Sexual and Gender Diversities: Implications for LGBTQ Studies

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Human Rights Studies
• Queer Theory

Background:

• The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) acronym is widely used in Western contexts.
• Its global applicability and implications for LGBTQ+ studies remain underexplored.
• Diverse socio-cultural contexts present unique challenges to identity formation and rights advocacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically analyze the utility and limitations of the LGBT acronym from an international perspective.
• To explore the implications of using this acronym within LGBTQ+ studies.
• To highlight the need for context-sensitive scholarship on non-heterosexual and gender-diverse identities.

Main Methods:

• Critical analysis of existing literature and theoretical frameworks.
• Drawing on concepts from citizenship studies.
• International comparative perspective, considering Global North and South contexts.

Main Results:

• The LGBT acronym faces significant difficulties when applied universally, particularly across the Global North and South.
• Existing scholarship often overlooks the specific material, cultural, and neo-colonial forces shaping identities.
• There is a critical need for more research supporting the human rights of non-heterosexual and gender-diverse individuals globally.

Conclusions:

• The effectiveness of the LGBT acronym is limited by diverse global social contexts.
• Future research must adopt a nuanced, context-specific approach to understand and support LGBTQ+ rights.
• Addressing materialist, cultural, and neo-colonial influences is essential for comprehending identity formation.