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Why do we use

LGBTIQA+SB?

We use the acronym LGBTIQA+SB, which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Asexual, Sistergirl, Brotherboy +. The SB acknowledges the trans women and trans men within many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

  • Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander people who were assigned male at birth but live their lives as women, including taking on traditional cultural female practices.

  • Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander people who were assigned female at birth but identify as male or are recognised as having a male spirit.

Explore the rest of the acronym

  • A woman who has a romantic and/or sexual attraction towards women. This term is often used to include other non-men, such as non-binary people.

  • A man who has a romantic and/or sexual attraction towards men. Also used as a generic term for non-heterosexual sexualities. This term is often used to include other non-women, such as non-binary people.

  • A person who has romantic and/or sexual attraction towards more than one gender. People who are attracted to more than one gender may also use the terms pansexual, omnisexual, polysexual, ambisexual, or sexually fluid.

  • An umbrella term to describe someone whose gender is not the same as the gender they were assigned at birth. This term is used as an umbrella term for gender nonconforming identities such as non-binary and genderqueer.  

  • A term used to describe someone whose innate sex characteristics don’t fit medical and social norms for female or male bodies.

  • An umbrella term that may be used by anyone who identifies as having diverse sexuality and/or gender. It was historically used as a slur against LGBTIQA+SB people, and has been reclaimed by many in our communities.

    It is important to note that some older people may still have negative associations with the word queer, so services, programs and resources aimed at older members of our communities may use the acronym LGBTI+.

  •  A spectrum of sexual orientations generally characterized by feeling varying degrees of sexual attraction or a desire for partnered sexuality. 

  • Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander people who were assigned male at birth but live their lives as women, including taking on traditional cultural female practices.

  • Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander people who were assigned female at birth but identify as male or are recognised as having a male spirit.

Why are there so many different acronyms to describe our communities?             

When talking about LGBTIQA+SB communities, there are a few different variations on the acronym. Each letter in the acronym represents different communities and identities with different cultures and experiences. The ‘+’ will appear in most versions of the acronym to hold space for communities and identities not represented by the letters in the acronym.