Questioning is a term used to describe individuals who are exploring, learning, or experimenting with their sexual or romantic orientation, or gender identity. The letter "Q" in the LGBTQIA+ acronym can sometimes stand for both "Queer" and "Questioning".[1]
Community[]
One specific questioning label is bicurious, someone who is exploring whether or not they are bisexual (attracted to people of the same gender and to people of other genders).[2] They may currently identify as heterosexual and be interested in exploring a same-sex queer relationship, or identify as homosexual and be curious about a heterosexual one.[3]
Flag[]
One common flag design used to represent questioning as an identity, shown in the infobox of this article, was posted online on June 12, 2017. Any specific symbolism behind the actual design, as well as the creator of the design itself, are unknown.[4][5]
Perceptions and discrimination[]
A common phrase used to diminish the feelings of LGBTQIA+ young people "it's a phase"; in particular, it is often used to describe individuals who are experimenting or questioning their identity or orientation.[6] As a result, people who are questioning may be excluded from the LGBTQIA+ community, or may feel as though they do not fit into the community, despite knowing that they are not cisgender heterosexual.[7]
Resources[]
- Am I LGBTQ+? — Young Scot's help page for young people who are questioning
- About the Q — PFLAG's frequently asked questions and explanations regarding the "Q" in LGBTQ
- Mental Health Facts on Queer/Questioning Populations — Informative PDF from the American Psychiatric Association
- The Trevor Project - The perfect recourse to learn all you need to know about coming out and different sexualities
References[]
- ↑ "About the Q" by PFLAG on <pflag.org>. (Archived on 2024-01-07)
- ↑ "Glossary of Terms: LGBTQ" by GLAAD on GLAAD Media Reference Guide – 11th Edition. Published 2022. (Archived on 2024-04-11)
- ↑ The Queens' English: The LGBTQIA+ Dictionary of Lingo and Colloquial Phrases by Chloe O. Davis. Published 2021 by Clarkson Potter/Publishers. bi-curious or bicurious: "Someone who identifies as heterosexual but is interested in exploring same-sex or queer relationships. This also can apply to a homosexual who is interested in experiencing a heterosexual relationship." ISBN 9780593135006, ISBN 9780593135013 (Ebook)
- ↑ "Questioning (1)" on <deviantart.com>. Published 2017-06-12 by Pride-Flags. (Archived on 2021-09-02)
- ↑ "What Is The Questioning Pride Flag, And What Does It Stand For?" by Miller, Cecilia on <queerintheworld.com>. Published YYYY-MM-DD by Queer in the World. (Archived on 2024-05-03)
- ↑ "Advice for families and friends of LGBT+ young people" on <thebeyouproject.co.uk>. Published 2022 by The BeYou Project. (no backup information provided)
- ↑ Dimensions of Human Behavior: The Changing Life Course (in English) by Hutchison, Elizabeth. Published 2010 by SAGE. ISBN 9781412976411. (web archive)