GSM vs. LGBT

[Cristiano]

In reading an article about Trump's latest attempt to harm transgendered people, I came across a term I hadn't seen before - GSM. In that context, it stands for Gender and Sexual Minorities. Researching it a bit, it seems that its use is growing as an alternative to the term LGBT in order to be more encompassing of the wide spectrum of people that are not cis-gendered heterosexuals, since it is becoming untenable to keep adding additional letters to LGBT to represent every group.

I found this from a few years ago:

GSM acronym better than LGBT alphabet soup

GSM doesn't seem to have really caught on as a widely used term.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

Hmmm, I like that one, seems much more inclusive with less letters to keep up with.

 

[Cristiano]

Even with as inclusive of a term as GSM is, I saw some replies that said that it should be GRSM (Gender, Romantic and Sexual Minorities) to include people who are asexual but still romantically interested in people. It seems every term can somehow be further dissected.

 

[Allison]

I've not heard that either, but I prefer it.

 

[Soen Eber]

I like it, but it sounds like something you avoid by buying organic. Differently Gendered sounds nice and already has 20K Google hits (my apologies if it's already slid off and been appropriated as a slur).

 

[Kara Spengler]

In reading an article about Trump's latest attempt to harm transgendered people, I came across a term I hadn't seen before - GSM. In that context, it stands for Gender and Sexual Minorities. Researching it a bit, it seems that its use is growing as an alternative to the term LGBT in order to be more encompassing of the wide spectrum of people that are not cis-gendered heterosexuals, since it is becoming untenable to keep adding additional letters to LGBT to represent every group.

I found this from a few years ago:

GSM acronym better than LGBT alphabet soup

GSM doesn't seem to have really caught on as a widely used term.

Another alternate term is to reclaim the word queer. That has more or a radicalized self-definition whereas GSM sounds more like something clinical.

 

[Cristiano]

Isn't Queer it's own thing separate of some of the other terms, though? As in the Q in LGBTQ?

 

[Kara Spengler]

Even with as inclusive of a term as GSM is, I saw some replies that said that it should be GRSM (Gender, Romantic and Sexual Minorities) to include people who are asexual but still romantically interested in people. It seems every term can somehow be further dissected.

Yes, asexuality (which has an awareness week going on right now) would throw a wrench in it. Intersexuality as well depending on the condition and how someone self-defines. I prefer queer as my full definition of myself is easily a sentence or two.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Isn't Queer it's own thing separate of some of the other terms, though? As in the Q in LGBTQ?

Yes and no. In one sense it is an umbrella group, in another sense it is catch-all to anything not covered strictly by LGBT. There is also a difference of opinion of if it is for queer or questioning (or if the acronym should be LGBTQQ to remove confusion). I lean towards the umbrella term definition covering everything. The problem is it was used as purely disparagingly for so long it would take awhile.

 

[Ashiri]

I use queer for myself. LGBT by itself is happening to miss the I, A, A and all the rest (which I'm not up to date on).

 

[Hana]

My family and i have also more-or-less swapped to using Queer as a catch all for what we are.

i’d like a term like GSM or GRSM over the ever-longer LGBTQIAA etc.. Altho i’m not a big fan of “grism” as GRSM would probably get pronunced as. So maybe GSRM.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

Wouldn't the S in GSM already cover asexuality? It is, after all, a sexual identity or orientation (being "none, thank you"), which makes them a sexual minority. Kinda like how atheism may not be a religion but it is a religious persuasion or opinion...as in, "an opinion on the topic of religion".

 

[Porsupah Ree]

Pointless. Haters will hate us whatever the label, and the unaware will think you're talking about mobile phones.

 

[Hana]

Pointless. Haters will hate us whatever the label, and the unaware will think you're talking about mobile phones.

i didn't think GSM is an attempt to appeal more to the masses or haters. But rather an attempt to make everyone Queer feel included under one acronym. LGBT doesn't make all people feel included. Even LGBTQ doesn't go far enough for some people to feel they are recognised and included. So then you end up with LGBTQIAA or even more letters. All those letters can get too long so that people, who fully support/and want to be all inclusive, are at least a little frustrated at having to add a bajillionity letters all in a row whenever they want to express all inclusiveness.

So a new term like GSM or GRSM would be an attempt to make a more succinct acronym that encompasses/includes everyone.

 

[Porsupah Ree]

Yep, I'm out of this thread.

 

[Hana]

Yep, I'm out of this thread.

If my response upset you somehow i'm sorry. i did not mean it to be upsetting or offensive at all. Nor was i trying to call you out or make you feel bad. i was genuinely trying to explain why the shorter acronym could potentially help out?

Hmm.. Maybe you're "i'm out" has nothing to do with what i said, but it kind of seems like it has to be...since i'm the only one who responded between your first and second post. i feel absolutely awful feeling like i somehow made you feel bad. It was not my intention at all. Even re-reading my post i'm not sure what could be cruel about it.

If someone understands please help me. Making someone feel rotten was like the last thing i was trying to do there.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

Count me as another vote for "Queer."

GSM sounds very practical to me, but part of my objection to it is that I really don't like acronyms in general. I work in an industry (healthcare) that perfectly demonstrates how unscalable acronyms really are. I think "queer" is already picking up a lot of steam in the community and I know a lot of people that use it.

 

[Khamon]

Another alternate term is to reclaim the word queer. That has more or a radicalized self-definition whereas GSM sounds more like something clinical.

Gender and Sexual Minority (GSM) is an excellent grant writing term. I like it.

 

[Kara Spengler]

I use queer for myself. LGBT by itself is happening to miss the I, A, A and all the rest (which I'm not up to date on).

Intersexual, Asexual, Ally .... although the second A could be Aromantic. There are all sorts of debates around the alphabet soup, some of them boarding on the political like the transsexual separatists who push for two T's (transgender and transsexual). Beyond the first 4 letters it is not quite as clear-cut as it may seem, which is why an umbrella word would be preferable.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

"Queer" has kinda one problem, though. As a straight cis male who likes to think of himself as an ally, I can't - or at least really shouldn't - use that word to describe non-straight people, because coming from someone like me it IS still a slur. Like how white people shouldn't ever be calling black people the n-word, even when "joking" with black friends who say they're okay with it. Same concept. So "the Q-word" is fine for people it describes to use for themselves, but people like me still need a term we can use when talking with and about them.