The LGBT+ is a community that includes an assortment of different people, sexualities, etc. As a member of the community myself, I can say that the people in this community are pretty kind, understanding, and accepting. That aside, this article will explore and discuss the history of the community, tips on how to come out, and some information about  different sexualities. 

People apart from the LGBT+ community have faced a lot of hardship in their history. There were horrible events such as the raid at Stonewall Inn, and the incident at a New Orleans bar where dozens of queer people were trapped as someone burned the bar down killing many and injuring others.  There are also the numerous laws created to lessen our rights or downright take away others such as the right to marriage. Did you know that until June, 26th, 2015 gay marriage was not legal in all 50 U.S. states? Some light hearted history is that according to Wikipedia, Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum who were royal servants in ancient Egypt happen to be the first recorded same sex couple in all of history! Also another more light hearted fact about LGBT+ history is that Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon were the first same sex couple to ever be legally married in the United States back in 2008.

Coming out to your family and or friends is a personal choice. Tip number one is if you have the gut feeling you shouldn´t come out just yet, that feeling is most likely right and you should trust it.  A second tip is to have a support system around you.  For example find accepting friends and maybe teachers that you can surround  yourself with that will validate you and your feelings. This can be super helpful if your parents/guardians aren’t the most accepting. The third tip is that you should not come out in retaliation and or anger. Doing that will most likely not have a good outcome since tensions are high and some people say things they do not mean when angry. The fourth and final tip is that if you feel like your safety can be in question by coming out, make sure you have options. There will be parents who aren’t going to react well so if you have the chance of getting kicked out make sure there is a place you can go to or that there is a person who is willing to take you in if the worst case scenario happens.

The first sexuality I will be discussing is bisexuality. This sexuality means that you like not just the opposite gender, but the same gender as well. This of course doesn’t mean you have to be 50/50, as you can have a preference for one gender over the other. The next sexuality I will be going over is is homosexuality. This sexuality means that you like the same gender but not the opposite gender. Some examples are women liking only women and men only liking men. The third sexuality I will go over is asexuality. Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to people, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity. The fourth sexuality I will be going over is pansexuality (that’s what I am a part of). Pansexuality is a term that describes individuals who can experience sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction to any person, regardless of that person’s gender, sex, or sexuality. The last sexuality I will be going over is heterosexuality, commonly referred to as straight. Heterosexuality is when you have a sexual attraction to the other gender but not the same. Both cisgender and transgender identified individuals can identify as ¨straight.¨

Remember no matter what sexuality or gender you identify with you are amazing and so loved. To the people who aren’t in the community, I will ask you to try to be understanding and know there is nothing to be afraid of. All the community asks of you is that you accept us for who we are. I hope readers find this article informative and I hope it helps people learn more about the community!