# Has the word “Queer” been usurped by the Gay Community ? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 29, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412 "2013-12-29T16:34:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/41 "2013-12-30T03:08:04Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > So, on one hand, gay can still mean happy or fun, but queer can only mean offense towards gays. Only if you want it to. ---
**Author:** ![Marlonius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Marlonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlonius)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/42 "2013-12-30T05:16:58Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Oh, yes, the people of Paris speak the most horrible Latin, wouldn’t you say? Drop Cicero on what they persist in referring to as the “Champs-Élysées” (a rather horrendous amalgamation of illiterate sounds if ever there was one!) and he would be quite unable to make himself understood using any kind of real _language_. Well done sir. Chapeau. I don’t want to derail the original thread too much, but suffice it to say that I’m young enough that “gay” and “queer” have always referred to same-sex relationships, but old enough that I’ve seen other words be re-defined. What can I say? It was an inconvenience, for example, when I learned that “hooking up” no longer meant simply meeting, but now implied sex. Perhaps one day you’ll have some yet to be born person tell you that what you just said was wrong and that whatever word you just used now means something entirely different. Maybe it will annoy you, maybe you’ll just laugh. For me, it’s a bit of both. I’m wise enough to choose my words according to whom I am speaking and for the occasion. I also work in construction projects at refineries and we have erections all the time. ---
**Author:** ![scuro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@scuro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scuro)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/43 "2013-12-30T07:13:07Z")
> [@davida03801](#): > > Family dispute here and seeking other opinions. > > The kids are out, done with college and on their own now. One of the 3 is gay. I’m the Dad. > > The kids are all home for the holidays and the other night all 5 of us in the kitchen having drinks, talking this and that, a general good time. Jeopardy is on the TV and a question came up of who was married on the Johnny Carson show. I answered that was Tiny Tim, and what a queer character he was back then. The two straight ones immediately get on my case about how that is insulting to say, etc. > > I answer them I was not insulting anyone and I was using “queer” in the original sense of the word as in a person that is very odd. Nothing to do with sexuality and as I recall he married a Miss Vicky who was definitely a woman. Also that even for the strange times of the 60’s and 70’s Tiny Time certainly qualified for as that. Beyond odd and in the queer status range, at least IMHO. > > So my question is using the word “queer”, in any way, now an insult to the gay community. > > Thoughts and opinions please. Thanks This has also happened to the word “Gay” It’s difficult to use these words anymore in their intended fashions. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/44 "2013-12-30T14:30:28Z")
[Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer) is your friend. > [@wiki](#): > > Linguistic reappropriation–One of the most famous attempts by the LGBT community to re-claim the term “queer” was through an organisation called Queer Nation, which was formed in March 1990; a few months later, an influential though anonymous flier was distributed at the New York Gay Pride Parade in June 1990 entitled “Queers Read This.” Since there are other words for strange, weird, bizarre people, I’d say let the queers have “queer.” ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/45 "2013-12-30T14:40:45Z")
I don’t like using “queer” to describe homosexuals, because it used to be used as a term to describe a homosexual, and in a very negative way. Same as the N word. Only the victims are allowed to use a word that used to be used to victimize them. To me, it will always sound ugly when used by a non Q word or N word person. The curse of being old. ---
**Author:** ![Swamp\_Adder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@Swamp\_Adder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swamp_Adder)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/46 "2013-12-30T15:20:57Z")
Language changes! News at eleven! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/47 "2013-12-30T15:27:44Z")
> [@Marlonius](#): > > The word “Queer”, (and also the word “Gay”, let’s not forget), have been co-opted by the homosexual community. Their original meanings have been lost and we all have to get with the times. I think that’s a bit of a stretch WRT queer. It’s still in fairly common use in its original sense, while gay is not. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/48 "2013-12-30T15:39:45Z")
I hear the word gay all the time. The kids use it to describe something stupid, or that they don’t like. Never used in regards to sexual orientation. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/49 "2013-12-30T15:50:45Z")
… you’re joking, right? ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/50 "2013-12-30T15:54:23Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > … you’re joking, right? I wish I was. Try asking some teens. You will discover the terrible truth. “Gay” has been usurped by them to mean “stupid” or “uncool”, not a sexual term at all. I’m actually surprised that anyone does not know this. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/51 "2013-12-30T15:57:01Z")
The word Oriental also falls into this category. Technically it just means “from the Orient or the East”, but apparently was used in a derogatory manner for so long, that it has now been replaced with Asian. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/52 "2013-12-30T15:58:11Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I don’t understand the attachment to words. Can you explain it to me? How is “odd” different from “queer”? > > How do you feel about the fact that generations from now, our “everyday” words will be updated or replaced? How do you feel about the fact that, generations from now, most of the pictures, mementos and other items of emotional value to you will be gone or in a landfill? What about your legs? Should you be any less attached to them today because they’ll be gone in the future? The English language has a great variety in vocabulary, and part of the fun of using it is picking from so many choices of words, each with a potentially subtle difference in meaning. Replacing the words in a piece of text with synonyms can take value away in the same way that taking the experience of person speaking with emphasis and body language and reducing it to text does. Besides that, “queer” sounds so much nicer than “odd”. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/53 "2013-12-30T15:58:39Z")
Gay is also a last name. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/54 "2013-12-30T16:01:55Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > I wish I was. Try asking some teens. You will discover the terrible truth. “Gay” has been usurped by them to mean “stupid” or “uncool”, not a sexual term at all. > > I’m actually surprised that anyone does not know this. Everybody knows that. What’s surprising is that you don’t know how the word acquired that meaning: it stems from the use of the term _gay_ as a pejorative for homosexuals. A 12 year old may not realize that, but anyone your age (since you’re “old”) should. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/55 "2013-12-30T16:10:59Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Everybody knows that. No, that is completely not true. Just as most people don’t know how gay came to mean the many things it has meant. > **[How ‘Gay’ Came to Mean ‘Homosexual’](http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/02/how-gay-came-to-mean-homosexual/)** > > Today I found out how ‘gay’ came to mean ‘homosexual’. The word “gay” seems to have its origins around the 12th century in England, derived from the Old French word ‘gai’, which in turn was probably derived from a Germanic word, though that isn’t... ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/56 "2013-12-30T16:13:54Z")
Well that sucks! ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/57 "2013-12-30T16:32:27Z")
I can remember when saying somebody sucks was a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/58 "2013-12-30T16:34:19Z")
Huh. Well, whatever. I guess if you want to be upset by someone using “queer” to mean “strange/unusual/etc”, you can. To me, that’s looking for offense where there is none. Directing the word at a person? That’s not cool, but I haven’t heard anyone do that since grade school. (Not that I’m denying it can be used that way.) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/59 "2013-12-30T16:40:01Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > No, that is completely not true. Just as most people don’t know how gay came to mean the many things it has meant. > > [How ‘Gay’ Came to Mean ‘Homosexual’](http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/02/how-gay-came-to-mean-homosexual/) I’m guessing you didn’t read that. > [@](#): > > …as early as the 1980s a new definition for the word gay started popping up among American youth where now something gay could either mean a homosexual or something that is “lame” or “stupid” or the like. This new definition was originally almost exclusively meant as an insulting term, derogatorily referencing homosexuals. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412/60 "2013-12-30T17:37:32Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I’m guessing you didn’t read that. You would be wrong. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-word-queer-been-usurped-by-the-gay-community/677412.md?page=4)