I made this Pride Month primer for work, and thought y’all might enjoy it, too. It’s meant to be just the VERY BASICS, and does not cover everything. Feel free to ask questions, though I’m not an authority. There are lots of other great resources out there!

Transcript below:

Pride Primer

History:

Pride started as The Stonewall Riots, which began on June 28, 1969 when New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village in New York City. This served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world. (from History.com)

Purpose:

• Pride is a protest against those that oppose the rights and freedoms of the LGBTQIA+ community
• Pride is a statement: LGBTQIA+ people have always existed and always will
• Pride is a reminder to never take our rights for granted
• Pride is an opportunity to educate and liberate

LGBTQIA+ Definition

• Lesbian: Women who are exclusively attracted, sexually or romantically, to other women.
• Gay: Umbrella term for homosexuality and/or
• men who are exclusively attracted, sexually or romantically, to other men.
• Bi: A person who is attracted, romantically or sexually, to two or more genders.
• Trans: A person whose gender identity does not match with the gender assigned at birth.
• Queer: Umbrella term for anyone whose sexual or gender identity does not match established heterosexual norms.
• Intersex: A person born with a combination of male and female biological traits.
• Ace: Umbrella term for a person who does not experience sexual and/or romantic attraction to anyone.
• Plus: A catch-all for all other related identities in the community.

Sex and Gender

Biology:

Sex is generally defined as male, female, or intersex, dependent on chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive organs. As complex, biological organisms, humans can and do exist anywhere within these metrics. Intersex individuals are as common as being a natural red head. For example, PCOS is a genetic condition that is considered intersex, as it affects a person’s hormones in development. Sex is biological, gender is a social construct, and varies from culture to culture.

Identity:

• CIS: A person whose identity matches their assigned gender at birth
• Non-Binary: An umbrella term for someone whose identity does not fit in the male/female gender binary
• Trans: A person whose identity does not match their assigned gender at birth; they may or may not take steps to physically match said identity

Everyone has pronouns. Some common ones are: he/him, she/her, and they/them.

Attraction

Sexual and Romantic

Attraction has two components, sexual and romantic. A person can be any combination, and some of the most common types are:

• Heterosexual/Heteromantic: exclusively attracted to the opposite gender
• Homosexual/Homoromantic: exclusively attracted to the same gender
• Bisexual/Biromantic: exclusively attracted to two or more genders
• Pansexual/Panromantic: attraction without regard to gender
• Demisexual/Demiromantic: attraction ONLY with a strong emotional bond
• Asexual/Aromantic: no attraction for any gender, no interest in a romantic relationship

For example, a person may be asexual/heteromantic, meaning that they have little to no desire for sex, but are interested/open to a romantic relationship with someone of the opposite gender.