Queer's Revival
I must've been eight years old, standing in a Post Office queue with my nan. She was talking to a man behind us who told her he hadn't been well.
"I thought you looked queer as you came in", she said to him.
The schoolboy in me sniggered.
Queer is a word of uncertain origin that entered the English language in the early 16th century. When Nan was growing up, it was used to describe strange, odd, peculiar or eccentric people.
By the late 19th century (said Post Office indecent), it became a derogatory term for gay men.
As a writer, I must be constantly aware of the ever-evolving language around inclusion and respect. Although I have to admit:
I've struggled to remember how to describe black, Asian, and minority ethnic people as it's chopped and changed so much.
Now, it would be perfectly acceptable to describe someone within the LGBQTIA+ plus community as 'queer'.
In case you're wondering what the add-ons stand for:
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), intersex and asexual (or allies).
But I'm not sure a word with an Oxford English Dictionary definition of 'strange or unusual' should be used to describe LGBQTIA+ people.
People argue the word's been "reclaimed". But reclaimed from what? The term wasn't invented to describe gay people.
For me, it's like reviving the S and R words to describe people living with disabilities. Or 'Negro' to depict Black people. All were once medical or acceptable terms.
Not 'people living with disabilities', not 'disabled people'. And the capitalisation of 'Black'. That's how we roll these days.
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Wayleaves Consultant/Specialist
1yHow about the 'F' word?
Telecoms professional CSTC Engineer - Key skills trainer - Provisioning Manager - Mental Health and employment Advocate
1yIn nans terms of course she’s says he looked a bit off colour. As you says terms have changed so much over the years I struggle to know what us the right word to use sometimes. For example when we were children we were told to use the term coloured for anyone who wasn’t white skinned which is ironic as my dads side had questionable heritage all were brown eyes and very tanned. Nowadays coloured (I think) isn’t acceptable. Back to your original question I find it uncomfortable referring to people as queer because if feels to me like in saying they’re weird!