who a person is, that is – the various labels one attributes to themselves, or that others attribute to them, to form a picture of themselves; how they identify.

Identity is essential to being Queer; that is, our gender and sexual identities have been identified for and by us, and Queer people have been held to such identities, often in a way that is all-defining (for example, being identified as a homosexual or such term in a negative, stigmatising way; now, the identity of being gay is a matter of pride and a way of others to understand who we are); identity is a large part of one’s gender and identity helps us to understand each other’s sexuality.