Given that the population of the United States is increasingly identifying as LGBTQ+, it's become increasingly important to educate yourself on how to respect LGBTQ+ people in your life. That includes being aware of issues affecting transgender and nonbinary people, like misgendering. But what exactly does that mean? Read on to learn about this term, why misgendering someone is harmful, and how to apologize when it happens.
Why Misgendering People Is Harmful, and How to Apologize When You've Done It , almost half (46%) of transgender people surveyed had faced verbal harassment for being transgender. Additionally, 33% of transgender people surveyed indicated they had had at least one negative experience related to being trans.
Why is it harmful to misgender someone?
When misgendering does happen, intentionally or unintentionally, Goldstein explains that it is an awful experience for trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people. "When I'm explaining it to people, I like to say it's like being slapped on the cheek. If it happens once or twice, it stings for a moment, but then you feel better. But if you're getting slapped multiple times a day from multiple people, sometimes with random people coming up to you on the street and slapping you in the face, it's going to get more painful and more upsetting as time goes on," she says.
Goldstein points out that those who are being misgendered often blame themselves. In turn, this makes their freedom to self-express even more limited. "[Misgendering] makes it really hard to go about your day if you're constantly on guard," she says. Because misgendering happens in a moment, a person may not have time to process fully. "You still have to go about your day, do your job, see your friends, and provide for yourself," she explains, acknowledging how hard this can be.
A wealth of research has established that minority groups face increased stress, driven by the conflict between existing outside typical societal norms and values and the social implications that status holds. Specific research on misgendering links feelings of stigmatization and perceived frequency of misgendering to that psychological distress.
Katie Liederman (she/her), a psychotherapist at The Institute of Human Identity, echoes what the minority stress model research puts forth, explaining that "feeling unseen or fundamentally misunderstood is a painful experience for most people, both cis and trans. It can make people feel alone and devalued, and misgendering often inspires those feelings. That said, it affects people to varying degrees. For some, it is deeply hurtful and discombobulating, for others it is merely irritating or mildly unpleasant."
How do you ask someone their pronouns respectfully?
No matter who you are, you can play a part in reducing this kind of stress. Making pronouns part of everyday social rituals of introduction helps to normalize the practice instead of reserving it, pointedly, for trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people. Before you ask, you can do some easy research: check company directories, email signatures, social media (many platforms, like Instagram and Slack, allow you to add pronouns to your profile). If these practices do not exist in the spaces you occupy, find ways to establish them!
If you cannot find reference to someone's pronouns, it is okay to ask in a low-impact way. Goldstein's template goes, "I want to make sure I'm using the right pronouns. My pronouns are 'she' and 'her.' What pronouns do you use?" An ask from the get-go is the key to getting it right in the future. As the person doing the asking, you will have a very intentional experience to reflect back on as you come to consider and refer to the person moving forward.
As you navigate the right way to approach someone, be careful about the language you use. "Don't say or ask about someone's 'preferred' pronouns. It's just a person's pronouns," explains Liederman. Further, passive language like "identifies as" isn't necessary, as it semantically insinuates a disconnect from a person's state of being rather than the hard truth of who they are.
What do you do if you have misgendered someone?
In a moment when you might have misgendered someone, you may experience a rush of your own emotions. Goldstein's advice is simple: "Apologize. Be nice. Don't make excuses. But make sure you address the needs of the person. Don't make it about you. Don't tell them you feel bad. Make sure they're okay and carry on with what you were doing." However, it's also important to note that dwelling too much on an instance of misgendering can also add insult to injury.
Goldstein urges anyone who has misgendered someone to ask themselves whether they're in a position to make the situation better in other ways that might be meaningful. "Give them a discount if you're doing work for them. Give them hazard pay if they work for you. Ask if there is something to make their life easier after making it hard." The threat signaled by an instance of misgendering can be a red flag for the possibility of physical violence or further pain, so Goldstein urges that you ensure the misgendered person feels safe and supported.
Liederman offers similar advice to prevent centering yourself. "Correct yourself and keep it moving," she says, recommending that "big, dramatic apologies about how badly you have messed up" are not advisable, and ultimately, they "draw the moment out." She says a good apology is concise and simple, retelling an experience that a client had: "A few years ago a transmasculine client of mine described an instance in which a coworker misgendered him, and then attempted to correct herself by giving a long speech about how much she respects trans people, and how handsome he was. Obviously, that was embarrassing and awkward; don't do that. Don't be defensive or performative about your allyship to try to ameliorate the situation; it's not about you."
