There are a multitude of people that make up the LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit community.
In fact, there are over 20,000 adults in South Dakota who identify as something other than cisgender, heterosexual, or straight. We know that tracking each part of the acronym can get a bit confusing, so we are hoping to tighten up a few of the details. Let’s talk about what LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit mean, and dive into what each letter stands for.
Keep in mind this is just a broad definition, and it may vary between person to person. Each person's identity is something they hold tightly, and shouldn’t be assumed. Don't hesitate to take the time to get to know people and ask questions.
- L (LESBIAN)
Someone who identifies as a lesbian, is a woman who has an emotional or romantic connection to another woman. - G (GAY)
Someone who identifies as gay, can be defined by a man who has emotional or romantic attractions toward another man. - B (BISEXUAL)
Someone who identifies as bisexual is sexually, romantically, and or emotionally attracted to people of all genders. - T (TRANSGENDER)
Simply put, folks who identify as Transgender don’t align with the gender they were asigned with at birth. - Q (QUEER)
Queer is often used as an umbrella term for anyone that doesn’t identify as heterosexual or cisgender. Queer is a broad term that some may prefer to identify as because it doesn't feel like a label and has a sense of vagueness to it. The "Q" in LGBTQ+ & Two Spirit is also often used for Questioning, which means how it sounds. It stands for someone who isn't quite sure how they identify yet. - + (PLUS)
This term encompasses (or at least attempts to) folks that might be missed by the previous letters. - TWO SPIRIT (2S)
Two Spirit is a third gender found in many Native American cultures, often involving folks who identify with multiple genders and express themselves as such.
Thanks for taking a moment to learn more about what it means, at least broadly; to be LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit. Becoming better informed will help you be a better ally and friend to all people.
