Reclaiming the Word Queer: Its History, and How To Use It

Written by Lou Smith (they/them)

@lousmith_

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Aiden Craver on Unsplash

Queer is commonly used to describe someone within the LGBTQ+ community whose gender or sexuality is nonconforming to established ideas of sexuality and gender, emphasizing nonconforming to heteronormativity. It can be used as an umbrella term for people who are not cisgender or heterosexual or as a self-chosen label for oneself. Within my past years of advocacy, I've seen a lot of confusion among allies about when it is appropriate to use the term "queer" due to its history. 

Even currently, there is the occasional discussion of whether the word queer is relevant, given how many labels and identities have been discovered and established within the past few decades. Labels are tools we use to categorize and understand items within the English language. Labels can help us to understand and organize ourselves and others, as certain words are a source of misunderstanding. As the English language changes and evolves, as it does and is doing all the time, so do the labels we use to describe things, people, and ourselves. Some labels become outdated and are replaced with newer ones, and others are divided into even more labels!

The word Queer was first (recorded) used to describe a person's sexuality or expression during the 1894 trial of Oscar Wilde. However, before this, it originated in English around the 16th century as "Weird." Before this case, there was no recorded history of the word being used (that I am personally aware of) to refer to anything but "strange" or "weird." Following the trial of Oscar Wilde, Queer people (Gay men in particular) were perceived as threats and potential predators. This led to another belief that feminine traits within men were a sign of homosexuality, too. Afterwards, the word Queer took its place as a slur against LGBTQ+ individuals or anyone perceived to not be following heteronormative roles. However, the term did not gain popularity until the early 1900s, when it began to be used in media such as newspapers and slang. 

During this time, it became reclaimed within its subculture. LGBTQ+ individuals have always had their subculture, whether discreet shows and clubs, secret admirations and cover-up marriages, or other forms of self-expression. It is important to note that the term Queer being used inside of its own culture or as a self-identifier is not offensive. In contrast, a presumed labelling from outside that culture may be considered offensive, mainly if used to make others feel alienated.

By the late 1990s and the early 2000s, Queer began to surface within the media as a positive label, for example, in shows such as Queer Eye.

Photo by Aiden Craver on Unsplash

It is essential that in reclaiming it, we use it responsibly.

Let me put it this way: if you choose to use a label that helps you understand yourself better, and the only person impacted by that label is you, go right ahead. There is too much policing of identities within the LGBTQ+ community to the extent that we forget how this community started. We provide comfort and a safe space for those deemed different from their gender or sexuality. Using a reclaimed word to make others feel alienated or insulted is no longer reclaimed. It is also essential to understand that Queer, for some people, is empowering. If someone close to you identifies as Queer, you can use that word to describe their sexuality or gender accordingly. Queer is not a dirty word; it is a label like any other. We should not be contributing to the stigma. On that note, if someone close to you comes out with another label , it is important to determine  if they are comfortable being labelled queer due to the sensitivity surrounding it. 

I hope this article clarifies any questions about loved ones identifying as Queer. Remember to treat those around you with respect and to understand and accept different opinions (which are not inherently hateful). With recent developments within Nova Scotia or Halifax, we, as the LGBTQ+ community, need to be there for each other. We need to keep our minds open, our chins up, and our arms ready to embrace anyone who seeks shelter within us. We need to be able to answer complex questions and stand our ground (if it is physically safe, I do not encourage doing anything that could put you in danger). More importantly, we need to be careful with our words. Nowadays, the more we talk, the less we say. It is vital to confront feelings rather than thoughts to truly understand one another. Educating people willing to learn is also essential, hence this article. Again, I hope this answers any questions, and take care. You, the reader, are loved.