Many cis and gender-conforming people feel entitled to their opinions and attachments around nonconformity despite those experiences not being their own. "People need to let go of their attachment to how 'hard' it can be to use the right pronoun for someone," explains Liederman. She recommends using someone's name directly—at least at first—if referential language is tough to get used to. Committing to non-gendered language as a default—like child, sibling, spouse, partner, Mx.—can be an effective strategy, so practice using they and them pronouns and other neutral terms when you can. Taking simple, thoughtful steps like these to reduce the harm to trans and nonbinary people goes a long way.
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]]>But what exactly is queerbaiting? And why is it even done? Here's what you should know about the bait-and-switch tactic.
What-Is-Queerbaiting-Here's-What-the-Manipulative-Marketing-Tactic-Looks-Like-GettyImages-1130823111-AdobeStock_437972103 audiences with the promise that there's going to be positive queer representation (the bait), but then that representation is never fulfilled.
"So the viewers—especially queer people—are drawn in with the hope of seeing possibilities of themselves reflected back to them on the screen or hearing that in the music and are always left sort of waiting for it to actually happen," Kim Hackford-Peer, PhD, the associate chair in the University of Utah's Division of Gender Studies, tells Health.
RELATED: Bisexual Erasure: What It Is, Why It's a Threat to Health, and How to Put an End to It
Here's a popular queerbaiting example in literature and film: Harry Potter. These were books that "drew lots of queer people in because they were different, and interesting, and imaginative," Hackford-Peer says. After the series was out, author J.K. Rowling announced that Dumbledore was in fact a gay character. There was the implication that her later works would explore that aspect of his character, but ultimately it wasn't mentioned.
And an important note: queerbaiting is not synonymous with bad representation. "If there's a very poor representation of a queer character, people are like, 'We were queerbaited.' No, there's an actual queer person there. Unfortunately, it's not good [representation]," Raina Deerwater, GLAAD's entertainment research and analysis manager, tells Health.
While queerbaiting is most commonly thought of as a media and entertainment tactic, Hackford-Peer says that the practice can be done in other spheres as well. Queerbaiting might be employed by someone running for a political position to garner more support or campaign involvement. Queerbaiting could also be used by a community or school system to get people to move to a certain location and send their kids to a certain school. However queerbaiting is used, there's a promise that LGBTQ+ inclusivity is and will be cared about—but then that promise fizzles out once the target audience has already been drawn in.
Our modern-day understanding of queerbaiting is different from what it used to be, as the term has evolved over time. In the 1950s, the US was in the midst of what became known as the Lavender Scare—when queer US citizens who worked in government positions were thought to be untrustworthy and at risk of being fired. As a result, LGBTQ+ people had to hide their sexuality. To identify those who were queer, people would queerbait—aka, pose as allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community and promise to provide a safe space, only to turn in the names of those who had come out to them, Hackford-Peer says. While the reason for queerbaiting has changed, it has always been steeped in empty promises.
Why does queerbaiting happen?
Queerbaiting brings in not only the LGBTQ+ audience, but also that audience's money. "It comes back to capitalism—we want the money of the queer consumers, but we will not represent them," Deerwater says.
The practice was especially big in the early to mid 2010s, according to Deerwater. "It was still seen as a 'risk' to include queer characters and queer couples on popular shows," she explains. "And so it was essentially these shows not portraying and not giving representation to the LGBTQ community, but teasing it so they would still get higher numbers and they would still maintain a fan base. So it's kind of like having your cake and eating it too."
But it's 2021, and including LGBTQ+ characters in media is no longer the "risk" it used to be. "We can actually have these stories, and these narratives, and these expressions be focal," Hill says.
Is queerbaiting harmful?
Yes. Hill recalls watching the TV show Xena: Warrior Princess as a young teen in the 90s, waiting for Xena and her "best friend," Gabrielle, to become an official couple, as the show alluded to. "I just kept watching that show for a very long time in the hopes of getting to see what 13-year-old me really needed to see and just never got." Hill calls that experience of being queerbaited "invalidating." "It really just pulls the rug out from underneath you," they say.
While some might write off the importance of showing different relationships in the media, Hill argues that there's a lot of value in visibility, and that queerbaiting can harm the psyche for sure—a harm that's worth acknowledging. "When we're talking about communities that maybe don't see themselves reflected back a whole lot, these relationships mean something," Hill says. "And they are not simply characters, they are possibility models. And so when you have those possibility models taken away from you, it is a loss."
