LGBT (or GLBT) is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the term is an adaptation of the initialism LGB, which was used to replace the term gay in reference to the LGBT community beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s. Activists believed that the term gay community did not accurately represent all those to whom it referred.
The initialism, as well as common variants such as LGBTQ, have been adopted into the mainstream as an umbrella term for use when labeling topics pertaining to sexuality and gender identity. For example, the LGBT Movement Advancement Project termed community centres, which have services specific to those members of the LGBT community, as "LGBT community centers", in a comprehensive studies of such centres around the United States.
The initialism LGBT is intended to emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based cultures. It may be used to refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or non-cisgender, instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. To recognize this inclusion, a popular variant adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual identity; "LGBTQ" has been recorded since 1996. Those who add intersex people to LGBT groups or organizing use an extended initialism LGBTI. The two acronyms are sometimes combined to form the terms LGBTIQ or LGBT+ to encompass spectrums of sexuality and gender. Other, less common variants also exist, motivated by a desire for inclusivity, including those over twice as long which have prompted criticism.
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA), one of the largest private youth organizations in the United States, has policies which prohibit those who are not willing to subscribe to the BSA's Declaration of Religious Principle, which is usually interpreted as banning atheists, and, until January 2014, prohibited all "known or avowed homosexuals", from membership in its Scouting program. The ban on adults who are "open or avowed homosexuals" from leadership positions was lifted in July 2015. Prior to these policy changes, BSA had denied or revoked membership status or leadership positions for violation of these foundational principles. The BSA had contended that its policies were essential in its mission to instill in young people the values of the Scout Promise, or Oath, and Scout Law.
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Wherever it has been established that it is shameful to be involved with sexual relationships with men, that is due to evil on the part of the rulers, and to cowardice on the part of the governed.
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Credit: Originally from Flickr (Flickr user: stevebott)
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Larry Kramer (born 25 June 1935) is an American playwright, author, public health advocate and LGBT rights activist. Kramer began his career rewriting scripts while working for Columbia Pictures, which led him to London, where he worked with United Artists and wrote the screenplay for Women in Love in 1969.
 - 1 – Nahshon Dion Anderson (1978–), American writer, actor, activist and model
- 1 – Rachel Maddow (1973–), American cable television host
- 2 – Linda Hunt (1945–), American actress
- 3 – Marlon Brando (1924–2004), American actor
- 3 – Cat Cora (1967–), American chef and TV personality
- 3 – David Hyde Pierce (1959–), American actor
- 4 – Robert Bauman, American politician and author, former Republican congressman (Maryland) (1973–1981)
- 4 – Clive Davis (1932–), American record producer and music industry executive
- 4 – Anthony Perkins (1932–1992), American actor
- 5 – Nigel Hawthorne (1929–2001), British actor
- 5 – Thomas Hitzlsperger (1982–), retired German soccer player
- 6 – Gale Wilhelm (1908–1991), American writer
- 7 – Harry Hay (1912–2002), American labor advocate, teacher, and LGBT rights activist
- 7 – Janis Ian (1951–), American singer-songwriter and musician
- 9 – Marc Jacobs (1963–), American fashion designer
- 9 – Cynthia Nixon (1966–), American actress
- 9 – Kristen Stewart (1990–), American actress
- 9 – Harris Wofford (1926–), American attorney & politician, U.S. Senator (Pennsylvania) (1991–1995)
- 10 – Gro Hammerseng (1980–), Norwegian handball player
- 10 – Tom Spencer (1948–), British politician and former Member of European Parliament
- 11 – Glenway Wescott (1901–1987), American writer
- 12 – Amy Ray (1964–), American singer-songwriter and member of Indigo Girls
- 12 – Magda Szubanski (1961–), Australian actress, comedian and writer
- 13 – Ole von Beust (1955–), German politician and former First Mayor of Hamburg
- 14 – André Boisclair (1966–), Canadian politician & former leader of the Parti Québécois
- 14 – Larissa França (1982–), Brazilian beach volleyball player
- 14 – Sir John Gielgud (1904–2000), English actor
- 14 – José María Mendiluce (1951–2015), Spanish writer and politician
- 15 – Luke Evans (1979–), Welsh actor and singer
- 15 – George Platt Lynes (1907–1955), American fashion photographer
- 15 – Bessie Smith (1894–1937), American blues singer
- 16 – Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (1984–), American fantasy/young adult lit author
- 16 – Raymond Chan Chi-chuen (1972–), Hong Kongese politician and radio host
- 16 – Dusty Springfield (1939–1999), English singer
- 17 – Thornton Wilder (1897–1975), American playwright and novelist
- 18 – Maria Bello (1967–), American actress
- 19 – Prince Edmond de Polignac (1834–1901), French aristocrat & composer
- 19 – Dick Sargent (1930–1994), American actor
- 20 – Henry de Montherlant (1895–1972), French essayist and novelist
- 20 – Toller Cranston (1949–2015), Canadian figure skater and artist, 1976 Olympic Bronze Medalist
- 21 – Jessica Clark (1985–), English actress, model, and video blog host
- 22 – John Waters (1946–), American director, writer, visual artist, and media personality
- 23 – Élisabeth de Gramont, Duchess of Clermont-Tonnerre (1875–1954), French writer and aristocrat
- 23 – Halston (1932–1990), American fashion designer
- 23 – Dame Ethel Smyth (1858–1944), English composer and suffragist
- 24 – Jean-Paul Gaultier (1952–), French fashion designer
- 25 – Edward II (1267–1327), King of England
- 25 – Anja Pärson (1981–), Swedish alpine skier, 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist in Slalom
- 26 – Lily Parr (1905–1978), English professional women's association football player
- 26 – Ma Rainey (1886–1939), American singer
- 26 – Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951), Austrian philosopher
- 27 – Russell T Davies (1963–), British television producer and screenwriter
- 27 – Prince Paul of Yugoslavia (1893–1976), Yugoslavian (Serbian) royalty
- 29 – Garrison Starr (1975–), American singer-songwriter
- 30 – Onir (1969–), Bengali Indian film director, editor, writer, and producer
- 30 – Alice B. Toklas (1877–1967), American-born member of Parisian avant-garde
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