What are you?

Gay - no question about that for me!

 

Queer as a $3 bill

 

same

 

I'm definitely, 100% gay, and I've known since I was 10 or so. But in all fairness... I did for the first few years think of myself as curious, or bi, to make being different a little bit easier.

 

I'm the guy that hates lables, althoguh not defies them, I just don't live by everybody else's rules, so their labels don't apply to me.

Although, If I had to choose one... It'd be queer as a 3 dollar bill

*goes print a 3 dollar bill* mwahahaha

 

I definitely think of myself as gay, although briefly thought I might be bi in high school but since I never told anyone that, I figure I didn't do the common bi->gay transition.

I try to talk about queer people using the word queer because I really feel like gay is a male term that excludes women and transgender people (at least in Canada and the US). But sometimes I say "gay people" and mean "men, women, and inbetween who aren't straight" because I figure some of my "audience" (ha ha, that's you guys) might get uncomfortable with me throwing around the word "queer" because I know calling oneself queer or talking about the "queer community/ies" is not something most people do right out of the gate.

And yeah, I still have issues about calling myself "queer." I'm not exactly sure why in specific, although it's totally standard if you look at it generally.

I never use gay or queer as a noun, though: "a gay," "a queer." I just find that to be a really insulting usage.

 

I'm gay, and I use the word gay, but I like the term queer, too. Not sure why.

 

I really like the term 'queer' too, and I don't know why. Is it the Q? It's such an underused letter.

 

That's gotta be it... it's the Q. Seriously. It sounds ridiculous but I have this strange affinity for it.

QQQQQQQQQQ

qqqqqqqqqqqq

:eusa_danc

 

My friend has an interesting take on this. The word queer is traditionally used to describe something weird, which is prhbably why it was applied to us. But recently, the gay community has begun to turn the word into a label for a different sexual orientation without a negative connotation. My friend sees strength in that, and so identifies as queer only, not gay.

 

The process is formally called "reclamation" and if by "recently" you mean in the last 15 to 20 years, then yeah.

 

I'm definitely Playing Both Teams right now - I have a girlfriend and have had her for awhile now, and also have a "secret boyfriend" whom I love and adore to death. So yeah, it's pretty confusing right now for me but I'm loving it all the way - and I'm still sticking to that I'm bisexual, as stated before in a different thread...

 

Yeah I meant 15 or 20 years...recent when you consider how long homosexual persecution has gone on.

 

Two things, first of all, very appropriate to this thread, have you guys read the new study that basically says that there are no actual bisexuals (in the sense that you are sexually aroused by the thought of either sex), but bisexuals actually have an affinity for one sex, and are just sexually active with both? http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2005/07/straight-gay-or-lying-bisexuality.html is the link you can find the story on.

Second, I remember hearing somewhere that the word homosexual was only used to describe gay people for the past 150 years or so. Before that, it was just either ignored, or accepted. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I thought it was worth posting.

 

I actually noticed while reading the article that a good amount of the experiment seemed fishy. For example, the sample size seemed a little small, and second of all, it seemed like a pretty isolated experiment. Who knows though... I've always thought Bisexuality was a blessing and curse. You have your pick of the litter, men and women, but if you settle down and stay monogomous, you're missing out on one or the other. Though, I wouldn't know because I'm not attracted to women at all.

 

But if you're monosexual and you settle down with someone, you're missing out on all the other guys or girls, so that whole "missing out" notion is pretty flawed.

As for the research, I haven't looked at the study or the coverage, just the headlines, but a lot of those types of studies have small sample sizes and are isolated, just because it's often difficult to find the funding to do a large-scale study. That doesn't mean the research is any less or more valid--it's just that the sample size being small is kinda normal, not necessarily proof that the study is flawed. It could be flawed for other reasons and I suspect the media has definitely gone after the "bisexuals are fictitious" angle more than might be indicated from the actual findings. Because the media, you know, is like so unbiased OH MY GOD!

(Sorry... gay Valley Girl moment.)

The term "homosexual" was coined in Germany, I believe, in 1892 according to online sources, so it's only about 120 years old.