These types of bait-and-switch tactics compound mental health issues, like depression and anxiety, that queer folks are already more likely to face. "To never see yourself reflected just is another form of social isolation," Hill explains. "We know that social isolation just increases depression, increases anxiety, and those have very real biological implications."
Queerbaiting can also continue the stigmatization of the LGBTQ+ community, as it prevents society as a whole from seeing "LGBTQ people as just normal, everyday folks operating in a culture where they can live happy, healthy, normal lives out in the open," Hill says. In baiting but never fully showing queerness, media creators "imply that there's something not worthy there of being fulfilled, that there is something not valid about these expressions and these identities."
Queerbaiting is another form of queer folks being "erased, dismissed, or told we don't matter in the world," Hackford-Peer points out.
RELATED: Conversion Therapy Is a Controversial Practice That Targets LGBTQ+ People—Here's What to Know
How can queerbaiting be stopped?
The onus falls on media companies and creators to not queerbait. Each year, GLAAD puts together its Studio Responsibility Index and Where We Are in TV reports, which are comprehensive analyses of queer representation in film and TV, respectively. The film report found that 10 of the 44 films with theatrical releases in 2020 had LGBTQ+ characters. The TV report found that there were 360 LGBTQ+ characters in streaming, cable, and broadcast shows. So TV is moving faster than film when it comes to including queer representation. Deerwater hopes creators will see how successful the shows that do openly include queer representation are and start including queer characters and storylines.
Though it's up to the creators to put an end to queerbaiting, people who are not in charge of putting out content can take steps to help stop it. First, familiarize yourself with what queerbaiting is, start looking out for it, and call it out when you see it. While you can call it out on social media, Deerwater also suggests chatting with your friends about it. "If someone doesn't understand why queerbaiting is a problem, or why lack of representation is a problem, you can just have a nice conversation with your friend," she says.
Be a conscious media consumer. "Question why queer people don't play queer characters. If there are not queer characters in your favorite shows, question that. Just really be a thoughtful media consumer," Hill says. "Think about who is actually creating what it is that you are engaging with, and follow the money."
One of the best things you can do to combat queerbaiting, according to Hill: Consume art created by actual queer people. "We live in a time where we have people like Lil Nas X who is, to me, one of the most in-your-face, blatant queer artists who is out there creating some of the most beautiful queer art that there's no question it's queerness."
Artists like him can help push queerbaiting into extinction. "For queerbaiting, the marketing ploys are going to stop working. Because when you have people like Lil Nas X controlling their narratives, we don't have to rely on pandering," Hill says. "And I think that that is a really exciting move."
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]]>Though conversion therapy has existed for decades, recent books and films like Boy Erased and Pray Away have shed light on survivor's experiences, as well as grassroots efforts to protect people from conversion therapy. But if you're new to it or live in a community where it's widely accepted, questions abound.
What is conversion therapy, exactly? Does it work? And if not, why's it still around? Here's everything you need to know, with insight from mental health experts.
What is conversion therapy?
"Conversion therapy" is a term used to describe the practice of attempting to change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity. It's based on the incorrect belief that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, trans, or non-binary is a choice that can be changed, often by altering your behavior or praying.
"Currently in the United States, conversion therapy is a fringe activity, and a lot of the people practicing it are not licensed or are religious practitioners trying to change people for religious reasons," Jack Drescher, MD, a New York City-based clinical psychiatrist who has studied conversion therapy, tells Health.
Conversion therapy approaches could include online groups, conferences, and residential programs, as well as both individual and group sessions often labeled as "therapy," Nicholas E. Grant, PhD, a clinical psychologist and president-elect of GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality, tells Health. But conversion therapy isn't a true therapy in the sense that it's not based on or informed by science, he says.
To conflate the practice with the treatment of an actual medical condition, practitioners often refer to conversion therapy by other names, notes GLAAD. These may include gender critical therapy, reparative or reintegrative therapy, rx-gay ministries, sexual reorientation efforts, sexuality counseling, addressing sexual addictions and disorders, and healing sexual brokenness.
Where did conversion therapy originate?
What's known as conversion therapy today first emerged in the late 1900s when a German psychiatrist claimed he had turned a gay man straight via hypnosis. Earlier in the20th century, attempts to "cure" people of homosexuality were common. But in the 1960s and 1970s, gay rights advocates spoke up, pressuring organizations like the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to stop treating homosexuality as a mental illness.
