Every June 28, the world celebrates sexual and gender diversity, a reality that is reflected in each of the letters and symbols of the acronym that defines this community.
The International LGBTIQ+ Pride Day takes place on the date that marks the beginning of a movement that fights for the rights and equality of all people in the group. This day, June 28, commemorates the riots that took place in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in New York City and marked the beginning of the ongoing struggle to defend sexual and gender diversity.
Since then, the letters that make up the acronym have grown, as have the rights and freedoms acquired. The meaning of each of the letters tells the story of the movement itself and the different gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations it encompasses.
L - Lesbian: A woman who is attracted to women.
G - Gay: A man who is attracted to men.
B - Bisexual: A person who is attracted to both men and women.
T - Trans: The term encompasses gender identities that do not coincide with those assigned at birth. This letter refers to two concepts: transgender and transsexual.
A transgender person is born with physical characteristics that do not coincide with the gender with which they identify. Transsexuals are transgender people who have begun hormonal or surgical treatment to begin or complete a sex change.
I - Intersex: A person born with physical characteristics of both genders.
Q - Queer: People who do not want to identify under traditional or socially accepted labels.
+ - Other: People who do not identify with any of the other definitions.
To understand these concepts, you have to distinguish between gender identity and sexual orientation. Gender identity is a person's sense of their own gender. Gender identity does not have to coincide with the sex a person was assigned at birth. Likewise, gender identity is not binary, in other words, it does not only encompass the concept of man or woman. In the other hand, sexual orientation refers to the emotional, romantic and/or sexual attraction to other people.
Knowing these concepts and words is essential to cultivate diverse, equitable, and respectful personal and work environments. That is why many companies are joining efforts to achieve an inclusive and diverse workplace. The Business Network for LGBTIQ+ Diversity and Inclusion, which BBVA started to preside this year, is a clear example of the bank's commitment to promoting measures that normalize and support this community.