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Post by Trublu on Feb 12, 2009 21:13:17 GMT -5
The glbt group on my campus held this discussion tonight, on what we think the word means, if we have "taken it back" as a community, so to speak, and who we think it encompasses.
Thoughts?
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Post by edwardjh on Feb 13, 2009 10:06:36 GMT -5
I am actually not sure.
I think, or at least as far as I have heard, the GLBT community have taken back "queer"; it serves as a collective term when used in conversation for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender etc. It's easier than saying "GLBT" or "gays, lesbians..." etc.
*shrugs* I may be wrong on that, though.
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Post by Trublu on Mar 4, 2009 20:51:38 GMT -5
It's definitely very all encompassing. Some of the arguments that I've heard from my classmates are a bit on the 'radical' side (for lack of a better word). They've argued that queer includes anyone that isn't homophobic; so that being straight but not hating gay people counts as queer (not quite the same as ally, mind you). I've also heard that queer can encompass BDSM as well. I'm not quite sure I agree with either of those statements. I've always taken 'queer' to be a rather encompassing word (after I got over the fact that the community had "taken it back" and it wasn't bad anymore to say queer  ). I kinda take it as a word that can describe gay, lesbian, trans, bi, etc., but also those in between things that we haven't named yet, but that are "queer". I think it should stay that way... not to say that we shouldn't be open and embracing to all alternative sexualities, but... Well, you know what, as I was typing that, I realized that BDSM and being non-hetero-normative are actually alternative sexualities. Huh. See, I changed my mind in the course of a post.  |
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Post by edwardjh on Mar 5, 2009 13:03:26 GMT -5
I disagree about the BDSM thing (not to go too far onto that topic, haha)
BDSM is more of a fetish than a sexual attraction. It can be enjoyed by gay people, straight people, bi people, somewhere in the middle people... As such, I, personally, reject it as a sexuality.
However, I do think that queer should encompass questioning people. I guess you could also include "Allies" but I personally don't agree with it as they are still heterosexual. The fact that they support the LGBT community doesn't change their sexuality.
To re-iterate, Queer to me means non-heterosexual.
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). I kinda take it as a word that can describe gay, lesbian, trans, bi, etc., but also those in between things that we haven't named yet, but that are "queer". I think it should stay that way... not to say that we shouldn't be open and embracing to all alternative sexualities, but... 