What Does HBIT Stand For?

If you've had an opportunity to browse the website, you've likely run across the acryonym HBIT. You can think of HBIT as a quasi-synonym for GLBT/LGBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender). It stands for:

Homosexual
Bisexual
Intersexual
Transsexual

The reason we prefer this acronym to the more common GLBT or LGBT is that we don't see a need to differentiate between sexes with regard to the "G" and the "L" of the common acronymn. Therefore, we combine both under the "H", for Homosexual. This way, which letter comes first—the "G" or the "L"—doesn't matter.

In addition, we felt it necessary to add Intersexuals (e.g. hermaphrodites) to the Queer umbrella. Their biological sex ambiguity certainly qualifies Intersexuals for inclusion within our struggle for religious and social equality.

Lastly, we make a distinction between the umbrella term, transgender, and the more specific group, transsexual. Transgenderism includes a variety of gender-variant individuals, not all of whom necessarily share in the biological and/or psychological conflict that engulfs the HBIT community. For example, transvestites (i.e. cross dressers), who are considered transgender individuals, do not have a psychological identity issue with regard to their biological sex (as do transsexuals); rather, their variation deals with gender (which is a social construct, rather than a biological one). This is a difference that we believe is relevant to our approach in dealing with HBIT-related issues.

GCF's purpose is to foster personal reconciliation and social and religious equality in all matters pertaining to sexual orientation, sex orientation, and sex identity (speaking of biological sex, which is often, but inaccurately used interchangeably with the term "gender"). Our goal is not to deny the binary sex paradigm of male and female, as taught in Scripture, or to engage in social commentary regarding the existence or appropriateness of gender normalcy within society. Therefore, we feel it necessary to make the distinction between transsexuals and the wider transgender community, and only include transsexuals within the official mission of GCF, in that theirs is a cause regarding inherent physiological characteristics, rather than simply variations of social constructs surrounding gender expression—which we will not comment on officially, as it is each individual's personal right to believe and practice whatsoever he/she wills regarding what is and is not relevant or appropriate as it relates to gender expression. We make no judgments in that regard.