What the LGBT community think of the word queer

In an earlier issue we asked what our readers thought about the term “Queer”. Here’s what they had to say.

So way back when (issue 9, Feb 2015) we asked our readers what they thought of using the term Queer to describe the LGBT+ community.

NOTHING…

It means nothing to me, as a insult, a joke or a description of ‘what’ I am… I’m just a guy that likes guys.

Chris Bennett

INSULT OR DESCRIPTION…

I think that ‘queer’ and ‘gay’ can both be used as simple descriptors or horrible insults. I’m overweight. The way some people call me ‘fat’ I would consider an insult but when my daughter snuggles up to my tummy, which she calls ‘fat cushion’, I’d be a fool to be offended. It’s not the word, it’s the way it’s intended.

Lyn Renwood

THE VICTIM MENTALITY…

Thankfully, being old enough to have been around in the 80s, we reclaimed words like faggot, queer, poof, batty man etc, it’s a long list. We reclaimed, owned and openly used them, by doing so, it takes the sting out of it if people shout it at you in the street. Sadly these days, a lot of gay people wear the victim coat and too easily offended by things. We should all be proud of being shirt lifters, bum bandits, and fudge nudgers or even gay.

Tony Reeves

DEROGATORY…

While it may be a good thing for you to have ‘reclaimed’ these terms in the past, we are now living in a different time and those terms are used as derogatory terms for gay people as far as I’m concerned. Jake Antony

JUST DON’T…

I don’t like that word. It’s a word used within the community and even then I don’t like it. I certainly don’t like it when used outside of the community. I can think of a few words used by other minorities in just the same way. So to answer the question, no.

Gary Thomlinson

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