Have a question regarding LGBTQ

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I have a question, and I hope I don't offend anyone. I didn't really know where to ask this question and then I thought of the DIS.

I was visiting DS's college that he is going to in the fall and they had several different groups and clubs advertising to the incoming freshmen. One of the groups was LGBTQ. I am familiar with LGBT but had not seen the Q before. I looked on their website and the letters were spelled out. I now know what the Q stands for... and here is the question... isn't that an offensive word?

I have to admit that I am naïve, and hope I don't offend with the question, just looking for information.

 

[DrGaellon]

It's a process called "reclaiming," where an oppressed minority redefines a slur-word to be affirming. "Queer," "f****t," and "dyke" are examples that have mostly worked; the Black community's reclamation of "n****r" has not been quite as successful.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I have seen the Q represent "Questioning" for kids who are still trying to sort things out. How interesting that it means something else!

 

[George Kaplan]

Actually, "Questioning" has been recently added (in addition to "Queer") by a lot of organizations so it's become LGBTQQ. I've also seen a 2 tacked on which represents the Native American term "two-spirit." Some people have complained that being overly inclusive muddies the message -- whatever that is! -- but I think it's neat.

 

[DisneyFreak1976]

I have to admit that I am naïve, and hope I don't offend with the question, just looking for information.

Asking questions in an effort to gain knowledge is NEVER offensive. Thank you for being asking the question.

If more people were like you and would ask questions in an honest attempt to understand the community we would have less problems.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Thanks for the info, it is interesting to hear about reclaiming words to be affirming, I did not know about that. It makes sense. Also thanks for the kind words, I appreciate them!

I love the diversity on the DIS, it truly is amazing how we can help each other out with information on so many different topics.

 

[BenKling]

As someone who does work with with college diversity programs, Queer is often used as an umbrella term because LGBTQIA(etc) is getting so long.

Particularly in verbal presentations, Queer is a nice, one syllable word that tries to encompass everyone.

There does seem to be a bit of a generational gap (some younger folks picking it up over older folks who dealt with it as a negative term) and it's a little regional as well. Living in the midwest, it's something I picked up from colleagues doing work on either coast.

Hope this helps!

 

[redsonja76]

Wow I have so much to learn! I'm a mom of a bi daughter and even though I grew up in a very liberal area if the country (imaging having school sponsored gay and lesbian groups back in the early 90s!) we've been a part of the military for so long I'm just so uneducated! Thank you for that info, I'd never even heard the Q on the end if it. Color me clueless!

 

[NEDisneyFans]

I came out just after high school (Class of '79) and have lived through the ever expanding label: Gay Pride became L/G (or G/L, depending on who was speaking), then LGB, LGBT, LGBTQ.... personally I don't like the term "queer" (not feeling unwell or deranged or suspicious or shady, etc) and have always preferred "Lesbian" to "gay woman" because it is one word that we didn't have to share -- it didn't need to be modified -- it was "just ours."

Ali

 

[Tinkerboy00]

Asking questions in an effort to gain knowledge is NEVER offensive. Thank you for being asking the question.

If more people were like you and would ask questions in an honest attempt to understand the community we would have less problems.

so true and well said

 

[fireplay81]

I'm also not a fan of the word queer. I think the term "queer" has stronger negative connotation than the "f" word. In my expierence, which in no way constitutes the bredth of GLBT(QQ2) culture, queer is often used by individuals who are androgynous or pushing gender norms though not necessarilly transgendered, gender queer. I agree with a previous poster, education questions are rarely offensive.

~Wesley

 

[GadgetTheInventor]

The "support group" at my midwestern Catholic college often referred to the Q as questioning...perhaps because the term queer was a little too much for everyone still in the closet at my tiny Catholic college centered in a community where most of the Catholics have been in the same parish for generations.

 

[Pixiedust74]

Not 100% sure if it applies in this case, but some folks are also describing themselves as "gender queer"-meaning they describe themselves as neither male nor female.

 

[Dreamsofcolor]

Back in college I was the VP for our LGBTQA on campus. The Q always stood for 'Questioning' ... although some people referred to it as Queer. Personally I still find the word Queer derogatory.

The A stands for 'Alliance' ... people who support the gay community.

I remember back in the day it was just GSA. But they want everything to be politically correct now...

 

[tinkrbell1437]

For me personally, I identify as Queer because I don't necessarily fit into any of the other letters I am polyamorous, pansexual and kinky, so I call myself queer because that seems to encompass it all for me.

I can totally understand why it has a negative connotation for people, but I really do feel like there is strength in re-claiming a word and wearing it proudly rather than letting other people use it to try to hurt me.

PS - marginally related - seeing so many people talking about Poly or having Poly in their usernames on this site always makes me giggle