What is the difference between bi and gay

The question then becomes, is it transphobic to not be attracted to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals? Over time, this came to be less important than accurately portraying the full spectrum of my sexuality. Nevertheless, everyone I spoke to said that there is room in the larger bi and pansexual communities for multiple labels to exist.

Bisexuality, to many, is also seen as an umbrella term, inclusive of sexually fluid labels like pansexual.

Jill B. As Jill B. Newswire Powered by. Close the menu. Rolling Stone. It also is possible to not feel any sexual attraction. This sometimes is described as being asexual. Gender identity is your sense of being male, female, or somewhere in between. This identity may or may not be the same as the sex you were assigned at birth.

Gender identity who you are is not the same thing as sexual orientation who you are attracted to. Most people are told they are a boy or a girl male or female based on the genitals they were born with. This is the sex you are assigned at birth. If someone is transgender , that male or female label does not match their gender identity.

Some people may feel that they belong to neither gender or to both genders. The ways people express their gender can vary. Just like everyone else, transgender people can express their gender through their choice of clothing and style of hair or makeup. Some may choose a name and pronouns that reflect their gender identity. They may openly use their chosen name and ask others to respect their pronouns he, she, they, etc.

Some choose to take hormones or have surgeries so that their bodies more closely match their gender identity.

Others do not. Cisgender means that your gender identity matches the sex you were assigned at birth. Queer is sometimes used to describe a fluid gender identity. In the past, this was a negative term for people who are gay. Now, queer is used by some people to describe themselves, their community, or both in a positive way. Questioning means you are exploring your sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Many adults and teens have never had sex with a person of the same sex but still identify as gay.

Some teens may question their gender identity for the first time during puberty. But most people have a steady sense of their gender starting very early in life, by about age 4. Many people have felt the same way about their gender identity since they were little or for as long as they can remember.

If you are confused about your gender identity, find support by talking with someone you trust, such as your doctor. But some communities do not. For adults and teens, hate crimes, job discrimination, and housing discrimination can be serious problems. For teens, bullying in school also can be a problem. If you are being bullied at school, talk with your parents or another trusted adult, a teacher, or your principal.

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QUEER: a multi-faceted word that is used in different ways and means different things to different people. S ome within the community, however, may feel the word has been hatefully used against them for too long and are reluctant to embrace it. INTERSEX: An umbrella term that describes people born with any of 30 different variations in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones, or genitals. They may or may not experience emotional, physical, or romantic attraction.