Anyone else feel oppressed by the Q-slur and feel that its widespread use harms LGBT rights more than it helps? It feels like every LGBT-adjacent “safe space” isn’t safe for those affected by the Q-slur, especially on Pride Month.
outsider straight perspective here, but I think reclaiming the word is smart. It disarms the bigots. Words only have the power they’re given. Don’t give them that.
I heard the same logic from a poetry slammer once, who argued Germans should just go around and greet everyone with “Heil Hitler” and take the phrase away from Neonazis (and therefore taking away its power).
I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing it, but if it angers a Nazi, I could be up for it.
The problem there is the phrase only has one meaning. It will always mean something along the lines of praise Hitler.
Queer on the other hand has had several meaning and most of it’s history means abnormal or different than what is considered normal.
@liontigerwings Reclaiming it gives another meaning, at least in the theory of reclaiming.