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LGBTQ+ Facts & Worksheets

LGBTQ+ refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or occasionally questioning) individuals. The 'plus' symbol represents all gender identities and sexual orientations that cannot be fully described by letters or words.

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LGBTQ+ refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or occasionally questioning) individuals. The ‘plus’ symbol represents all gender identities and sexual orientations that cannot be fully described by letters or words.

See the fact file below for more information on LGBTQ+, or you can download our 36-page LGBTQ+ worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

  • Sexual orientation describes patterns of emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction. Traditionally, these refer to heterosexual (attraction to people of the opposite sex), homosexual (attraction to people of the same sex), and bisexual (attraction to people of both sexes), but it should be noted that an individual’s sexual orientation is independent of their gender identity.
  • The three categories mentioned above are by no means the only ones that describe the wide range of sexual identities. Sexual orientation should be viewed as a continuum from heterosexual to homosexual, with many options in between.

GENDER IDENTITIES

  • L (Lesbian) describes women whose primary romantic and sexual attraction is to other women.
  • G (Gay) describes people whose primary romantic attraction is to people of the same sex. This means men who are romantically and/or emotionally attracted to other men and women who are attracted to women (lesbian). 
  • B (Bisexual) refers to people who are attracted to people of the same sex as them and people of different genders.
  • T (Transgender) refers to people who transitioned (socially and/or medically) from living as one gender to living as another. People who identify as transgender may use any of a number of terms to describe themselves, including transgender or nonbinary. This identity is not dependent on physical appearance or any medical procedures as long as the person socially transitioned from living as one gender to another gender. This is, however, used as an adjective only and not a noun. Transgender or transgendered can be disrespectful to some.
  • Q (Queer) is an umbrella term that describes a wide range of people who do not conform to gender norms. “Q” may also refer to questioning or those people who are learning about their sexuality and/or gender identity.
  • All gender norms and sexual orientations that are not directly mentioned by the other five initials are represented by the symbol “plus.”

HISTORY OF THE LGBTQ+ INITIALISM

  • The term “homosexual” was coined in 1869 by Karoly Maria Benkert, a Hungarian doctor.
  • Mid-twentieth-century homosexual activists preferred “homophile” over homosexual because it removed the word “sexual” while affirming same-gender attraction.
  • “Gay” emerged as an underground term in the early twentieth century and became mainstream in the 1960s.
  • Though “gay” today typically refers to men who are attracted to men, it was historically used as a broad term that encompassed the entire modern LGBTQ initialism.
  • The term “lesbian” is derived from the Greek island of Lesbos, associated with the poet Sappho, whose surviving works lyrically describe erotic love and attraction between women.
  • Despite the use of the term “gay” as an umbrella term for gender and sexual minorities, the mid-to-late twentieth-century Women’s Movement provided gay women with the consciousness to articulate how their experiences differed from both heterosexual women, who comprised the majority of the Women’s Movement, and gay men. 
  • Until the 1990s, the term “gay” was commonly used to refer to the entire spectrum of sexual and gender minorities. With the rise of bisexual, transgender, and queer movements, this usage shifted, giving rise to the four-letter LGBT initialism, which was viewed as more inclusive than simply referring to the community as “gay.”
  • By the end of the 1990s, activist groups began to use LGBT or GLBT, including the “T” for transgender people.
  • After the 1993 assault and murder of trans man Brandon Teena in Humboldt, Nebraska, transgender activists such as Kate Bornstein, Holly Boswell, Leslie Feinberg, and Riki Wilchins popularized the term “transgender” to create a coalition of people who did not fit neatly into gender binaries or who defied gender norms and expectations.
  • To refer to “queer” people or those who were “questioning” their sexual orientation or gender identity, the letter “Q” was occasionally added to the initialism.
  • Different versions of the initialism have increased since the 1990s, as increasingly nuanced ways of understanding and defining people’s experiences of gender and sexuality have been articulated. 
  • LGBTQQIP2SAA is an acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit, asexual, and ally. While this version includes various ways people understand gender and sexual identity, it is not always efficient. 
  • Although variations such as LGBT or LGBTQ are commonly used, the “plus” component is essential and should not be overlooked. 
  • The plus sign facilitates the proper expression of such diversity.
  • The LGBTQ initialism is more than just a random collection of letters representing identities; these letters are history embodied.

