Is 'queer' an acceptable term again then?

I'm sure there's a mother in law joke in there somewhere!

 

The best explanation of the term 'queer' I've seen is this one from Judith Butler. If you watch the first few minutes the social history behind its use and significance is explained really brilliantly :

 

From around one minute in ...

 

the english language is always evolving, words like gay or queer had no resemblance to homosexuality years ago but nowadays they do and we must move with the times,
some say political correctness but just move with the times, live and learn from it
much harsher words were quite common in the 70/80/90's

 

We had some lovely holidays in Wales when the kids were younger. They were fascinated by the dual language signs and notices, and picked up quite a few Welsh words. Sadly, over time we forgot most of them, although there is one that we still use regularly even now - bisgedi (biscuits).

The direction signs to the beaches used to make me smile. I wonder if any holidaymakers have gone home and told their friends about a lovely place called Traeth Beach?

 

Thanks to Y Senedd for giving the Welsh Language official status. Welsh is now flourishing (2011 19% of population Welsh speakers - 2020 - 29%)
The time will come when signs /place names will be in Welsh only - move afoot to call Snowdon only by its Welsh name - Yr Wyddfa.
Most people know the word 'araf' for 'slow' as it appears on the roads. My neighbours found 'Ty Bach' which translates as 'little house' amusing - it means 'toilet.'

 

I would love gay to go back to its original meaning of bright, happy.

 

How dare you.

 

I don't understand why anyone would want to describe themselves as queer when there a whole host of options to choose from. It seems like deliberately picking the one which was offensive for no reason and I know it still makes a lot of people who aren't straight uncomfortable when they hear it.

I also really struggle with why dark skinned people get really offensive if I was to describe them as 'the coloured lad on the left' whilst trying to point them out to someone but they are more than happy to describe themselves as a 'person of colour'.

I don't really understand why transgender people and other non-binary people have decided to take it upon themselves to call others 'cis' and some make a big deal of doing so. Or why a lot of people insist on telling everyone their pronouns especially when their pronouns are the standard expected ones too. A man making sure everyone knows that he wishes to be called he/him. Well no **** Sherlock. Or why there seems to be a growing trend for people to randomly ask you your pronouns especially on social media.

But. And it's a pretty big but. I don't HAVE to understand these things. I don't have to have people justify why they wish to be called x y or z or why they don't want to be called something. Makes absolutely no difference to me at all what their reasons are. They've asked me to call them something or not call them something. They've said they would prefer me not to call them coloured but they want to call themselves a person of colour and that's fine. I don't 'get' it but I don't need to get it to be respectful of their wishes. If someone wants me to refer to them as they or it or whatever then I will. If they ask me my pronouns then I'll tell them. I think it's a bit bizarre but I don't care, you ask I'll respectfully answer. You ask me to refrain from using a word then I'll do my best to do that for you.

Is queer acceptable? To a minority yes, to the majority no. My take on that is I won't use it unless someone asks me to refer to them or their sexuality as queer and then I will.



We don't have to understand the reasons or logic behind things, of someone makes a reasonable request then there's absolutely no reason not to comply with that. It's just being a decent person.

 

My experience of 'queer' is that it's more often used when referring to events or publications or groups, as a kind of all-encompassing thing. I know that some people do identify as it, but I know loads more who identify as gay or trans or NB but who would attend an evening of queer poetry, or contribute to a queer journal or whatever.

 

I guess like the “N” word some people are taking it back and empowering themselves. Self appointed people, of course.