What is Queer?

In recent years, the term ‘queer’ has become a popular catch-all term used to refer to people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, genderfluid, nonbinary and other non-conforming orientations and gender expressions. Although it has historically been used as a derogatory term, many members of the LGBTQIA+ community have reclaimed the word ‘queer’ and use it as an umbrella label to describe people of all sexual identities and gender presentations.

The Origin of the Word Queer

The word ‘queer’ has been used in various forms for hundreds of years, but its specific meaning has been consistently evolving over time. The first use of the word dates back to the 16th century when it was used to refer to anything that was strange, unusual or otherwise atypical in some way. Over the years, the term has become more specific and has been used to refer to individuals or behaviors related to homosexuality or those who push against traditional gender or sexual norms.

The Reclamation of Queer

In the early 1990s, members of the LGBTQIA+ community began to reclaim the word ‘queer’ and many used it to describe themselves and their identities. This was done as a form of radical activism that sought to reclaim the power and energy granted to language by those who were using it to oppress. As the term gained more traction, organizations and individuals began to use it as an umbrella term to encompass all people who identified as queer or non-normative.

Today, the term ‘queer’ is often seen as an inclusive, embracing term that is used to refer to all those who identify as LGBT+, gender non-conforming, and gender nonbinary. It is a term that encompasses a wide range of identities, orientations, expressions, and experiences and is used as an umbrella term to unify people who don’t- or can’t- identify with a single, specific identity.

Ultimately, queer is a term that has been embraced by the LGBTQIA+ community, not only due to its historical connections, but also because it is seen as an increasingly more fitting term to reflect the complexity of individual orientations and genders.