FAQ

Frequently
Asked
Questions

What is a straight ally?
A straight ally is a person whose sexual orientation is straight (heterosexual) and supports equal rights for
gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people. A straight ally may have GLBT friends or family
members, but there are straight allies who do not know any GLBT people at all and yet take a stand for
equality every day. PFLAG's Straight For Equality program is a great resource for straight allies. It explains
steps a straight ally can do to get involved in the fight for equality. Sometimes the term "ally" or "allies" is
used and for a very long time this was the term used and thus the reason for the A in GLBTQA rather than
GLBTQSA. But a shift has occured in GLBT organizations to clarify that the allies that are being mentioned
are the straight allies. While these naming has changed, the letter "A" still represents them.

What is the meaning behind the word "queer" as used by these groups?
Queer is a term that is becoming more and more frequently used to describe the people who do not
identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, or transgender. There are homosexuals who do identify as gay
or lesbian because they feel that leads to stereotypes, so they adopt the term "queer". In many cases the
term "queer" is adopted by people still questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. In the case of
gender identity the term queer can refer to genderqueer people. These are people who do not feel their
gender identity is male or female and so do not live as either. The term queer is used more and more by
GLBT groups to be an all encompassing label for terms that are not always as well defined and
distinguished like, say, pansexual. It also prevents the community or organizations from having to add
labels and letters. Queer, then, becomes a category that is for anyone that feels their label hasn't been
placed on its own elsewhere in the name.

What about questioning and intersex people?
While some organizations and communities use the terms GLBTIQQA, most have agreed that the
questioning person usually falls under the category of "queer" as they are not yet ready to label
themselves any of the letters. As for intersex people, this is usually placed under the umbrella term
"transgender".

Why is it GLBT instead of LGBT? Why is the G before the L and yet I've seen it as L before G?
No reason. GLBT, LGBT, BLGT, TBLG, etc, etc, etc are all acceptable. In the case of our community G
came before L simply because people in Enid often say GLBT more than LGBT. One theory is that the
reason people here say GLBT instead of LGBT is because they can remember that as "gay" with the G in
front. It's just a theory. If groups and organizations choose to use LGBT, LGBTQA, etc here in Enid then no
one should think they are somehow not following some "code". It's all interchangeable.

Doesn't the rainbow flag just represent gays and lesbians?
Yes and no. While there are pride flags that represent the bisexual and transgender community and even
pride flags that represent the leather, bear, and BDSM communities and thus that would make the rainbow
flag represent gays and lesbians....most gays and lesbians would argue that the flag represents the entire
community (that is why its a rainbow). Most people who've studied some about the GLBT community will
recognize that one of the reasons the other flags were created was to bring visibility of these communities
within the larger community. The rainbow flag has always been identified as being the symbol of the larger
community and most GLBT people acknowledge this and treat the rainbow flag and rainbow symbol as
thus. The pink triangle, however, is definitely a gay symbol (specifically gay men with lesbians having a
black triangle) and the butterfly is often considered just a transgender symbol.

What do the colors of the rainbow flag mean anyways? Do they have meaning?
Indeed they do. Gilbert Baker, the creator of the flag, did indeed include meaning behind the colors he
chose. The original flag had eight stripes when it was introduced. However, when San Francisco wanted to
use it for their pride event the next year and wanted it mass produced they first ran into a problem with one
of the colors availability. That color couldn't easily be mass produced at the time. That dropped the flag to
seven colors, but the event organizers wanted an even number of stripes for a specific part of the event in
which a group would carry long strands of cloth of the colors. The even number of stripes would coordinate
well with the street and the march/parade. So they dropped the seventh color leaving only six. They used
that six colored flag and those six colors and the flag and colors spread to become international symbols in
their own right. And while the six colored rainbow flag is still more popular, efforts have been made to
reintroduce the flag with it's original eight colors (now that the one color is able to be mass produced). And
though the flag is usually flown with red at the top (or pink/fuschia at top) and violet at the bottom, Gilbert
Baker has said that the flag can be flown the other way as well. It simply has just become tradition to fly it
as most do.

What do the other flags look like?

Bisexual Pride Flag

Transgender Pride Flag

Bear Pride Flag

Leather Pride Flag

BDSM Rights Flag

Victory Over AIDS Flag
The black stripe is added to represent those
that have died from AIDS. The black stripe
would be removed from the rainbow flag
once a cure for AIDS is found.

Rainbow Pride Flag (original colors)