By 1973, the APA had removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). And in 2013, "gender identity disorder"—a diagnosis for people who did not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth—was also removed and replaced with "gender dysphoria" since gender-nonconformity is also not a mental illness.
Does conversion therapy work?
No; the practice has been discredited. "Conversion therapy doesn't work and it's really not possible to change a person's sexual orientation," says Dr. Drescher. "You can change how you think about how you feel, but that doesn't change how you feel."
In 2009, a report by an American Psychological Association task force concluded that "results of scientifically valid research indicate that it is unlikely that individuals will be able to reduce same-sex attractions or increase other-sex sexual attractions through [sexual orientation change efforts]."
Recently, many former ex-gay leaders and survivors of their programs have also spoken out against conversion therapy, acknowledging that it doesn't work.
RELATED: 5 Things You Can Do Right Now To Be a Better LGBTQ+ Ally
Can conversion therapy be harmful?
Yes. "The research is abundantly clear that conversion therapy is not only ineffective, it also causes harm," Dr. Grant says. That's why major medical organizations have widely condemned it, including the American Psychological Association, American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
While conversion therapy is sometimes advertised as focusing on "changing behaviors," it's "better characterized as efforts for an individual to work against accepting and being open about their authentic self," Dr. Grant adds.
Beyond the pain that comes with hiding or suppressing who you truly are, the typical setup for conversion therapy can cause a number of negative side effects. "The 'therapist' will tell them the major factor that leads to change is their motivation or—in religious treatment—their faith," explains Dr. Drescher. "Which means when the treatment fails, and usually it fails, the person almost always blames themselves."
This can lead to a loss of faith, shame, guilt, hopelessness, emotional numbness, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, substance use, high-risk sex, and suicide ideation. LGBTQ+ youth who were subjected to conversion therapy by their parents were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to those who weren't, according to a 2017 study by the Family Acceptance Project.
Conversion therapy not only hurts the individual—it can also shatter families. Research shows LGBTQ+ youth who are rejected by their parents are at a much higher risk of mental health and substance use problems as well as homelessness. LGBTQ+ adults encouraged to enter a heterosexual marriage could end up going through a painful divorce or find themselves trapped in an unfulfilling marriage when they realize they can't change.
RELATED: Heteronormativity: What It Means and Why It's Harmful, According to Experts
Why have some states banned conversion therapy?
Conversion therapy is not backed by scientific research and may cause significant harm to individuals and their loved ones. In light of this, 20 states have passed laws fully protecting LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy by licensed mental health practitioners. A handful of other states have partial bans or have introduced legislation.
However, 22 states currently have no law or policy on conversion therapy. And because the majority of conversion therapy practitioners are not licensed in the first place, it's more difficult for public policy to put an end to these practices, says Dr. Grant.
"While preventing conversion therapy in the first place will save future generations from harm, supporting those who survive conversion therapy must be prioritized as well," Sam Brinton, a survivor of conversion therapy and vice president of advocacy at The Trevor Project, tells Health.
If you or someone you know is a survivor of conversion therapy, you can find LGBTQ-affirming health care professionals near you through GLMA's provider directory or the National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network. For immediate help, call the TrevorLifeline at (866) 488-7386, text START to 678-678, or open a confidential chat with an advocate online.
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]]> 
Emily-Hampshire-Pansexual-GettyImages-1205142217 of Demi Lovato's podcast, 4D with Demi Lovato. "So we did this scene in Schitt's Creek—I think it's kind of well-known now—it's the wine scene where David, Dan Levy's character, explains to Stevie his sexuality through wine," Hampshire told Lovato. "And he says, ultimately, he likes the wine, not the label, and that he's pansexual."
The term "pansexual" was actually new to Hampshire at the time. "I know everyone else got the wine metaphor, but when I was doing the scene, I had a bit of trouble because, well, there's the third wine," she explained. The fact that she had never heard about the identity before shooting the scene was "weird" to her, especially because she says she always considered herself "super knowledgeable" about LGBTQ+ topics. If the term is new to you, too (or for a quick refresher), being pansexual means that you may experience sexual or romantic attraction to others regardless of their gender identity—in fact, "pan" is the Greek word for "all."
RELATED: 6 Major Health Disparities Affecting the LGBTQ+ Community
About five years after doing that scene, Hampshire saw messages from fans asking if her character Stevie was lesbian, as well as if she identified as a lesbian in real life. She explained that at the time, she turned to Schitt's Creek co-star Dan Levy for advice, telling him, "This is so weird. What am I?"
