In a poll, by THEGAYUK sixty percent of LGBTs answered that they did not think that the word “queer” as an umbrella term was appropriate.
The majority of LGBT+ people questioned in a recent poll by THEGAYUK revealed that people do not think the term “queer” is appropriate as an umbrella term for the community. The poll, which was made available on Twitter, was answered by over 500 people.
The word queer has increasingly become prevalent as an umbrella term to describe LGBT+ people over the past three decades however many in the community find the word triggering and offensive.
In a separate poll, the majority of people questioned (fifty-three percent) also found that non-LGBT organisations, such as the BBC, National Theatre, National Trust and the Tate Gallery that use the word “queer” to promote its programming of LGBT+ content was also inappropriate.
“A label given to LGBT+ by Bigots”
The word queer has a controversial history and is listed in the dictionary as an informal offensive noun to describe gay men. It was first used to mean homosexual in the late 19th century. It was used in a pejorative and offensive manner. Since the 1980s the term has developed to include people outside of homosexuality, but who fall outside of heterosexual norms.
Many people still find the word offensive
Queer originally meant strange. I don't like the term being used to describe the lgbt. I'm ok if ppl use the term to describe themselves. ?
— Stacey (@StaceyLouiseP1) July 18, 2017
It can be a real trigger for older people. It's not my preferred term but I don't mind others using it. But I don't feel included by it.
— Michael Stevens (@mstevnz) July 18, 2017
1. It's deeply offensive to many gay people, as we've experienced it in a negative way.
— Joseph (@historyman2006) July 17, 2017
Hate it. The word still means what it means, you can't alter meaning of a word's given meaning (the 'n' word different cos usage = meaning)
— Guy Lambert (@GRALambo) July 18, 2017
A label given to us #LGBT's by bigots.
That as I have been told by a #KKK grand wizard,LOL every time #LGBT say it to describe themselves.— Gregory J.Theodore (@AA4F) July 17, 2017
Others were happy for the term to be used by other people, but didn’t find that the word defined them.
Queer is not a label I identify with. If other people want to identify as queer, that's fine. It doesn't represent me though.
— Daniel Browne (@MrDanielBrowne) July 18, 2017
I am queer. I'm a faggot. And I'm PROUD. APPROPRIATION darlings. Only way to let bullies "without a gun". Shoutout to PRIDE movie ??
— Joss Jaycoff (@JossJaycoff) July 19, 2017
Poll done on The Gay UK Twitter feed, i.e. your own readership demographic. This poll tells us nothing!
If we don’t claim the term queer for ourselves, it makes it available for homophobic idiots to use against us. I would rather call myself queer, or be called queer by a fellow gay man, and accept the term as praise, than be called queer by a bigot and feel horrible about it!
As someone who identifies as queer I object to being redefined by 500 people on twitter
So the majority of people should have to be triggered by the word queer so that you feel happy?
It was never ours to ‘reclaim’ it’s a vile disgusting description of an LGBT person… simple.
Hey guys and gals and + I guess that covers it right. LGBT+
Plus what lol are you gonna add more letters. Might as well with all these genders people claim. Fuck it let’s change the lgbt+ and just have the whole alphabet as a sign so it will cover every gender ethnicity and all that fun stuff lol
Queer is a funny word. People try to use it as a hurtful word towards me sometimes and I laugh at them. Just make it a joke and it will eventually run it’s course lol if you let everything hurt you then you should be in a padded room in safety far from all the mean hurtful queers.
Many people now, the younger generation identify as ‘queer’.
Now i hate the word having had it used in a negative co text before. However I understand that these people are taking ownership of the word back. And to simply say you can’t use it is essentially erasing the identity of people.
I thinks it’s a horrible word with bad connotations. Maybe it’s an age thing? Who knows. I put it in the same bubble as using the N word. There’s no reclamation in this, it just perpetrates derogatory terms.
Homo, gay, faggot, poof, queer, and so on.. different ones trended for different generations, shall we ban them all or reclaim them all..?
Don’t be so fucking stupid, we have to reclaim them!
I dislike the name Queer immensely – and certainly do not identify with it.
Oh my! ?? everyone is queer the worlds queer, the weather is queer at times get over it unless someone is using the word as an insult and in a derogative manner who gives a toss ?
Oh dear does that mean I need to stop viewing Queer As Folk, nothing is as queer as folk (people) ???
Maybe we should drop the word Gay as well considering it was a term used to define how a person felt, or what type of day it was or what a person was wearing etc.
It must be so confusing to your Granny and Grandad ??
Or maybe we should drop the rainbow flag ?️? as that must vex the Christian’s and bible thumpers, I mean after all god placed his his rainbow ? in the skies as a covenant with mankind, we don’t want to be upsetting anyone now do we ???
I’m gay and happily consider myself queer. I can’t remember ever hearing it used as an insult myself. It’s generally used as a radical term and I’m more than happy to use it to reclaim some of the radicalism we seem to have lost after decades of assimilationism and whitewashing our own history.
I hate it. It’s like saying ‘colored’ is a blanket term for racial minority groups. I always just imagine some backwoods redneck with no teeth saying that shit.
Love it gay fag queer poof love ❤️ all my names xxxx
I don’t like it
Totally unacceptable to use that disgusting term
Most words take a great deal of meaning from the way they are used contextually. Queer only means different
My we have turned into delicate little flowers. We had no such luxuries in the 60s. We stood up and got on with it.
I hate it. It’s like saying ‘colored’ is a blanket term for racial minority groups. I always just imagine some backwoods redneck with no teeth saying that shit.
We own a shop and are happy to display rainbow ? flags in the window , but local group asked us to put a sticker in with the word queer On it , I didn’t think this was appropriate and it’s a vile word
Personally I don’t like it. I’ve had the word spat at me so many times I don’t want to reclaim it. It reminds me of being singled out, victimised and hated. It makes me cringe when I hear people describing themselves or others as queer. I don’t want it used to describe me any more than most black people want n****r to be used to describe them. I get its being done with good intentions but maybe it can’t be reclaimed, maybe it’s a word that should be consigned to the dustbin of history.
Damn right it’s not. It’s a vile term appropriated by gender queer twits that are either gays after more attention or straights wanting a victim status. It should disappear.
I really only hear it from the stereotypical, admittedly straight, non-transgender woman with purple hair and hipster glasses.
Seriously. I don’t think the word was ever “reclaimed” by the LGBT community so much as it was absorbed by progressive-leaning academic groups (such as academic feminists and art/literature focused groups at liberal arts universities) that often claim to speak for LGBT people at large (perhaps because they tend to have a higher ratio of LGBT people in their departments?).
Which is to say, you’ll see large groups of straight women doing the “we’re here, we’re queer” chant from a university-sponsored float in a parade, while the majority of LGBT people, who aren’t in the parade, are standing on the sidelines going:
“I mean, yeah, we’re here. But I don’t call myself queer. Do you have to use that word? It’s gross. And you’re not even LBGT. Ugh.”
The support is appreciated (by many, at least), but it’s one of those things where nothing negative is said because, there they are being supportive, but it’s also grating.