LGBTQA - Discussion and support.

[g u a v a]

wait queer is an insult?
i normally think of it as
"he seems a little queer to me."

It's a semi-commonly used slur against gay/LGBT+ people.

 

[Yuki Nagato]

I just feel that by continuing to view queer as a word that is hurtful and ostracizing, it's only further oppressing queer/LGBT+ people.

The way I see it is that by allowing myself to be hurt by the word queer I'm giving more power to the people who want to keep me oppressed. And also, when I decide to celebrate being called queer, I'm just celebrating that I am different, because according to the people who utilize queer as a slur, I am, and by celebrating that I'm empowering myself. But that's just me.

How about the word faqqot, then? Why not see that as a good thing if you're going to see queer as one?

 

[g u a v a]

How about the word faqqot, then? Why not see that as a good thing if you're going to see queer as one?

I think the same rules apply to the word faqqot, and it's actually a movement for gay men to reclaim that slur as well. I've seen many instances of *** being used positively one of them being within the indie music industry.

Personally I apply the same mentality to queer, however I am aware that that particular slur is a bit more sensitive due to the ways it impacts queer people throughout the world.

 

[Chris]

I've never heard the word 'queer' as a posititve word in the UK. Whether or not there is a charity trying to promote it doesn't matter: it's offensive. No gay person calls themself a queer.

The usage of "queer" in the UK has various informal definitions that can be used in the same sentence, but express entirely different meanings based on the intent/context - so that's not surprising you wouldn't acknowledge it as a positive term. Offline I actually most frequently hear the word "queer" in situations completely unrelated to sexuality (e.g. to express something being odd, or feeling out of sorts), yet they are all grammatically correct usages of the word.

Also, in response to your final sentence: there are people who define themselves as queer.

 

[Yuki Nagato]

The usage of "queer" in the UK has various informal definitions that can be used in the same sentence, but express entirely different meanings based on the intent/context - so that's not surprising you wouldn't acknowledge it as a positive term. Offline I actually most frequently hear the word "queer" in situations completely unrelated to sexuality (e.g. to express something being odd, or feeling out of sorts), yet they are all grammatically correct usages of the word.

Also, in response to your final sentence: there are people who define themselves as queer.

The majority in the UK do not refer to themselves as queer: everyone here knows that.

Officially a word can have more than one meaning but for queer the traditional term is rarely to never used unless by the elderly. By elderly I mean like 90 year olds.

 

[oath2order]

The majority in the UK do not refer to themselves as queer: everyone here knows that.

Officially a word can have more than one meaning but for queer the traditional term is rarely to never used unless by the elderly. By elderly I mean like 90 year olds.

Pretty sure Tina knows what she's talking about given that she lives in the UK

 

[Brackets]

I'm in the UK and have never heard people call themselves queer (and I'm part of the uni LGBT community)

 

[Chris]

The majority in the UK do not refer to themselves as queer: everyone here knows that.

I never said that they do.

Officially a word can have more than one meaning but for queer the traditional term is rarely to never used unless by the elderly. By elderly I mean like 90 year olds.

Your sentence doesn't really make much sense, but I think I know what you're trying to say here. If you're trying to say that the term "queer" isn't used often and is only used in different contexts by the elderly then this is false: as I've already stated, I personally hear it frequently in everyday speech and the oldest people I communicate with are my folks, and they're 42 - that's not even half of 90!

 

[(ciel)]

The fact is that some people view queer as a derogatory term (how many, and where, and how old doesn't matter), and it isn't up to anyone but the person to determine how they should feel about it. I think it's fine to use it, but, especially if you're addressing a person directly as queer, you need to be sure they're okay with that term being used in reference to them.

 

[g u a v a]

The fact is that some people view queer as a derogatory term (how many, and where, and how old doesn't matter), and it isn't up to anyone but the person to determine how they should feel about it. I think it's fine to use it, but, especially if you're addressing a person directly as queer, you need to be sure they're okay with that term being used in reference to them.