"Because I truly just fell in love with a person, and where they fell on the gender spectrum did not matter to me. And since then, it really doesn't matter to me. I have to like the person; I'm really attracted to a person's vibe," she told Lovato. "So he was like, 'You're pansexual, don't you watch our show?'"
Pansexuality is not shown or talked about as much as other sexualities. That's why representation in media is important, Hampshire says. "So it did make me really start to—I think like Schitt's Creek did for a lot of people—made you start to really kind of look deeper into yourself," she explained in the interview.
RELATED: 5 Things You Can Do Right Now To Be a Better LGBTQ+ Ally
Hampshire also said that she has gotten messages from people who tell her that her ability to be "authentic and open helped them be like that." And while she believes in visibility and knows how important it is, she also admitted that her "utopian world" is where "you don't have to identify yourself as anything"—where "we're just human."
But again, Hampshire does see "the power of coming out," pointing out how Lovato announcing that they are non-binary has "push[ed] people into thinking a little broader and into thinking like 'human,' 'person,' and I love that," she said. "I came out because I was being asked. And I guess it was also liberating in a way—and also a self-discovery thing because I can look back in high school and see that I wasn't just wanting to be like the girls, I wanted to f—k the girls. Because it was confusing for a while."
RELATED: LGBTQ+ Individuals Are More Likely to Develop an Eating Disorder. Here's Why
In the interview, Hampshire also spoke publicly for the first time about having an eating disorder. "I really thought I was so disgusting and it was such a gross secret," Hampshire said. "…I couldn't think anymore, I couldn't remember anything, I was crying all the time and then I got really depressed because my brain wasn't being fed at all."
But hearing Lovato talk about their own experience with an eating disorder helped her feel "less ashamed" about her own. She sought treatment and, a month after getting out, started Schitt's Creek. "When I came out of treatment, my whole life changed," she said. "I can't say it cured my eating disorder, but it made me find a self or even know that I had a self in me."
For Hampshire, coming out as pansexual and opening up about her eating disorder "are kind of closely related" in that she had people who helped show her that what she was experiencing was "human."
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]]>Dorfman, 29, shared the news on Instagram on July 22 alongside photos from a Time magazine shoot that showcases her in several gorgeous dresses and heels. "Thrilled to reintroduce myself as the woman I am today. My pronouns are she/her," Dorfman wrote in the caption, before thanking Time for sharing her story.
"I'm especially grateful to every single trans person who walked this path, broke down barriers, and risked their lives to live authentically and radically as themselves before me," she wrote. "Thank you to all the trans woman that showed me who I am, how to live, celebrate myself, and take up space in this world."
The comments of Dorfman's post were filled with supportive messages. "YASSSSSSSSSSSS SLAY QUEEN!! SO PROUD YOU BBY
️," one person wrote. "Yes, girl, yes!! ️️️️" someone else said.
Speculation about Dorfman's gender identity had persisted for months, after she began changing her style and appearance. But Dorfman has remained silent about it, until now.
In a new interview with Time, she shared that she's "been privately identifying and living as a woman" for a year.
RELATED: What Does It Mean to Identify as Transgender? Here's What Experts Want You to Know
"It's funny to think about coming out, because I haven't gone anywhere," she said. "I view today as a reintroduction to me as a woman, having made a transition medically. Coming out is always viewed as this grand reveal, but I was never not out. Today is about clarity: I am a trans woman. My pronouns are she/her. My name is Tommy."
Dorfman shared that she had been "living in this other version of coming out where I don't feel safe enough to talk about it, so I just do it." But, she added, "I recognize that transitioning is beautiful. Why not let the world see what that looks like? So I kept, on Instagram, a diaristic time capsule instead—one that shows a body living in a more fluid space."
Dorfman acknowledged that "there has been discourse about my body, and it began to feel overwhelming. So, recently I looked to examples of others who have come out as trans. There's the version I couldn't really afford to do, which is to disappear for two years and come back with a new name, new face, and new body. But that's not what I wanted."
RELATED: What Does It Mean to 'Deadname' Someone? Here's How It Affects the Transgender Community
Dorfman pointed out that she has no plans to change her name, as other transgender women have done. "I'm named after my mom's brother who passed a month after I was born, and I feel very connected to that name, to an uncle who held me as he was dying," she said. "This is an evolution of Tommy. I'm becoming more Tommy."
