Elegetebeiquplus

I read this headline in the press: "LGTBIQ+ rights, the latest challenge to Francis's Church." I read it aloud. "Elegetebeiquplus."

The word gay (joyful) was created by the (gay) community of San Francisco, to proudly distinguish it from homosexual (created in the 19th century to designate what was considered a "pathology"). The word is short and has become popular in most languages. And although it was invented to include gays and lesbians, it is clear that in practice it is not so. And therefore here, very soon, we always refer to the collective of "gays and lesbians." And to gay-lesbian pride day.

I remember ---because it made me laugh a lot--- that my grandmother, to refer to my friend, who was gay, always said: "This boy is gay-lesbian." She also said "sexual man." I copied it for a character in a book. Without knowing it, the woman was doing something that all speakers of all languages do. Giving meaning to what, apparently, has none. The Retor fountain, in the mouth of several generations of grandmothers like mine, will end up becoming "the rector's fountain."

Until four days ago we said elegetebei. Lesbian, gay, trans, bisexual, and intersex. It is a long word and this must be taken into account, because from this word ---unfortunately--- other words must emerge such as elegetebeiphobia or elegetebeiphobe (the equivalent of homophobe). As this acronym wanted to be very specific and not generalist, the result is that it is not enough and now we say Elegetebeiquplus.

The 'q' means queer and the plus includes the unincluded. Saying elegetebeiquplusphobia is possible. Elegetebeiquplusphobe is more complicated, but by no means impossible. Writers, when faced with new words, always wonder if we will use them, if they will last, if they will be easy to read (acronyms with capital letters always scare us). The result, as always, is provided by the speakers. How do people on the street refer to this long word? "The collective." And we all understand it. And what about the day to claim this collective? "Pride day."