Queer

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For the novel by William S. Burroughs, see Queer (novel). For the song by Garbage, see Queer (Garbage song)

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The word queer has traditionally meant "strange" or "unusual," but currently it is also often used in reference to gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and asexual communities. Its usage is controversial and underwent substantial changes over the course of the 20th century. The term is still considered by some to be offensive and derisive, and by others simply as a re-appropriated term used to describe a sexual orientation and/or gender identity or gender expression that does not conform to heteronormative society.

Queer is still used to mean 'strange' or 'unusual' in many contexts and is still the primary definition in many dictionaries.^[1]^[2] In some areas its modern usage must clearly be indicated by the context for it to be understood with its newer meaning.

1 Traditional usage
2 As a contemporary antonym of heteronormative
3 See also
4 References
5 Bibliography
6 External links

Traditional usage

Since its emergence in the English language in the 16th century (related to the German quer, meaning 'across, at right angle, diagonally or transverse'), queer has generally meant 'strange', 'unusual', or 'out of alignment'. It might refer to something suspicious or 'not quite right', or to a person with mild insanity or who exhibits socially inappropriate behavior. The expression 'in Queer Street' was used in the UK as of the 1811 edition of Francis Grose's A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue for someone in financial trouble. It gained its implication of sexual deviance (especially that of homosexual and/or effeminate males) in the late 19th century; an early recorded usage of the word in this sense was in a letter by John Sholto Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry to his son Lord Alfred Douglas.

Subsequently, for most of the 20th century, 'queer' was frequently used as a derogatory term for effeminate and/or gay males, and others exhibiting non-traditional gender behavior.

As a contemporary antonym of heteronormative

In contemporary usage, some use queer as an inclusive, unifying sociopolitical umbrella term for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual, intersexual, genderqueer, or of any other non-heterosexual sexuality, sexual anatomy, or gender identity. It can also include asexual and autosexual people, as well as gender normative heterosexuals whose sexual orientations or activities place them outside the heterosexual-defined mainstream (e.g. BDSM practitioners, or polyamorous persons). Queer in this sense (depending on how broadly it is defined) is commonly used as a synonym for such terms as LGBT.

Because of the context in which it was reclaimed, queer has sociopolitical connotations, and is often preferred by those who are activists, by those who strongly reject traditional gender identities, by those who reject distinct sexual identities such as gay, lesbian, bisexual and straight, and by those who see themselves as oppressed by the heteronormativity of the larger culture. In this usage it retains the historical connotation of "outside the bounds of normal society" and can be construed as "breaking the rules for sex and gender." It can be preferred because of its ambiguity, which allows "queer" identifying people to avoid the sometimes strict boundaries that surround other labels. In this context "queer" is not a synonym for LGBT as it creates a space for "queer" heterosexuals and "non-queer" (straight-acting, conformist) homosexuals.

Several television shows, including Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the cartoon Queer Duck and the British and American versions of Queer as Folk, have also used the term, in its positive self-identification sense, in their titles.

The term is sometimes capitalized when referring to an identity or community, rather than merely a sexual fact (cf. the capitalized use of Deaf).

Queers Without Borders, a network of queer activists against border regimes and also try to support those oppressed by them.

Queer Mutiny North, a D-I-Y non-hierarchical collective that aims to create politically motivated queer alternatives to the commercial and non-representative gay scene in the north of England.

Cardiff Queer Mutiny, A not-for-profit collective inspired by queer activism/philosophy, DIY punk ethics, creativity, Riot grrrl and political activist movements. (These groups put on much more regular activity but are smaller in size.)