LGBT/Y!A Question: are we a "culture" or a "group"?

LGBT is not a 'lifestyle' but a life, you know that.

But there is an interesting construct regarding gay people, when socioligists compare us to the Jewish diaspora, which was scattered across Europe: the term they use is 'post-national' to differentiate a group which has a global sense of nationhood, but which does not possess a territory, or a single language or single state.

Consequently the Jewish nation (up until the establishment of Israel as an official homeland) and the so-called 'Queer nation' are post-national configurations which have populations scattered across the globe, but are connected by common ties.

And there could also be said to be various cultures which are shared by large sub-groups of gays, but generally speaking, gays exist in every culture known on earth.

But the so-called gay disco culture, for example of the 'Circuit Party Muscle Boys' might be conceptualized as a distinct culture, since the guys who join this movement have thier music, words, lifestyles, drugs, and favorite gathering places.

Group

culture (n.) The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.

group (n.) An assemblage of persons or objects gathered or located together; an aggregation: a group of dinner guests; a group of buildings near the road.

lifestyle (n.) A way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group

This could be argued either way!!!

If you need an answer to this question you will need to define all those concepts:

Merriam Webster Dictionary (2007) defines culture as "the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group".

The same dictionary defines group as "a number of individuals assembled together or having some unifying relationship".

Lifestyle on the other hand is defined as follows: "the typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture ".

So I believe that we homosexuals are a group with our own culture that enjoys a certain lifestyle.

LGBT is neither a culture, nor group nor lifestyle.

It's a politically correct, collective term (acronym) used to describe lesbians, gays, bi-sexual and transgendered people. (aka sexual minorities)

Edit: I saw the quotation marks, hence my reply. :)

Simplistically (and just one example of many) a gay man has no common ties with a transgender male or female except being a sexual minority.

Thus as a collective "whole" LGBT could only be defined as an acronym. (strictly speaking) This collective grouping of diverse people do not meet any criteria to form a "Queer Nation............culture, etc.

I really hate being called a "lifestyle". Culture and group don't really annoy me as much. I just think we are people living life.

A cultural group with an amazing lifestyle!

No we are just people, so id say maybe a group, but i personally would like to be seen as just another person

A question for a question...

Why aren't LGBT under the heading Family & Friends as they should be????????

I think its abit of each, ie lifestyle/culture/community.