LGBTQIA+ is an acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual/agender. They refer to a person's sexual orientation and/or their gender identity. The language used to talk about LGBTQIA+ people is constantly evolving. In a move towards inclusivity, the older, shorter, acronym - LGBT - has been expanded.
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What are personal pronouns and why do they matter? Using someone’s correct personal pronouns is a way to respect them and create an inclusive environment, just as using a person’s name can be a way to respect them. It can be offensive or harassing to guess at someone’s pronouns and refer to them using those pronouns if that is not how that person wants to be known. Or, worse, actively choosing to ignore the pronouns someone has stated that they go by could imply the oppressive notion that intersex, transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people do not or should not exist.
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