LGBT+ members - got a question - need somewhere to start - here is the place

[MsPurple]

Welcome LGBT+ members and ally to the community.

A few LGBT+ forum users have questions and concerns they can't a find a place to ask it here on the beyond blue forums so I thought starting a place for questions and more serious/heavy conversations 🙂 Here you can ask questions about anything from questioning your sexuality/gender identity, coming out concerns, dating, mental health etc. If you are an ally (an Ally is a person who considers themselves a friend to the LGBTQ+ community) you are also welcome to come here to be a support to our community and ask questions as well. This is a supportive place for people to discuss their questions and concerns, we are not a place of judgement. As Thumper from the movie Bambi said "If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say nothin' at all."

If you are looking for a more social and light hearted conversation might I suggest joining us on the thread under BB social/rainbow cafe. Copy and paste the link: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/bb-social-zone/let's-chat-about-anything

Feel free to introduce yourself below and ask any question/s

I thought I'd answer one common question in the intro post and this is one I have heard a lot. What do the letters mean? When referring to the community it is shortened to LGBT+ as there are more letters than just the 4. I have put some of the common ones here: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Transsexual Two-spirited Queer Questioning Intersex Asexual Ally Pansexual Agender Gender Queer

Welcome everyone and hope to see you around on this thread and around the BB forums

MP 🙂

[Lonelydan]

Can we please stop using the queer word to describe our community. We are not queer I find this word derogatory and can be used against us. I'm not strange or unusual I'm a homosexual the opposite to heterosexual. Trans men and women are not queer, most lead heterosexual life's after there transition is completed a lot have never participated in homosexual sex. Queer is s horrible word that can be applied to anything or anyone not me.

[Lonelydan]

Sara, all I can say is I love you my friend. Only those who know what no body else can know can understand. Danny. xxx

[MsPurple]

I'm happy to use whatever term people feel comfortable when referring to this community. I feel like I keep saying LGBT+ too often. I also don't know if saying the rainbow community is correct. Maybe I could just say 'our community'.

[Just Sara]

Dear Mark;

I want to give you a belated call-out and thankyou for standing up and declaring your support. Even though this is a MH forum, it's 'people' who keep the site going; no matter their issues, culture, background, status, gender, political persuasion or religion.

I praise your courage and common sense approach. Yes, it's people who raise us up when we're down, it's people who run the gauntlet in tough times to help a friend and it's people who rally the forces in fighting injustice and chaos...good, brave, caring and stoic people.

Now it's time for people to vote; let it be a landslide so we don't have to face this injustice again. I say injustice because history shows how fear and discrimination can rock a nation and bring its people to their knee's. Our indigenous cousins can testify to this.

Hero's come from all walks of life, and it's a credit to our 'will' and commitment to fairness and equality. The hero's in this situation are sometimes in the shadows and behind the scenes, but no less hero's than those putting their reputations and lives on the line.

Thankyou Mark...

Sez x

[Lonelydan]

Yes I agree totally, three cheers for hottie mark. In fields we can build a snowman lol... Dan.

[Just Sara]

Ha ha ha ha ha

He he he

Arh...you're a legend!

xo

[Lonelydan]

Hi Ms sweetie pie, I hope you didn't take that personally, that word was used against me at my anxiety group. I'm saying myself I don't like the word queer. Perhaps we all should discuss this more and see how others feel about that word. I remember the early 90,s gay rights protests all saying "we're here we're queer get used to it"..I think now because I had no problem with it then, accepting yourself as queer is self deprecating. I feel it's no different to saying or hearing your fat your ugly what a freak. I don't want you or any of our brothers and sisters called that word. Danny xx

[Just Sara]

I'm with you Danny;

I never quite understood the Q word anyway. Growing up, queer meant odd, misunderstood or confusing. It was also used to express when we were feeling a bit sick/out of sorts and didn't know why. I don't know the history behind it; someone may be able to let us know?

Sez x

[MsPurple]

HI Danny. Didn't offend me in the slightest. Like Sara I never quite understood the queer work. I always felt abnormal in my life e.g. getting kept back a grade, struggling with reading, being the only brown eyed brown haired child, having divorced parents when everyone's were together. I wanted to feel normal. However some people identify as such and I'm understand that (I'm guessing they think, screw normal I'm me). But I understand why some people don't want to be consider queer. Everyone should identify as whatever makes them comfortable. I'm comforable being bi. Also as the LGBT+ community or rainbow community or our community

MP x 🙂

[Raynor]

I've used that word before Danny so it's good for me know that it's not positive for some people. Thank you