Tommy Dorfman Announces She's Transgender
Dorfman shared that she's had concerns about how this will impact her career. "It's impossible for me to separate my personal and professional transition, because my body and face are linked to my career," she said. "I'm most recognized for playing a bitchy gay poet on a soap opera, and I feared that by actively transitioning in my personal life, I would lose whatever career I've been told I'm supposed to have. But I'm no longer interested in playing 'male' characters—except for maybe in a 'Cate Blanchett playing Bob Dylan' way. Sometimes you just have to say, "'No, this is just who I f-cking am.'"
Dorfman also revealed that she recently ended a nine-year relationship. "I love him so much, but we've been learning that as a trans woman, what I'm interested in is not necessarily reflected in a gay man," she said. "So we've had incredible conversations to redefine our relationship as friends. Transitioning has been liberating and clarifying."
Dorfman says that she's "aligning my body with my soul," but acknowledges that she's losing some things. "All I can do now is look to a future where I am, hopefully, just radically honest," she says. "That's the person I am becoming."
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]]>"[I] am so happy, honored, and humbled to share that I'm the 1st trans woman to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit]," the 27-year-old model announced in an Instagram post on Monday.
The magazine's swimsuit issue has been released annually since 1964, but this year marks the first time that there's been a transgender cover model and the first time that a trans person of color has appeared within an issue, according to SI Swimsuit.
Leyna Bloom 2021 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Reveal
"I have dreamt a million beautiful dreams, but for girls like me, most dreams are just fanciful hopes in a world that often erases and omits our history and even existence," Bloom wrote in her Instagram caption. "This moment is so powerful because it allows me to live forever even after my physical form is gone. Not a lot of people get to live in the future, so at this moment, I'm proudly choosing to live forever."
"I dedicate this cover to all ballroom femme queens past, present and future," continued Bloom, who first gained recognition in the ballroom dance community. "This historical moment is important to #girlslikeus because it allows us to live and be seen. Many girls like us don't have the chance to live our dreams, or to live long at all. I hope my cover empowers those, who are struggling to be seen, feel valued. Let me be a messenger guiding us to a future of respect and appreciation for all women in all forms and from all walks of life."
Bloom even had other trans folks in mind when she was choosing what swimsuits to wear in the issue. During her SI Swimsuit photoshoot, the model had her pick of hundreds of bathing suits, selecting leotard-like one-pieces rather than bikinis, as Page Six Style reported. "Trans women feel so comfortable in these one-pieces, so I want to represent them," she explained.
RELATED: A Nurse Ignored a Trans Man's Pregnancy Symptoms—Then He Had a Stillbirth
People on social media have been celebrating Bloom and the history-making cover. That includes within the comments section of Bloom's Instagram announcement post. "I have never been more in awe of someone. You are grace personified. I love you sweet angel. Congratulations. Thank you for being YOU," SI Swimsuit Editor-in-Chief MJ Day wrote. "Absolutely Iconic and so well deserved!!!!!!," fellow SI model Brooks Nader commented. GLAAD showed its support by putting a clapping hands emoji.
Yu Tsai, the photographer who captured the images, pointed out the significance of the cover not only for the LGBTQ+ community, but also for the Asian Black community, which Bloom is a part of. "🌈🌈🌈 What an amazing moment for our community of LGBTQ+ and Asian black community," Tsai commented on her post. "I celebrate you with our community and thank you @si_swimsuit @mj_day for giving us this important representation and continuously fighting for inclusion and diversity!"
But Bloom wasn't the only cover star to make history this year. SI had three covers in all, and the other two were also firsts. Naomi Osaka, the 23-year-old tennis champion, is also a 2021 cover star, making her the first female Black athlete on an SI Swimsuit cover (and, as Osaka tweeted, the first Haitian and Japanese woman on the cover). Meanwhile, 26-year-old singer Megan Thee Stallion is the first rapper to appear on the cover of the issue ("When Hottie boot camp pays off," she tweeted, referencing her fitness routine, which Health has previously reported on).
"If there's one thing that our cover models have in common, it's that they don't have one thing in common," Day said in SI. "They look different, have different upbringings, have different passions and inspirations. But each is a reminder that beauty comes in many forms."