Yeah, I wasn't trying to make you identify as something you don't feel comfortable with. I was simply stating a different point of view to sort of vocalize how others may view it. :>

 

[oath2order]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparent_(TV_series)

interest

 

[radical6]

oh the q word discussion. brought it up a while ago.
but yeah, do NOT call the whole community that. just say non het. the q word can be used as a slur, can be reclaimed, or someone can identify with it. plain and simple. i hear more often in a positive way and was shocked when i heard someone use it in a negative way for once irl because i dont hear that often but yeah, its def used more as a slur in certain places. (ex: the south in the US)

also interesting tv show

 

[g u a v a]

oh the q word discussion. brought it up a while ago.
but yeah, do NOT call the whole community that. just say non het. the q word can be used as a slur, can be reclaimed, or someone can identify with it. plain and simple. i hear more often in a positive way and was shocked when i heard someone use it in a negative way for once irl because i dont hear that often but yeah, its def used more as a slur in certain places. (ex: the south in the US)

also interesting tv show

I really don't think it's that necessary to emphasize that you shouldn't refer to it as such. If I say that I'm a queer person, I'm saying I identify with the queer community. And also non-het is just as offensive and ostracizing as queer. Honestly any term you use is going to offend someone, but generally I try to not tell people to not refer to something a certain way. It just seems that everyone should be allowed to identify with what they wish and should use the language they want when speaking about a community they feel attached to, unless explicitly told by someone that they feel uncomfortable with that term.

 

[Liquid Ocelot]

I feel like 'queer' is something you should make up your own mind on whether you feel comfortable with it or not. But you should definitely NOT apply it to people you don't know, or a certain subset of people and think it's okay because one of your friends is fine with it, you know what I mean? Like-

"My friend Robin identifies as queer and they don't make a big deal about it! I don't see why you're so upset when I call you that! Jeez!"

 

[g u a v a]

I feel like 'queer' is something you should make up your own mind on whether you feel comfortable with it or not. But you should definitely NOT apply it to people you don't know, or a certain subset of people and think it's okay because one of your friends is fine with it, you know what I mean? Like-

"My friend Robin identifies as queer and they don't make a big deal about it! I don't see why you're so upset when I call you that! Jeez!"

But idk, personally by identifying as queer I feel as though I'm a part of the queer community, since queerness goes so much further beyond just sexuality. So saying that I'm queer is just my way of identifying with the community. And if someone else thinks that it's inadequate to be labeled as the queer community then I'd say they were LGBT+, which is fine and everything but definitely I don't think that dismissing the queer community is necessary solely by the past impact of the world.

If anything the LGBT+ & queer communities almost seem to exist simultaneously in my mind, based on the mixed response on the thread. Which makes sense if people feel uncomfortable.

 

[Liquid Ocelot]

I think I'm just saying that there's nothing wrong with identifying as queer, but it's okay to not want to be called that as well.

Besides, I think 'queer' covers more than just sexuality- like you said, it covers a range of expression. I wouldn't be upset if someone called me that, but it's really not- my preference.

 

[g u a v a]

I think I'm just saying that there's nothing wrong with identifying as queer, but it's okay to not want to be called that as well.

Besides, I think 'queer' covers more than just sexuality- like you said, it covers a range of expression. I wouldn't be upset if someone called me that, but it's really not- my preference.

Yeah, I just wanted to put it out there that like, there is a queer community and that telling people not to use that term just feels like discrediting the existence of the queer community.

 

[Liquid Ocelot]

Nah, I feel you. It just shouldn't be a blanket term for 'people who aren't heterosexual'.

 

[Lady Timpani]

I think another issue with queer that Ocelot sort of mentioned (unless I'm misinterpreting) is that it's become a politicized word, and there are people who feel uncomfortable with their own sexualities and gender identities being referred to as such, but they still accept others' rights to do so.

Really interesting discussion, though. It was nice to hear people's viewpoints on the usage of the word.

 

[radical6]

I really don't think it's that necessary to emphasize that you shouldn't refer to it as such. If I say that I'm a queer person, I'm saying I identify with the queer community. And also non-het is just as offensive and ostracizing as queer. Honestly any term you use is going to offend someone, but generally I try to not tell people to not refer to something a certain way. It just seems that everyone should be allowed to identify with what they wish and should use the language they want when speaking about a community they feel attached to, unless explicitly told by someone that they feel uncomfortable with that term.

Well lets say you want to talk about everyone who isn't straight basically, there's not really a good term to use. I prefer to use "everyone who isn't straight" I guess, which is why I used non het. (Non Het is a shortened way of me saying that but I can see how people can take offense) but there comes to times where sometimes you need to address this specific part of the community - how will you do it? You can't say the LGBT community in general if you didn't mean the trans people, the asexual people, the romantic minority people, etc. You really only mean the sexuality section tbh, so it comes to a point where sometimes we need to find a term that isnt offensive but can accurately get the message across.