Lgbtqia+ Or.....?

[twoton]

During a conversation today, one person stumbled over the alphabet soup of LGBTQIA+ whatever, and another person said, “It’s ok to just say ‘queer.’”

Is this the case? I’m not so sure it is. Just looking to verify.

 

[malakos]

By "ok to say", I'm guessing this person meant that it is broadly uncontroversial and inoffensive to simply use "queer" instead of "LGBTQ[etc]"?

 

[twoton]

Yes, that seemed to be the gist of it.

 

[malakos]

In that case, my sense is that that's not really true. The "Q" part of "LGBTQ" often has a certain understanding of the term "queer" that means general rejection of the gender binary and norms associated with it. Because each part of "LGBTQ" deviates from such norms in some manner or another, said members of "Q" tend to think that it's safe to lump all the others under the "queer" umbrella. The problem is that many "G"s, "L"s, "B"s, and even "T"s don't concur that their identities are about a general rejection of the gender binary and all norms associated with it. For example, some "L"s, namely those of the radical feminist variety, see a real distinction between men and women as key to explaining their identity. So you will find many among "LGBT" who will not accept being identified as "queer", and some who even take offense to being labeled this way.

 

[deleted1074483]

As a gay man i do not identify as 'queer' and yes i do still find it marginally offensive - depends who says it and in what context. But if you google LGBTQ, the 'Q' comes up as either 'Questioning' (which is what i thought it was) or 'queer'. As to the binary context, that discussion gets more difficult by the day. I've no issue with anyone saying they are 'x' 'y' or 'z' and i can totally accept and respect that. However, that said, as a gay man, i am attracted to men, so for me that binary distinction is important, otherwise i can claim to be gay but be attracted to any gender. Others will disagree no doubt, so this is purely MY opinion

 

[DiamondJoe]

As a gay man i do not identify as 'queer' and yes i do still find it marginally offensive - depends who says it and in what context. But if you google LGBTQ, the 'Q' comes up as either 'Questioning' (which is what i thought it was) or 'queer'. As to the binary context, that discussion gets more difficult by the day. I've no issue with anyone saying they are 'x' 'y' or 'z' and i can totally accept and respect that. However, that said, as a gay man, i am attracted to men, so for me that binary distinction is important, otherwise i can claim to be gay but be attracted to any gender. Others will disagree no doubt, so this is purely MY opinion

"Questioning"? Really?

By the time you've worked out what you are there's a bunch of other letters for you to choose from...

 

[deleted1074483]

"Questioning"? Really?

By the time you've worked out what you are there's a bunch of other letters for you to choose from...

lol, yup indeed, some of the +s include C for curious etc, not sure there is a 'final' agreed version of the letters??!!!

 

[twoton]

I myself had assumed Q meant questioning but have since questioned that because some say Q means queer.

Bottom line is that I wasn’t sure about lumping it all under the queer banner and it seems it shouldn’t be.

 

[Enid]

I heard this term

LGBTQQIP2SAA

for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit (2S), androgynous and asexual

Love the inclusiveness but good luck getting people to remember all that

 

[DiamondJoe]

I heard this term

LGBTQQIP2SAA

for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit (2S), androgynous and asexual

Love the inclusiveness but good luck getting people to remember all that

There must be something less... ridiculous...? It's kinda almost meaningless

 

[michael_3165]

It's all bloody nonsense really. As a 'bisexual' male I find this whole thing makes aa mockery of the journey LGBT community have had to endure to get equal rights. Adding so many letters to the list just dilutes the whole thing.

Ass for the terrm queer, I dislike it immensely. I dated men exclusively for 15 years and I associate the word queer w many negative offensive connotations. Being called a 'fucking queer' growing up will do that to you.

I know some will disagree and at the same time I don't buy into labels which is why I reluctantly call myself bi. Not thaat it has any baring on my personality or character.

 

[michael_3165]

It's all bloody nonsense really. As a 'bisexual' male I find this whole thing makes aa mockery of the journey LGBT community have had to endure to get equal rights. Adding so many letters to the list just dilutes the whole thing. Eventually it becomes meaningless.

Ass for the terrm queer, I dislike it immensely. I dated men exclusively for 15 years and I associate the word queer w many negative offensive connotations. Being called a 'fucking queer' growing up will do that to you.

