For Rhys James, 22, the term ‘queer’ cements a sense of community and “endearment” for the Gen Z LGBTQ+ community. “We understand the different connotations that come with the use of the word depending on age and personal experience, but I don’t think that should stop LGBTQ+ individuals from claiming it,” he says.
Rhys adds that having an awareness of the term’s derogatory use and the pained history shouldn’t prevent younger generations from forging their own connection with the label. “Speaking from personal experience, ‘queer’ was never used in the same context so its meaning is different altogether,” he says. “In the same way, the word ‘gay’ was used to berate a lot of LGBTQ+ people of my generation, it’s no surprise that we have found comfort in a less traumatic term.”
As Joshua Gamson reflects in his essay Must Identity Movements Sef-Distruct? A Queer Dilemma, the debate over the term ‘queer’ has marked a “process of boundary-construction and identity negotiation”. And seemingly, the discourse (and its affiliated areas of queer theory) has carried over into today’s society.
While, we, as a younger generation, may not have felt the physical harm or the ostracism brought on by this language – this doesn’t mean the history is removed from our experiences. What may be viewed as a mild linguistic tactic to drain the venom out of slurs angled at the LGBTQ+ community, is an act of anti-oppression and acceptance of derogatory language. Queerness, and the label itself, challenges the “norm”, as well as pre-existing categories, and attempts to incorporate an inclusive common identity.
The modern result of this conversation around the use of ‘queer’, for younger generations, has strayed into a new direction — one that debates both language and presentation. The complexities of queerness and how it’s perceived recently came to attention after a tweet that went viral argued: “being queer is not just about who you fuck or which gender you identify as it’s much more complex than that and it’s a whole different culture.”
being queer is not just about who you fuck or which gender you identify as, it’s much more complex than that and it’s a whole different culture, it’s normal that queer people can spot other queer people and if you think that’s weird maybe you’re the weirdo
— gemm☄️ (@wildestlesbian) January 7, 2023