For many, especially those who are new to LGBT Dating or LGBT Relationships, it can be confusing belonging to a group with an acronym like ours. It seems like every other day there are new letters being added to the acronym that you have now found yourself in! Currently, in some parts of the world it now stands at LGBTQIA, but in this post we will explore the original LGBT Community.

When I first came out as bisexual, and with lived experiences, I know that there is bierasure within the community and society. This is not my attempt with leaving out the Queer, Intersex, and Asexual communities. I am writing this as a beginners guide to those who are new to the LGBT Community and seeking information on what the meaning is to belong to these communities.

LGBT people can come from an race, religion, or country! Our community has no boarders and has been both celebrated, yet discriminated against as well since throughout history. We have a unique place within the societies and a rich history, dating back to ancient Rome and Greece. I would love to dive into it as well, but I would like to limit this post to LGBT dating and their identities.

LESBIAN

The L in LGBT stands for Lesbian. A lesbian is a woman who is attracted sexually towards other women only! While women can be attracted to many different things, lesbians are unique in their preference to engage in relationships with ONLY women.

There are many different types of lesbians, from lipstick to butch. Some lesbians who, most embarrass a higher level of femininity and standard beauty product use, as the name implies, are referred to as femmes or lip stick lesbians. They make up a population that ocan pass as heterosexual, but they are still a vital part of the Lesbian Community!

Some women, who have rejected gender norms and choose to live a more masculine manor, are referred to as butch. There are many sub-groups of the butch population, from the average to the extreme Dykes on Bikes (a badge they proudly wear). These women are more visibly homosexual and face more discrimination compared to their counter parts in the lesbian community.

For the single Lesbians out there, we recommend some online dating sites such as, apps like HER (Daatch) or Tender. Although you will have to customize your Tender account to show your interest, HER seems to know lesbians and whatthey like! We’re sure you’ll be off to a great start exploring your fantasies and fulfilling your needs!

GAY

The G in LGBT stands for GAY! While a female homosexual can also claim to be gay, this term is usually reserved for male homosexuals. The gay community, historically, has been repressed for centuries and faces discrimination in many aspects of life including by religion, government, and society. Gay men are also more likely to contract HIV, which adds more stigma towards them as a community.

In order for a person to be considered gay, they must self identify and engage in homosexual relations. There is a category of men who have sex with men, but consider themselves as heterosexual. The gay community, just as the lesbian community, has many subgroups and we will explore a few in this post.

Twinks, are generally young, petite, gay men. They can be either masculine, butch, or in between! “Twink” is only a description of their physical attributes. One the other end of the spectrum are bears! Bears, generally speaking, are hairy, older, and can be either muscular or heavier in appearance. Within the “bear” community, a younger man who would qualify as a bear is considered a “cub.” In the same way these groups exist, terms that describe the physical appearances, there are “otters.” An Otter, is a gay man who has both qualities of twinks and cubs, they tend to be young, lean, and hairy!

If you are interested in exploring your gay side or fulfilling your needs, we suggest you check out some dating apps like Grindr, Scruff, Blued, or Adam4Adam! These are all gay centric apps and you will be finding yourself an LGBT hookup or relationship in no time!

BISEXUAL

The B in LGBT stands for Bisexual! A Bisexual can be either male or female, but must be attracted to both sexes! The Bisexual Community makes up the largest portion of the LGBT community, yet they face discrimination from within and without the community. Bisexuals are often questioned on their sexual preferences because it is difficult for some people to comprehend how one can be attracted to both sexes, but it is very possible, and I know from first hand experience.

Being Bisexual can mean a lot of things, with it including both female and males. As far as dating goes, there can be a great variance in stigma between bisexual females and bisexual males. Society generally has a greater acceptance, almost to the point of being overly fetishized, of the bisexual females and tend to have negative views of bisexual men.

For dating and exploring your bisexuality, you can use the prementioned apps in this article for you same-sex attractions. But there are sites specifically for bisexual dating, BiCupid being the most popular! They cater specifically to bisexual men and women, which makes it easier to connect with others who are more understanding and share more of your interest. If you are looking for opposite sex relations, we recommend Tender, which can also be use in your search for same-sex relations if set up correctly!

Happy hunting and remember that, at the end of the day you, our community may face discrimination from different parts of society, but we make up the majority of the populace!

TRANS*

The T in LGBT stands for Trans*, which is an umbrella term that is used to describe many communities that do not always fit within the gender binary system. Trans* usually means trans women, trans men, and Transgender.

To belong to the Trans* community, you do not identify with the gender you were assigned at birth (people who do identify with the gender they were assigned at birth are called Cis-gendered). To be Transgender means that you belong to a special community, that is also sadly among the most marginalized as well. Transgender people face higher rates of suicide, domestic violence, higher poverty rates, high rates of murder, higher rates of sexual assault, and higher rates of HIV!

There are many aspects of the Trans* community, from being able to pass as the gender you have transitioned to or being in the beginning stages of transitioning. Trans people will sometimes identify as FTM (Female to Male) and MTF (Male to Female) and they can be any sexual orientation as well. If a Trans* person has gender reassignment surgery they are considered (post-op), while their counter-parts who have not had gender reassignment surgeries are considered pre-op.

Transgender people are found in many societies and cultures around the world and have in the past been regarded as special, such as in Native American Cultures or the Indian Culture as Hijras. The Hijras are males who have transitioned into females and are a recognized third gender in India!