ABSTRACT
As theory and research addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues has matured since the mid-1950s, the conceptualization of key concepts used to understand the lives of LGBT people has become more complex. This greater complexity has arisen for a number of reasons, including paradigm shifts in psychological and social theory in general, the emergence of queer theory and queer studies within the academy, and a growing (although still inadequate) appreciation of the diversity among LGBT people and communities.
