In 2019, ‘queer’, seems to be a reclaimed word.  Once used in a derisive way, and in this writer’s time as a pejorative term for homosexual men, it has now been reclaimed as a much more positive umbrella term for a community where individuals may choose to identify themselves in a variety of ways, or, not even identify themselves AT ALL.  And indeed, why should they!

The Rainbow symbol for queer or those outside the typically identified heterosexual demographic, is an apt, tho still unrepresentative one in a comprehensive sense!  But even an acronym has to draw the line somewhere.

As an anglo-celtic white woman in a first world country, and one who, in this conversation, identifies as primarily heterosexual; discrimination on the basis of my perceived sexual orientation is not an existential issue for me.  I say this only to disclose my ‘creds.’  For a woman in my society, homosexuality has never been a crime, unlike my anglo-celtic brothers.  (Being a woman, in a white first world country, has still not changed that much – but I digress!)

But for my beloved fellow citizens, particularly those from other shores and cultures, this is not necessarily the case.  Whereas my aussie born brothers and sisters may have been called poofs or lezzos for the penchant for same sex relationships, back in the day, there are those whom I now love and who have fled their countries to avoid stoning or  state sanctioned execution for the crime of being ‘other’.

Amazing, but in this time of 2019, this is all still true.

Resources

https://www.minus18.org.au/index.php/articles/item/31-what-does-queer-mean-anyway

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/a25243218/queer-meaning-definition/