There has been much bashing in our community from “Queer activist” on social media have gone into hyperdrive shaming people and labeling them transphobes and racist for not embracing the identity of “queer” and instead identifying as LGBT. “Queer” is a personal choice, and different individuals may have different reasons for using one term over the other. However, there are some potential problems with identifying as queer instead of LGBT, which include:
- Lack of clarity: While LGBT is an acronym that describes a specific group of people, the term “queer” can be ambiguous and mean different things to different people. This can lead to confusion and miscommunication when discussing issues related to sexuality and gender identity.
- Exclusion: Some people within the LGBT community may feel excluded or offended by the use of the term “queer,” which has historically been used as a slur against many older LGBT individuals who were severely scarred by it. While a very small minority (less than 1%) have reclaimed Queer, the term as a way of expressing their non-conformity to traditional gender and sexual norms, many others may feel uncomfortable with it.
- Generational divide: There is a generational divide in the LGBTQ+ community regarding the use of the term “queer.” Older generations may associate it with negative experiences of discrimination and violence, while younger generations may see it as a more inclusive and empowering term. This can create tension and division within the community.
- Lack of specificity: While the term “queer” can be a useful umbrella term to describe a wide range of non-heterosexual and non-cisgender identities, it may not provide enough specificity for individuals who want to express a more specific aspect of their identity.
- NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO TELL YOU WHAT TO IDENTIFY AS AND WHO TO BE.
Ultimately, in the end the choice of whether to identify as queer or LGBT is a personal one, and individuals should use the term that feels most comfortable and authentic to them. However, it is important to be aware of the potential issues and limitations of both terms when discussing issues related to sexuality and gender identity and that not everyone identifies as |queer” and it should not be used as a general labeled. Something which the LGBT/Queer media has been pushing upon us.
Gay is Good.
So it’s okay to be Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender without being “queer”. In the end its all about you.
people have the right to call themselves whatever they wish, and they have the right to expect their choice respected. I am a 70 year old gay man and I have always used “Queer” to describe myself, as I filter a term that embraces much more than simply sexuality, but sociability, spirituality, enculturation, etc. Most of my coevals despise the term but most of my 20 and 30 year old friends espouse it. No doubt it has the same Indo European roots as cute, quaint and questioning. I much prefer it to LGBT.
Well said.
The term queer for me goes back to 1992 and was used by a local radical gay boy group. I don’t identify as queer, I identify since the day I came out as gay. Always have always will.
I identify as both. Seriously! Professionally I embody a rainbow of lgbtqia+ but consider myself hardcore queer in my personal identity! Celebrate diversity, even in this. Of course, practice harm reduction of all kinds.
I agree; my take: It’s easy to claim the term “queer” has been fully reclaimed when you personally don’t have any scars from having it slung at you as a pejorative.
I wouldn’t presume to say it’s reclaimed for everyone… and I’m sorry that hearing it reminds you of bad experiences. I still hear in my mind’s ear the epithets I’ve been called. I guess we process things differently. It’s all good.