As for her part in the trio of groundbreaking women to be on the cover of this year's SI Swimsuit edition, Bloom says she is aware of the responsibility—that is, the responsibility that comes with being the first openly trans model not just on the cover of SI Swimsuit, but also for many brands and publications. "It allows me to give justice and give light to my community, and I'm glad that I was birthed in those communities because when I go out in the world, they also shine," she said in a Q&A with SI Swimsuit. "It's a powerful thing to know that we are in a time where history is still possible to be made. I think it's a powerful moment. I never imagined growing up, and the name that I have chosen for myself and the body that I have designed of myself will allow me to bring awareness to the idea of someone creating their own life for themselves. It's not what the world said I should be or how I should look, or how I should live my life. It's allowed me to inspire others to love the creation they have created."
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]]> 
What Does Omnisexual Mean? Back view of two men hugging each othe , a clinical sexologist and relationship therapist based in Delaware, tells Health. "These individuals are open and attracted to people of all genders—male, female, and every gender beyond that." This can include expressions of gender like agender (not identifying as any particular gender) and those who are gender fluid (meaning a person's gender identity is open to change).
RELATED: What Does It Mean to Be Polysexual? Here's How Experts Explain This Sexual Identity
Omnisexual flag
Omnisexual vs. pansexual
The key difference between omnisexuality and pansexuality is the recognition of gender, Casey Tanner, a clinical sex therapist based in Chicago, tells Health. "Most people who are pansexual are attracted to people in general regardless of gender," Tanner explains. "Someone who is omnisexual still sees gender as part of how they are attracted to someone."
Someone who is pansexual and an individual who is omnisexual would both say they are not attracted to a specific gender, Tanner says. "Pansexuality is more gender-blind, while with omnisexuality, gender influences the type or strength of attraction to each gender," she adds.
RELATED: What Does It Mean to Be Allosexual? Here's What You Need to Know, According to Experts
How does omnisexuality look in practice?
Omnisexual individuals can experience a wide variety of sexual attraction, from being monogamous, polyamorous, or even aromantic (aka, not capable of feeling a romantic attraction to anyone). The key element is sexual attraction to all genders, explains Tanner. People who are omnisexual can be in straight, monogamous relationships and still acknowledge their omnisexuality.
What to do if you think you’re omnisexual
While there are no official figures around how many people identify as omnisexual, finding a community of people who belong to and affirm your sexuality is important and validating, says Tanner. Browsing online communities, such as Reddit and Tumblr, can help you find others who share your orientation, or at least understand it. "This is a really expansive, wonderful identity that can absolutely be as healthy as any other identity," they say.
RELATED: What Is Genderqueer? Here's How Experts and People Who Identify This Way Explain It
How can I be an ally to omnisexual individuals?
Tanner recommends educating yourself and being open-minded, as the language around sexual identity is constantly expanding. With more focus on sexual orientation and identity, more people will be coming out and acknowledging who they are, and they will appreciate feeling accepted.
"Just because you don't know a term or wouldn't use it for yourself, it doesn't mean it isn't equally affirming and valid for another person in your life," says Tanner. "Instead of letting that lack of knowledge create stigma, let it fuel your curiosity to educate yourself about your identity and those in your life who use it."
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What-Does-Heteroflexible-Mean-GettyImages-74391575 , a clinical sexologist and relationship therapist based in Delaware, tells Health.
"Heteroflexible, like most labels, means different things to different people," Casey Tanner, a clinical sex therapist in Chicago, tells Health. "It comes up most of the time when a person identifies as mainly straight with a slight propensity towards queerness in certain circumstances." According to Tanner, heteroflexible can include people who are questioning or exploring their sexuality outside of heterosexuality but not quite ready to identify as queer.
RELATED: Heteronormativity: What It Means and Why It's Harmful, According to Experts
Does heteroflexible fit into the LGBTQ+ spectrum?
Yes, since it's way to describe sexual fluidity. "It's not quite bisexuality, as the orientation remains 'mainly straight,'" says Laino. However, whether someone who is heteroflexible chooses to identify with the LGBTQ+ community is entirely their choice. "The base root of the orientation is still hetero," says Tanner.
Heteroflexible vs. bisexual
These to sexual identity terms might seem similar, but they aren't. People who identify as heteroflexible primarily embraces heterosexuality. "The identification with heteroflexibility is primarily straight with hues of same sex experience," say Laino, "whereas bisexuality is more open to both same sex and opposite sex attraction." By definition, bisexual individuals are sexuality and emotionally attracted to people of their own sex and the opposite sex.
