Surprise

[Clodfobble]

It's a synonym for straight. In molecular biology, you can have compounds that have the same molecules (say, C6-H12-O6) but which are in different arrangements. When certain arrangements are symmetrical, they are called cis-, when they are twisted one side opposite the other, they are called trans-. Literally, cis is the opposite of trans, it just doesn't get used in many places outside of hard science.

[Ibby]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

It's a synonym for straight.

well, no. It's not really at all. if you mean straight as in the opposite of gay, one's orientation and one's gender or identity are utterly unrelated. if you mean straight as in the opposite of crooked, you're thinking ortho-.

The trans* community and the gay community are often closely allied, and the LGBTQ umbrella is intended to include them both, but cis- means straight the same way trans- means gay. as in, not at all.

[jimhelm]

Originally Posted by Ibram

LGBTQ

hold on!

What the hell is the Q for? I've heard LGBT... you're just making shit up now, right?

[Ibby]

Originally Posted by jimhelm

hold on!

What the hell is the Q for? I've heard LGBT... you're just making shit up now, right?

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Queer. It's the most inclusive iteration of the acronym - I am a strong proponent of reclaiming queer as an identity and unpolarizing descriptor of all non-hetero, non-cis, non-binarist people regardless of where they lie in the identity spectrum. I very much believe in a wide plethora of identity descriptors, to whatever point of absurdity you feel your own identity to require, and the progressive iterations of "gay community", "gay and lesbian community", "lesbian gay bisexual community" etc managed to be less than fully inclusive. I don't want to erase the asexual community (those that identify as part of the wider queer community - many don't), the genderqueer community (many of whom consider trans or even trans* (the star implies a "wildcard" suffix, not an asterisk) too limiting a definition), the pansexual community (which I feel like I belong to, even if I describe myself as bisexual, because i reject the idea that gender or even sex is so binary), etc, by staying behind the curve. I really do encourage you to try to delve into the complexities of the queer community online - there is a lot of really interesting discussion on this sort of thing, even if you find yourself skeptical or even dismissive of some of the community. I can't claim to be equally understanding of all parts of the wide community out there, but I can try to be equally supportive, regardless of how far outside the mainstream they seem to be.

[Sheldonrs]

Congratulations on taking such a big step. And on behalf of the dick-sucking community, Thank you for keeping yours. I have the pics you posted saved on my computer still and I'm no good at photoshop!

:-)

HUGS!