I know some will disagree and at the same time I don't buy into labels which is why I reluctantly call myself bi. Not thaat it has any baring on my personality or character.

 

[ActionBuddy]

Just saying "queer folk", instead of the "alphabet soup" is fine by me. It feels "aware" and friendly.

Saying the whole LGBTQ-etc. thing, out loud, makes me feel like I'm ordering something special at a deli.

A/B

 

[Enid]

While I love the inclusiveness of the alphabet soup, I understand how it loses traction amongst the general population, and even our community. This is the reason I think LGBT+ works well for popular use.

Heck, I didn't even know what two spirit was until a year ago. I doubt your average person not in the community would know, either. I want inclusion but I don't want to scare people off.

I myself would ideally identify as pansexual, or possibly asexual pansexual? And how do you put that into an initialism? I like women, men, enbies. I probably find enbies most attractive. But yet, these days, I want sex with no one except myself. I hate the idea of someone else touching me, it's gross. But I will fantasize that Cody Fern or Kristen Stewart or Jesse James Keitel or Ezra Miller or Asia Kate Dillon are dancing around me all day every day -- when I'm in the mood.

Point being, we are never going to have the perfect initialism. Everything is a spectrum and it's something that can change. A basic initialism works fine in my book as long as there's the plus there so that people know that there's so much more.

EDITED TO ADD: I have thought about it, and I do think it's good to include the "I". Intersex people may be very rare, but I've known one in my life. They deserve representation as well. It teaches people that male/female sex organs is not all that occurs in nature.

 

[Stratavos]

During a conversation today, one person stumbled over the alphabet soup of LGBTQIA+ whatever, and another person said, “It’s ok to just say ‘queer.’”

Is this the case? I’m not so sure it is. Just looking to verify.

When it comes to general discussion, especially with acquaintances/strangers, I identify as Queer before Gay, though when I'm looking for content online, I use the search term Gay.

Keep in mind I've had drinks thrown at me while I'm riding a bicycle, from a moving car (more than once during elementary and high school) so that level of vagueness is for my safety.

 

[DiamondJoe]

I know some will disagree and at the same time I don't buy into labels which is why I reluctantly call myself bi. Not thaat it has any baring on my personality or character.

Typical bisexual

 

[Enid]

While I love the inclusiveness of the alphabet soup, I understand how it loses traction amongst the general population, and even our community. This is the reason I think LGBT+ works well for popular use.

Heck, I didn't even know what two spirit was until a year ago. I doubt your average person not in the community would know, either. I want inclusion but I don't want to scare people off.

I myself would ideally identify as pansexual, or possibly asexual pansexual? And how do you put that into an initialism? I like women, men, enbies. I probably find enbies most attractive. But yet, these days, I want sex with no one except myself. I hate the idea of someone else touching me, it's gross. But I will fantasize that Cody Fern or Kristen Stewart or Jesse James Keitel or Ezra Miller or Asia Kate Dillon are dancing around me all day every day -- when I'm in the mood.

Point being, we are never going to have the perfect initialism. Everything is a spectrum and it's something that can change. A basic initialism works fine in my book as long as there's the plus there so that people know that there's so much more.

EDITED TO ADD: I have thought about it, and I do think it's good to include the "I". Intersex people may be very rare, but I've known one in my life. They deserve representation as well. It teaches people that male/female sex organs is not all that occurs in nature.

Adding to my ETA. The intersex person I happened to know back in my 20s was a 46, XX intersex individual meaning female pseudohermaphroditism. They have male external genitalia but the chromosomal constitution and reproductive organs of a female.

It might be rare but I was thinking that we should be understanding that this happens and teach your average person that these differences exist.

 

[michael_3165]

Typical bisexual

Ello darlin

 

[DiamondJoe]

Ello darlin

Who are you calling "darling", sunshine?

 

[HorseHung40's]

Queer is a word that has been used as an insult and tool by which decent, non-heterosexual people have been robbed of their dignity. As such, some cannot bear to hear that term used to describe themselves

There is no simple answer here. I have tried using terms, such as "LGBT rainbow".

It is a pity that we use our energy to fight this, when we should be fighting homophobia, wherever it may raise its head, and, hiss at us.