Patreon Exclusive: Reclaiming The Word "Queer"

New Patreon Subscriber and just going through your old videos! Are you from Canada too???? Could you do a video on the Toronto Bathhouse Raids??

Thank you, James, for another phenomenal exploration of queer life, culture and the world in general! You nail every aspect of this so concisely and with such real impact. Also love your humour and the depth of compassion with which you approach every subject. Laughed so hard at the comment about using letters, so the cis-hets don't have to use words that make them uncomfortable... a few years back a retail chain here in the UK (Marks and Spencer) celebrated Pride with the Lettuce, Guacamole, Bacon and Tomato sandwich—literally reducing the suffering and defiance of our community, over centuries into food stuffs. So true, not only 'just letters', but letters that can be used interchangeably to sanitise and reduce us You're amazing!.

BRAVO! This is absolutely BRILLIANT. Thank you, James. I've been referring to myself as queer for many years now, after finding myself getting closer and closer to drowning in the alphabet soup. With love from your 68 year old, colored, queer super-fan, Herbie.

Thanks for this video - it is very insightful and more importantly helpful! As a slightly older person, I'll admit I stumble some of the "alphabet" and hope that I am not messing it up or being an old out of touch geezer - so I really appreciate the well reaoned description. Thank you!

John Newcombe

Thank you! I've been trying to articulate why I think us using queer to identify personally and the community is good for years and completely failing. You did it beautifully. I'll definitely be forwarding this video to people.

Mandi Mateer

I loved this omg

Sav

Love this video! Thank you very much. I’ve been trying to argue this with some people (usually cis hets who just “don’t want to use such an awful word, why are you using it, *I* think it’s terrible!”). Now, I can just link people to this! Few things to add (for you to use/take however you want). So, I will say, I’m asexual, and I’ve gotten SO MUCH of, “you don’t belong here, the ‘A’ stands for ALLIES, not you.” With regards to people who shout “the A stands for Ally and always has!” Um, yes, but it didn’t MEAN Ally. The history of the A is actually convoluted and difficult because—and this is according to some older queers that I spoke to at a few conventions (old = 50+)—back in the day, you might not have been able to come out and say you were L, G, B, T, or anything non-straight because you’d be thrown out or killed due to your family/friends being bigoted cunts. So you’d say you were an “Ally” to let it be known that yes, you weren’t straight, but you didn’t feel safe coming out, maybe help? And let’s be fair, saying “A is for Ally” makes no sense as an ally is someone NOT PART OF THE GROUP, but someone who supports the group. Ergo, they don’t need a space because it was never their space anyways; they just recognize that there IS a space for others and it’s important that others have it. Similarly, a queer youth can seek help from queer support groups, but an ally really shouldn’t be using those resources (never heard of an ally going to an LGBTQ+ center and being, “hey, got kicked out of my house, need help, and I’m an ally, which the A stands for”). I’ve also only heard “the A stands for Ally” from pretty toxic “allies” that care more about being seen as “good people supporting PC causes” than actual allies that will step up and stand up for people’s rights. Yes, allies are important and I love them, but... don’t need people “white knighting” for me to make themselves feel good. I have tons of stories about being excluded (and some sweet ones about being included), and I’m always happy to step out of spaces that others need, but I agree we need to be more united and accepting against people who want to use hate to kill and discriminate.

Courtney Rayle

“You can catch the gay in italy!” You saw eurovision? Apparently it’s true?