In more recent times, it has garnered both positive and negative reaction from fans. These LGBT terms are used to classify the sexual orientation of those characters. While references to homosexual characters may have existed, there were few if any examples of openly gay heroes until the 1980s and 1990s. It is a common designation which began to see increased usage from the 1980s onward.
There are several other letters that are sometimes added to the acronym, including 'A' for asexual, 'Q' for queer, and others. The abbreviation LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender - the term serves as a self-designation that represents all to whom it refers.
