What it means to be queer

Once used as a slur, queer has been reclaimed by many LGBTQ people who find it a fitting identifier. Here’s what it means to be the Q in LGBTQ.

For most of its early history, the word “queer” meant unusual or out of the ordinary. Then it was co-opted as a homophobic insult for much of the 20th century before people from LGBT communities reclaimed the term. Then, LGBTQ activists who identified as queer showed that they were proud to be different. LGBTQ activist groups like Queer Nation chanted “We’re here! We’re queer! Get used to it!” as a unifying call to action for all LGBTQ people. Now, queer is an identifier preferred by some LGBTQ people for its expansive and fluid nature, though others reject the word because of how it was used in the past. For many of those who embrace the term queer, identity isn’t fixed –– it evolves, and “queer” can encapsulate both sexuality and gender identity throughout a person’s life. “Queerness is cloudy by definition –– essentially, what is not the norm,” said Maya Satya Reddy, founder of the Queer Asian Social Club, a collective that advocates for improved visibility of LGBTQ Asian Americans in media. “I think queerness gave and still gives me a lot of space to flow between identities or what something means to me on that day.” Here’s what it means to be the Q in LGBTQ. Queer is an expansive term used by some LGBTQ people to describe their sexuality, gender identity or both. It may be preferred by those who find other terms like “gay” or “bisexual” too restrictive or narrow, as well as some people whose identities are fluid and evolving.