LGBTQ+ MOVEMENTS

  • Homosexual organizations developed after World War II. 
  • In the Netherlands, in 1946, gay men – and lesbian women – got together under the nickname ‘The Shakespeare Club’ and then as an organization called C.O.C. This stood for the ‘Centre for Culture and Leisure,’ a cover name initially adopted after its foundation.
  • C.O.C. is the world’s oldest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender organization.
  • The Mattachine Society, founded in 1950 in Los Angeles by a small group of men, was the first attempt to establish a lesbian and gay organization. These organizations remained small in the 1950s, but they found chapters in several cities and published magazines that served as a beacon of hope for readers.
  • The beginning of a gay political movement is often traced back to June 27, 1969, and a police raid on The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village.
  • Similar developments can be seen in Western European countries, where the lesbian and gay community can be seen as a well-organized community, particularly in larger cities. 
  • People are often brought together by gay businesses, political clubs, social service agencies, community centers, and religious congregations. Openly gay candidates run for office in many places.
  • The presence of publicly ‘out’ lesbians and gays in politics, as well as organizations such as the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and the International Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth and Students Organization (IGLYO), has significantly aided in the inclusion of LGBT issues in discussions about equal opportunities, human rights, and general social policy.
  • Because of the Stonewall riots in June 1969, the month was designated as LGBT Pride Month, during which some LGBT Pride marches and festivals take place worldwide.
  • Pride Month is dedicated to elevating LGBTQ voices, celebrating LGBTQ culture, and advocating for LGBTQ rights.
  • Such festivals and marches are organized not only to promote self-affirmation, dignity, and equality but also to raise the visibility and mainstreaming of LGBT+ people.

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE TOWARDS LGBTQ+

  • Gender-based violence against LGBT+ people is often overlooked due to a lack of awareness. Still, it’s also a result of inadequate legal and institutional protections for LGBTQ+ people in many countries throughout the rest of the world.
  • Homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia are all terms for a fear, dislike, or hatred of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people. Such hatred is typically based on stereotypes and prejudices, and it is fueled by hostile social and political environments toward the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Telling offensive jokes, using banter or words that make fun of LGBTQ+ people, bullying at school, hate speech and hate crimes, discrimination, forcing gays and lesbians to undergo therapy, and sexual orientation other than heterosexual as illegal and punished in some countries are the different forms of Gender-Based violence against LGBTQ+ people.
  • LGBTQ youth who have experienced anti-LGBTQ victimization, such as being physically threatened or harmed, discriminated against, or subjected to conversion therapy, have significantly higher rates of self-harm and attempting suicide, according to research.
  • The Trevor Project, the leading LGBTQ youth suicide prevention organization, conducts innovative, original research that amplifies the experiences of diverse LGBTQ young people and contributes new knowledge and clinical implications to the suicide prevention field.
  • The research captured the experiences of nearly 34,000 LGBTQ youths aged 13 to 24, with 45% of respondents being LGBTQ youth of color and 48% being transgender or nonbinary. In 2022, 45% of LGBTQ youth considered suicide.
  • LGBTQ youth who reported high social support from their families attempted suicide at half the rate of those who said low or moderate social support.
  • Fewer than one-third of transgender and nonbinary youth reported that their home was gender-affirming.
  • LGBTQ youth who live in an accepting community have lower rates of suicide attempts than those who do not.

HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK

  • LGBT+ rights are not exceptional rights. It is the same set of universal human rights that apply to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity.
  • The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation CM/Rec (2010) on measures to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity on March 30, 2010. 
  • The Recommendation identifies specific measures that member states must adopt and effectively support to combat discrimination, ensure respect for LGBT people, promote tolerance toward them, and ensure victims have access to legal remedies.
  • In 2015, the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly passed a resolution on transgender discrimination in Europe. 
  • In the same year, Malta was the first European country to pass legislation recognizing the right to gender identity. This gave every individual the right to be recognized for their gender identity and to be treated and identified as such.
  • The Yogyakarta Principles, known as the Principles and State Obligations on the Application of International Human Rights Law with Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sex Characteristics, are also known as the Sex Characteristics Principles.
  • The principle was developed in 2006 in Yogyakarta (Indonesia) by human rights experts from various regions and backgrounds.

GLOBAL LGBTQ+ RIGHTS

  • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights vary greatly by country or jurisdiction, ranging from same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality.
  • Laws regarding same-sex sexuality by country or territory. Death penalty (Red color) and imprisonment (Orange color) are the punishments that these countries implement, based on the map. In contrast, the Yellow colored countries do not enforce imprisonment among LGBTQ people.
  • Same-sex intercourse is legal in some countries. Marriage (Dark blue), civil unions (Blue), extraterritorial marriage (Violet), and limited domestic (Light blue) are allowed in some countries. The rest don’t recognize same-sex intercourse legally and implement restrictions and expression.

