. I see what you mean about saying it. It really is easier to say LGBT than GLBT.

[xchrom]

11. lgbtiq. nt

[La Lioness Priyanka]

12. yup. nt

[Iggo]

13. I've seen both (with and without extensions)...

...but mostly LGBT.

[jumptheshadow]

16. Either is fine, we're all in this together (nt)

[Zorra]

19. I use LGBT because the English language is male dominant.

He and his are technically the default pronouns when referring to a person whose gender is not known.

So, ya know...why not?

And IMO LGBT rolls off the tongue more easily.

[Jamastiene]

20. Either is ok.

Some use it one way. Some use it the other. I tend to use GLBT most of the time, but since the changeover to DU3, it has been LGBT for the name of the group. I don't think it really matters one way or the other. I don't think anyone will be offended if you use one or the other, honestly.

[Neoma]

24. Eh, it's just an acronym. The letters mean the same thing either way.