LGBTQ+ … is it time to add the letter "H"? Why the abbreviation of the main human rights movement continues to grow and what heterosexuals have to do with it

The LGBTQ+ community is often criticized for having names that are too long — sometimes they are ironically referred to as "alphabet soup." However, behind each new letter there is a story of the struggle for visibility and recognition. Journalist and veteran of the movement Mark Segal suggested going even further and adding to the LGBTQ+ another letter "H» (heterosexual). Let's figure out why this is necessary and how the self-names of activists have changed over the past 50 years.

How did it all start?

In 1969, when the Gay Liberation Front, activists deliberately chose the word "gay" as a unifying one. At that time, it was the simplest way to make itself known to the public, which preferred not to notice the protesters. Most of the movement's participants, both men and women, referred to themselves simply as "gay," rejecting the clinical term "homosexual" or "homosexual."

How did the abbreviation begin to grow?

Over time, discussions began within the community about whose interests were represented in the name:

• Women pointed out that the word "gay" is often associated only with men, so the definition of "gays and lesbians" appeared.
• Bisexuals insisted on including the letter "B" so that their identity would not be erased.
• Transgender people added the letter "T" when they began to organize under a common name.
• Later, the activists regained the once offensive word Queerby adding the letter "Q".

As a result, when the list began to include intersex people, asexuals and those who are in search of their identity, activists decided to add a "+" sign so as not to turn the name into an endless book of the alphabet.

Why add the letter "H" for heterosexuals?

Mark Segal notes that identity is not always as simple as the alphabet. In his opinion, the letter "H" (Heterosexual) deserves to be mentioned for several reasons:

1. Blurring of boundaries. Some people who consider themselves heterosexual may identify as "queer" at the same time.
2. Fluidity of identity. There are examples of people at different stages of life identifying themselves as bisexual while remaining in heterosexual relationships.
3. Political goals. Seagal recalls a case in which an election candidate suddenly called herself "queer" in order to compete with a lesbian rival.

Why is there an argument within the community about this?

Each expansion of the list of letters causes an internal debate. For example, the recent discussion in The New York Times under the headline "I'm gay, not queer" showed that many members of the community do not want to be associated with new terms.

Seagal also points out the problem ageism: Modern activists often rewrite the history of the movement without asking those who stood at its origins and created the first prides after Stonewall.

What does this mean for the future?

Most likely, the new letter will not officially appear - Mark Seagal himself admits that there is no urgent need for another symbol.

The main takeaway is that no combination of letters can perfectly describe millions of people with their unique experiences. The movement was built not around acronyms, but around people and their right to self-identification without judgment from others.

The old name "Gay Liberation Front" was chosen because of its simplicity and ability to make people visible—and it is this visibility that veterans of the movement consider to be a major achievement.