The questioning of gender or sexuality is a process that many people find themselves in at different stages of life. You might think - will I still be loved and accepted by my family, friends, or romantic partner? Those who are questioning also navigate safety concerns, knowing society does not historically affirm gender or sexual minorities.
The person questioning might experience increased anxiety due to fear of how curiosity around gender or sexuality might impact their social or romantic relationships. These messages contribute to internalized homophobia, biphobia, and/or transphobia so that the state of questioning has potential to increase anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. Unfortunately, this can lead to confusion due to much of our media and culture sending messages that gender is fixed and most of us will always be straight. Questioning originates from a genuine place of curiosity. The questioning part of the Q refers to individuals who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. As we celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community this month, I want to highlight the Q in the LGBTQIA+ acronym which stands for queer or questioning.
