Sexuality and gender identity - LGBTQ+

Your sexuality is personal to you, and you may not feel it necessarily fits into a box or category. Some people identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, whereas others feel that no specific label applies to them and how you identify can also change over time.

Sexuality is the way to describe your preferences for romantic and/or sexual partners.

Sexuality is different to gender identity. A transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not necessarily match the gender they were assigned with at birth. These people may choose to live as a man, a woman, or as non-binary. Again, some people don't feel that any label in particular describes them, and their identity can be fluid and changing.

A person who identifies as 'trans' has the same capacity to be fluid or fixed with their sexuality as someone who isn't trans. People who are not trans are often referred to as 'cis' gendered, meaning they identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. People can also be born intersex, who are individuals born with any of several underlying genetic conditions that cause abnormal development of sex characteristics.

People in these groups are broadly referred to under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. On the sections below you may access related information and resources: