What do you guys think of the word "queer"?

I'm gonna start calling myself a faggot

Jk, seriously though I think we're calling ourselves that because then people won't be able to make fun of us with those mean words.

 

If you feel like referring to yourself as 'queer', then that's up to you, however enough people still have their own various reasons against it that I wouldn't throw it out there as a blanket term for the 'community', personally.

As I recall noting elsewhere, I have found myself warming up to the GSM community(as much as I still have yet to really see it used).

 

You might also be interested in reading any of the other 100 threads on this topic.

You'll find my opinion on at least 1-5 of them.

 

As others have mentioned... Some see it as insulting, while some do not.

Personally, I am fine with it. I like that it is more vague... simply meaning that your sexuality isn't straight. I use it because I'm not quite sure if my sexuality is completely one thing or the other (either that or I haven't figured it out yet, which is more likely) so "queer" just makes it simpler.

However I wouldn't go around calling other people queer, let alone the community. I think it should be for the individual to decide - if that's something they're okay with calling themselves. If so, why not?

 

I have only heard it used in a negative way. I really don't like to use it.

 

I see it as a sort of catch-all for anything that is not cisgender heterosexual. Easier than an acronym that keeps getting longer and more unwieldy.

 

No strong feelings on it either way

 

I've actually heard it used in a positive way in academia, and many younger LGBTQ people see it as a reclaimed word (including myself). Many older people in the community have a more negative view of the word, and I will respect what they say about it, but when in academia I will use the word if there are no objections to it.

 

Not a fan of it myself. It was a hateful word when I was younger - still kind of is. I would rather the homophobes use it so we can spot them easier.

 

I use it as a blanket term, usually in speech, when I'm too lazy to say "LGBT+". I tend not use the term to refer to individual people and I will stop using the word when in conversation with a particular person if they're uncomfortable with it, which isn't that often.

 

Well, I wouldn't use it as a synonim for the term LGBT+. I'm still cisgender and for the most part I have no trouble with being seen as "straight". I don't see myself as a queer person.
I thought it made reference to people who weren't comfortable with the typical gender or orientation labels and just said they were queer.
I don't know how far it is to the truth, but when I read queer I automatically think of drag queens. Like queer means a queen of... lgbt. I don't know. They are not what the whole movement is about and it annoys me that it is used as an umbrella term for anyone in it.

 

I haven't seen "queer" used insultingly as much as "faggot" or "dyke," but nowadays I think it mostly depends on your own situation what you think of each word.

 

I like it.

 

To me it just means unusual. I don't mind one way or the other

 

I'm alright with people using it for themselves, but I don't like when people use it as a blanket term for the whole community. I know it's sort of reclaimed, but it is still used as a slur a lot, and it makes me a bit uncomfortable.

 

I think the fact that the thread title reads "What do you guys think of the word '[airhorn]'?" due to Word Replacer should pretty much tell you how I feel about it.

 

Same sentiments, grew up with Queer being a pejorative term. Personally I prefer being called Gay, and as for the community I personally refer to it as LGBT+, or homosexual when used in a scientific, medical context.

 

I don't like it, and object to being referred to as such. I don't even like saying it, or thinking it. Awful sounding word.

 

I used to be very insulted by it but as time went on, I realized that it was something personal and that making an argument out of something that others identify as was probably a little ridiculous and that they where right - I needed to stop being hurt by the word and own it. It took a bit for me to accept but I'm 100% okay with it now. Someone calls me queer, I can say "Yep, I am" and not feel hurt about it.