Questioning is a term used to describe individuals who are exploring, learning, or experimenting with their sexual or romantic orientation, or gender identity. The letter “Q” in the LGBTQIA+ acronym can sometimes stand for both “Queer” and “Questioning”.
For example, someone may be exploring whether or not they are bisexual (attracted to people of the same gender and to people of other genders); and they may currently identify as heterosexual, and be interested in exploring a same-sex queer relationship, or identify as homosexual and be curious about a heterosexual one.
Questioning sexual/romantic or gender identity may mean that someone feels:
- Unsure about who they are attracted to
- May not relate to the examples of romance around them
- Are unsure of what label feels right for them
- May not feel comfortable with their gender expression or identity
Other definitions/things to note:
The common phrase used to diminish the feelings of LGBTQIA+ young people, “it’s a phase,” is often used to diminish the feelings of individuals who are experimenting or questioning their identity or orientation. As a result, some people who are questioning may feel excluded from the LGBTQIA+ community, or may feel as though they do not fit into the community; despite, for example, knowing that they are not cisgender heterosexual. It is important to recognise that someone’s gender identity or romantic/sexual orientation is theirs to define and describe in the way that feels right for them.