06/03/2026
Do you know why "L" is first in the LGBTQIA+ acronym?
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When the AIDS pandemic came to the US in the 1990s, society at large turned their back on the gay community which was hit the hardest. Le****ns were a huge majority of the people who stayed around and supported those fighting the virus. These women stayed with and nursed infected individuals, donated blood to the victims, provided food and housing, took charge as community leaders, challenged patriarchal norms, and more.
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The second reason is during the AIDS pandemic, research was mostly done on gay men, so often le****ns who had contracted the virus weren’t diagnosed and suffered in silence.
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Over time, the GLBT acronym changed to LGBTQIA+, and le****ns were moved to the front in honor of their service, support and solidarity of the gay community, as well as to remember and honor those who had suffered in silence.
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***an ***anlove ***anpride ***anhistory ***an
