THE BIG Q WORD!

[NightoftheUndead]

(mods feel free to let me know if this isn't allowed)

We all know it. The Q, U double E R word, it's pretty big now after years of being thrown and spat at us as a Slur, and in some aspects it still is. Yet people hold to it as a reclaimed word, while others feel uncomfortable around it. Personally I think it should've never been reclaimed as now you could look at somethin LGBT+ and minimize it to "wrow su Q**er xD :3!!" but even then... some people see it as an identity, others see it as a brand new term. I'm uncomfortable with being called it as I don't identify as Q**er, I'm an NB-Masc Gay guy/MLM (men loving men). Anyways, what's your take on it?  

[Mx Logi Yuki]

While the word has been (re)claimed by a large portion of the community, it's absolutely your right to not be referred to with it. Part of the dissonance within the community over it stems purely from what words were used as derogatory toward different people.

For example, in my area, I haven't met anyone who's heard it used in a derogatory way; it's been a synonym for gay/lesbian here since my mother was a kid. People here have far more trauma surrounding the f-slur (which I'm not comfortable typing out) and homosexual, among others. People are vaguely aware that in other places and in the past "queer" was used as a slur, but here it's just a descriptor for someone who isn't cis and/or het.

Personally, I identify very strongly with it. I spent so long questioning myself and what words best fit me, and it was so comforting to be able to use a word that signified that I'm not cishet while also escaping the stress of explaining the specifics that I didn't yet know how to articulate. Bonus points: I'm also just generally a really weird person so I fit the alternative definition (odd or weird) as well.

I'm not 100% sure what I'm trying to say here, but I guess just, I dunno, everyone has a different experience with the word and whether or not they want to use it/be referred to with it is just up to each individual person. It seems to be catching on as a replacement for saying LGBTQ (queer people, the queer community, etc instead of LGBTQ people, the LGBTQ community) and I'm honestly... not sure how to feel about that. Just because I find comfort and strength in it doesn't mean we all do.

idk it's just... really weird I guess.