Is it offensive to call queer people ‘queers’

[GregTheGreat657]

This was an actual argument in my English class the other day. FYI, neither of the kids in the argument are LGBTQ. Personally, I wouldn’t word that way, but it isn’t offensive either

[Meclazine for Israel]

You just did.

[dead0man]

Do they want to be called queer?  If yes, then no it's not offensive.  If no, then yes, it can be (it still isn't always).  While it's clearly a dangerous road to let anyone claim "offense" for whatever they want, how the hell else could we make the call?  You offending someone doesn't necessarily harm you in anyway.  If they can prove to a local authority (owner of business for example) that you are being offensive then you might get kicked out of the Gap, but you're not really being harmed when being kicked out of the Gap and it's really easy to avoid if it does matter to you.

We live in a free country, you can call anyone whatever you want and should be free from being physically attacked because of it, but there can and will be other repercussions if you do it all the time.  And you might get your ass kicked illegally, but something being illegal doesn't stop it from happening.



tldr:there is no way to answer your poll because all queers are different

[Torie]

Dan tells me it is preferred to gay, because it is more inclusive than gay. So I am all confused myself. I generally don't bring the subject up with someone I don't know in a casual social contest unless they do, and they are free to refer to me any way they want.

[Del Tachi]

Yes...generally speaking, it is in good taste to soften group classifications by using them as adjectives instead of nouns (i.e., "Black people" instead of "Blacks"; "disabled people" instead of "the disabled.")

[Ferguson97]

Yes, the word has often been used in a derogatory manner.

Certain members of the LGBTQ+ community may identify as queer but that's different.

[Aurelius]

I'm gay and I'm sick beyond belief of wokes trying to force the "queer" label on me. I am very up front to people who insist on calling me "queer" that if they do it again they will get punched in the face.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

As a transhet person, I find it important for a word like "queer" to exist. Not all LGBT people are gay, or even a sexual/romantic minority, and "LGBT" (and its variants) are a mouthful in spoken conversation, so "queer" is a great umbrella.

[Mr. Reactionary]

As a transhet person, I find it important for a word like "queer" to exist. Not all LGBT people are gay, or even a sexual/romantic minority, and "LGBT" (and its variants) are a mouthful in spoken conversation, so "queer" is a great umbrella.

What does queer mean then?

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

I'm gay and I'm sick beyond belief of wokes trying to force the "queer" label on me. I am very up front to people who insist on calling me "queer" that if they do it again they will get punched in the face.

Cool. Don't pretend that you are able to speak on behalf of the entire community. The word "queer" has changed its meaning over the past couple of decades, don't get your diaper wet over other queer people having a different theory on that word and its usage in our community than you.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

As a transhet person, I find it important for a word like "queer" to exist. Not all LGBT people are gay, or even a sexual/romantic minority, and "LGBT" (and its variants) are a mouthful in spoken conversation, so "queer" is a great umbrella.

What does queer mean then?

"Queer" can refer to anybody who is not both cisgender and heterosexual.

[Mr. Morden]

Yes...generally speaking, it is in good taste to soften group classifications by using them as adjectives instead of nouns (i.e., "Black people" instead of "Blacks"; "disabled people" instead of "the disabled.")

This is probably why opebo fled to Thailand.  He couldn't handle a society in which nounjectives were considered to be in bad taste.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Yes...generally speaking, it is in good taste to soften group classifications by using them as adjectives instead of nouns (i.e., "Black people" instead of "Blacks"; "disabled people" instead of "the disabled.")

This is probably why opebo fled to Thailand.  He couldn't handle a society in which nounjectives were considered to be in bad taste.

Adjectives as nouns are the heart and soul of this forum, prudes.

[Xing]

Maybe not to everyone, but I personally wouldn't do it.

[ProudModerate2]

I don't use the word to describe a person who is LGTB+.

[DaleCooper]

I thought so but apparently the word has been reclaimed or normalized or something.

[kwabbit]

In general, sticking an s at the end of an adjective to refer a group is offensive. Black people vs. Blacks; Queer people vs. queers. It reduces those in that group to that particular characteristic, which is why I think it's viewed as offensive.

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

It always seems more offensive to refer to people in that sort of way, like when someone says “the blacks” it raises eyebrows

[GregTheGreat657]

You just did.

I used quotes

[GregTheGreat657]

It always seems more offensive to refer to people in that sort of way, like when someone says “the blacks” it raises eyebrows

I didn't hear most of the conversation, because I was on the other side of the class, so I didn't hear the context

[fhtagn]

Most people I see using the queer label these days are straight white women that want to pretend they're part of the LGBTQJRGUTBWKSGUTN community

[sting in the rafters]

Anecdotally this is not necessarily true. For example, my older brother is homosexual and regularly refers to unfortunate circumstances or those who cause them as "so f---ing gay", "fruitcakes" or in the case of the Prius we shared as teens, a "f-gmobile". I use such language around him in the same vein he tells me my haircut looks like a wet rat or when he I have the body mass of a Holocaust survivor.

The thing is those comments exist in the context of a friendship or companionship where mutual teasing is acceptable. We both know we're just playing. If a rando for whatever reason started talking s--- about "fruits" or "queers" they'd get a fist to the stomach because those comments are meant with the sole purpose of dehumanization. The dynamic between "queer people" and "queers" reflects this; the former is a mere adjective, the latter makes one's sexual orientation the central facet of their identity and the dropping of "people" implies a form of othering not inherent in the former.

Most people I see using the queer label these days are straight white women that want to pretend they're part of the LGBTQJRGUTBWKSGUTN community

The thesis-length paper will wait for a day where I didn't wake and bake. This is what happens when the tumblr generation that gave us Wincest, furries, romanticized mental disorders, and contributed the rebirth of awful British boy bands wants the social benefits of oppression without having to experience squalor or doing anything materially constructive towards assisting the very groups they patronize. Liberal feminism of the upper middle class variety is truly a disease.

[Donerail]

you're this guy right

https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=473233.msg8373042#msg8373042

you can self-identify however you want

[GregTheGreat657]

you're this guy right

https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=473233.msg8373042#msg8373042

you can self-identify however you want

I'm straight

[Horus]

Yes, and I wish the LGBT community hadn't tried to resuscitate the word. It's an ugly term that has always meant "weird", or "other" and not at all inclusive. Just say gay or trans or whatever.