RELATED: Bisexual Erasure: What It Is, Why It's a Threat to Health, and How to Put an End to It
"Heteroflexibility can include bisexuality or pansexuality," says Tanner. (Pansexual people are attracted to others regardless of the other person's gender or sexual identity.) "There could also be no intention to pursue non-heterosexual behavior at all," adding that many heteroflexible people may be in relationships that are or appear heterosexual to others.
How can I be an ally to someone who identifies as heteroflexible?
As always, don't judge or make assumptions; let the other person describe themself and accept the terms they use. In her experience as a sex therapist, Tanner has found that some people who identify as heteroflexible may fear coming out as a queer individual and worry about the stigma that can arrive with that. As an ally, be respectful of their identity and how they choose to label their sexuality. "I would be affirming and open and make space for that person to be and share what feels safe to them," says Tanner.
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]]> What Does Omnisexual Mean? Back view of two men hugging each othe , a clinical sexologist and relationship therapist based in Delaware, tells Health. "These individuals are open and attracted to people of all genders—male, female, and every gender beyond that." This can include expressions of gender like agender (not identifying as any particular gender) and those who are gender fluid (meaning a person's gender identity is open to change).
RELATED: What Does It Mean to Be Polysexual? Here's How Experts Explain This Sexual Identity
Omnisexual flag
Omnisexual vs. pansexual
The key difference between omnisexuality and pansexuality is the recognition of gender, Casey Tanner, a clinical sex therapist based in Chicago, tells Health. "Most people who are pansexual are attracted to people in general regardless of gender," Tanner explains. "Someone who is omnisexual still sees gender as part of how they are attracted to someone."
Someone who is pansexual and an individual who is omnisexual would both say they are not attracted to a specific gender, Tanner says. "Pansexuality is more gender-blind, while with omnisexuality, gender influences the type or strength of attraction to each gender," she adds.
RELATED: What Does It Mean to Be Allosexual? Here's What You Need to Know, According to Experts
How does omnisexuality look in practice?
Omnisexual individuals can experience a wide variety of sexual attraction, from being monogamous, polyamorous, or even aromantic (aka, not capable of feeling a romantic attraction to anyone). The key element is sexual attraction to all genders, explains Tanner. People who are omnisexual can be in straight, monogamous relationships and still acknowledge their omnisexuality.
What to do if you think you’re omnisexual
While there are no official figures around how many people identify as omnisexual, finding a community of people who belong to and affirm your sexuality is important and validating, says Tanner. Browsing online communities, such as Reddit and Tumblr, can help you find others who share your orientation, or at least understand it. "This is a really expansive, wonderful identity that can absolutely be as healthy as any other identity," they say.
RELATED: What Is Genderqueer? Here's How Experts and People Who Identify This Way Explain It
How can I be an ally to omnisexual individuals?
Tanner recommends educating yourself and being open-minded, as the language around sexual identity is constantly expanding. With more focus on sexual orientation and identity, more people will be coming out and acknowledging who they are, and they will appreciate feeling accepted.
"Just because you don't know a term or wouldn't use it for yourself, it doesn't mean it isn't equally affirming and valid for another person in your life," says Tanner. "Instead of letting that lack of knowledge create stigma, let it fuel your curiosity to educate yourself about your identity and those in your life who use it."
To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter
]]>In the caption, she defended trans individuals' right to wear a bathing suit without being gawked at or otherwise judged, and she recounted her beach experience and the strong emotions that came over her in the moment.
Alex-Jenny-Beach-Post
"This was my first time at a beach since medically transitioning and I was overthinking it the whole time," Jenny wrote. "whether or not I should have tucked more, whether people clocked me or cared, forgetting I had make up on since I've never worn make up to the beach before and wiping my sweat carelessly, wishing I could be topless and untucked, knowing that for many trans people going to the beach is still a terrifying thought."
RELATED: What Does It Mean to Identify as Transgender? Here's What Experts Want You to Know
Jenny stressed the importance of having a support system, thanking her own for helping her navigate the beach. "So grateful I was with my chosen family who made me feel safe and supported but I still wish I could have just existed without second guessing everything." She also emphasized how crucial it is to be forgiving of yourself, writing, "still working on being gentle with myself."
She ended the post by celebrating her transition-and reminding people that the bodies of others shouldn't be anyone's concern during a beach day. "So yeah, if y'all clock trans people at the beach mind your fucking business and let us live! can't wait to continue soaking up the sun with my chicago fam. tits and bulges out, tucked or not, it should be our choice to make without fear!"
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