LGBTQ+ FLAGS

  • Gilbert Baker Pride Flag- Gilbert Baker, an artist, activist, and openly gay military veteran, met fellow activist, future politician, and LGBTQ hero Harvey Milk. Three years later, Milk challenged Baker to design a gay community symbol, resulting in the first rainbow LGBTQ flag. Each of the eight colors had a meaning: Pink (Sex), Red (Life), Orange (Healing), Yellow (Sunlight), Green (Nature), Turquoise (Magic/Art), Indigo (Serenity), and Violet (Spirit). 
  • Baker’s creation made its debut on June 25, 1978, at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade, just a few months before Milk was assassinated.
  • Philadelphia Pride Flag- represents LGBTQ people of color who have historically been unrepresented in the mainstream gay rights movement. This flag includes black and brown stripes, in addition to the original six lines, to represent people of color. 
  • Progress Pride Flag- it’s white, pink, and light blue chevron design. The colors of the Transgender Flag are reflected by the brown and black stripes, which represent marginalized people of color. The black stripe has two meanings: it honors those who died as a result of HIV/AIDS and it alludes to the stigma that still surrounds those who live with HIV.
  • Bisexual Pride Flag- pink represents attraction to people of the same gender identity, while blue represents attraction to people of a different gender identity. The middle purple stripe represents attraction to both genders.
  • Pansexual Pride Flag- pink represents attraction to females, while the blue represents attraction to males. The middle yellow stripe represents genderqueer, nonbinary, agender, androgynous, or anyone who does not identify as male or female.
  • Asexual Pride Flag- Asexual people, who have no sexual attraction to either gender, received their flag in 2010. Each color has a different representation: black (Asexuality), gray (asexuality and demisexuality), white (Non-sexual partners and allies), and purple (Community).
  • Labrys Lesbian Pride Flag- Since 1999, the Labrys Lesbian Pride Flag has been used. A labrys is the double-headed battle-axe depicted on the flag, which dates back to matriarchal societies such as the Minoans. The color purple represents cisgender women, while the black triangle represents lesbians.
  • Polyamory Pride Flag- The flag’s background has three stripes, each with a different meaning. The blue color represents the openness and honesty of all parties involved in the relationships, the red color represents the love and passion, and the black color represents the solidarity with those who must conceal their polyamorous relationships from the outside world. The pi represents polyamorous people’s infinite options for partners.
  • Intersex Pride Flag- The colors yellow and purple are used because they are seen as gender-neutral, and the circle represents wholeness and completeness.
  • Other flags are the transgender pride flag, genderfluid pride flag, genderqueer pride flag, ally pride flag, leather pride flag, bear brotherhood pride flag, rubber pride flag, polysexual pride flag, aromantic pride flag, demisexual pride flag, lesbian pride flag, demiromantic pride flag, nonbinary pride flag, pride of Africa flag, queer people of the color pride flag, intersex-inclusive pride flag, trans-inclusive gay men’s pride flag, two-spirit pride flag, abrosexual pride flag, drag pride flag, and agender pride flag.

ALLYSHIP

  • An ally advocates for and supports a community other than their own. Allies are not residents of the communities they serve. A person should not only self-identify as an ally but also demonstrate it through action.
  • Anyone can be an ally. Even if a partner is not a member of the marginalized group they support, they can make a concerted effort to understand the struggle better. 
  • The role of an ally should:
    • Be willing to listen.
    • Be mindful of their implicit biases.
    • Make an effort to learn more about the history of the struggle in which they are involved. 
    • Do amplify the voices of those without their privilege, both online and in person.
    • Do not act as if they know best, as this will widen the power gap.
    • Do not assume that every member of a marginalized group experiences oppression.
    • Do the inner work necessary to understand how they participate in oppressive systems.
    • Work on the outside and figure out how to change the oppressive systems.

LGBTQ+ Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about LGBTQ+ across 36 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about LGBTQ+. LGBTQ+ refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or occasionally questioning) individuals. The ‘plus’ symbol represents all gender identities and sexual orientations that cannot be fully described by letters or words.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. LGBTQ+ Facts 
  2. What Am I?
  3. Live With Pride
  4. Finish That Phrase!
  5. A Story Behind “LGBTQ+”
  6. Raise Your Flag
  7. Global Laws
  8. LGBTQ+ Rights In My Country
  9. Coming Out
  10. How To Be An LGBTQ Ally
  11. News 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

What does LGBTQ+ stand for?

LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and the “+” represents other sexual orientations and gender identities that are not explicitly mentioned in the initial acronym.

What is the significance of Pride Month?

Pride Month is celebrated in June each year to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which took place in New York City in June 1969 and are considered a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Pride Month is a time for LGBTQ+ communities and allies to come together, raise awareness, celebrate diversity, and advocate for equal rights and acceptance.

What is the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity?

Sexual orientation refers to a person’s emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attraction to others. It includes categories such as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and straight (heterosexual). On the other hand, gender identity relates to a person’s deeply felt sense of being male, female, or something else. Some people may identify as transgender, non-binary, or genderqueer, among other gender identities.

What is the purpose of LGBTQ+ support groups and organizations?

LGBTQ+ support groups and organizations play a crucial role in providing resources, advocacy, and community support for LGBTQ+ individuals. They offer safe spaces for people to connect with others who share similar experiences, provide counseling or mental health services, offer educational programs, and work towards promoting equality and combating discrimination.

How can someone be a good ally to the LGBTQ+ community?

Being a good ally to the LGBTQ+ community involves taking supportive and inclusive actions. Some ways to be an ally include educating yourself about LGBTQ+ issues, respecting people’s pronouns and gender identities, listening to and amplifying LGBTQ+ voices, advocating for equal rights, challenging discrimination or prejudice, and creating inclusive environments in your personal and professional circles. It’s important to remember that being an ally is an ongoing process of learning and growth.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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