Certain website names notwithstanding, the word “queer” is polarizing. For some LGBTQ+ individuals, it’s a reclaimed badge of honor, a political statement, a declaration of attraction without binaries.
For others, it’s still a homophobic slur, a weaponized word that can reopen years-old wounds.When one Reddit user asked others what “queer” means to them, he clarified he wasn’t referring to the derogatory sense of the term.
But some commenters can’t see the word any other way.Here’s a selection of responses, edited for clarity:“It meant I was about to get my butt beat by a homophobe.
I despise that word…”“I’m 33, and for me, it’s always meant bullying. Thankfully, I was never beaten up by someone saying it, but like the f-word, it always cut.