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Hey OP, can you elaborate on the context for which you are looking to talk about the queer community? I think that matters a bit. There are more formal and more casual descriptions that I do think are important to discuss the differences of use.
For instance, Gender and Sexual Minorities or GSM is probably the most formal you can go with. This might be appropriate for corporate DEI, but you will get absolutely roasted on social media if you refer to gay people that way. (It's very clinical, not really something the community uses, but it's a wide umbrella)
LGBT(QIA+) is a little old school nowadays, a mouthful, and always feels a bit like you're always going to be missing some letters. If a cishet ally used any variety this, I'm not going to be offended and I'd appreciate that they're trying- it's clear that the intention is there and it's better to signal support imperfectly that be silent imo. This one usually comes up most frequently around Pride Month as there's a lot more visibility on our community from those who are not in it.
The queer community is probably your best all-purpose use but may not work 100% in formal situations as "queer" has historically been a pejorative. Boomers tend to look at you funny when you use it, and some younger folks who don't think that slurs can ever be reclaimed can sometimes be put off as well. That said, it's probably what the majority of the community uses as an umbrella term. This is the one I'd use when chatting with friends. "Gay" can also be used as a substitute for "queer" in this context as many folks will also use that as an umbrella term, but this can be confused with discussing just gay men, so you may have to know your audience.
I had a presumed cishet friend in high school who just used "homosexual". I wouldn't recommend. All of the formality of GSM, none of the inclusion.
Other things I would not recommend: alphabet mafia (unless you're on tiktok), anything that is still generally considered a slur (some folks are reclaiming the f-slur, t-slur and d-slur but I would consider that a deeply personal choice of self expression and not something for cishet folks to use at this time, unless personally invited to use to describe only that person), and lastly, using any of these broad identifiers to refer to specific people who have shared their specific label with you (ie don't call someone a queer woman when they have told you they identify as bisexual, or a queer man if they said they are a trans man, etc. Some people do identify as queer though, so if they have said as much you can use that specifically then).
That's a lot of minutia but I think the important thing is, the community generally knows when you are trying your best. Even if you accidentally offend someone, just asking what they would like to be referred to in the future is probably all you need to worry about.
Thanks for your elaborate reply, of which I disagree with nothing!
I have been editing my post for the entire day, and one thing I was debating with my self was how much context to provide. One thing is I want to solicit replies, not bore people to death. Another thing is that if I go through with my idea, some may be able to doxx me.
But "on with the context" I hear you think :-) I work with young people mainly. We're talking 16-25 year olds primarily. Lately I've become aware of how my older coworkers (not that I'm young either, but the others are older) approach especially trans people. Some of the other young people we work with will echo this. And I've had it! I've decided to become a bit more aggressive in my opposition to this "oppression light" that I see. I wanted to get those "respect my trans homies, or I'll identify as a fucking problem". I like the message and the trans people I've consulted seem to agree that it's pretty funny ... BUT! I can't wear the word "fucking" on my clothing, and I don't want to limit the message to only include trans people.
So I'm trying to figure out, how to display something to the same effect, but with more minorities included. Being the dumb fuck I am, I wanted to make sure that I don't hurt people, by being ignorant of the meaning of some term or excluding someone. And just asking the usual lgtbq+ people in my circles would not give me a representative answer. I might get some t-shirts made, it may be badges, or something entirely different IDK, I'm working on it.
It seems like in this situation, it's reasonable to just use the word "trans". I really appreciate how much thought you're putting in to inclusiveness, but it seems like it isn't the queer community at large who your older coworkers are struggling to accept, but specifically trans people.
I don't know all the details, but I would recommend two things:
First, you need to help trans people feel safe while they're in your place of work. They are the people who are at the center of this conversation, not you and not your older coworkers. Get a small Progress Flag and put it somewhere in your workspace where it is visible to the public and also clearly associated with you. Your goal here is to put up a little flag that says "if you're in the queer community, come to me and I will make you comfortable". These statements of inclusiveness are aimed to the public, not your coworkers--your coworkers already know that you're an ally because they know who you are and what kind of actions you do, but the general public doesn't have that luxury so this is where your efforts for inclusiveness should be focused.
Second, if you do want to buy clothes or accessories to show your older coworkers that you support trans identities and try to change their minds about doing the same, make sure you support trans artists when you do so :) don't "get them made", buy them from a trans artist who has already made them. Not only will you be financially supporting the people you want to support, but you'll also be elevating the voice of an actual trans person--which I think is what you wanted to do when you made this post.
That being said, hostile phrasing like "I'll identify as a problem" may not be the best way to change someone's mind. I don't know a lot about your coworkers, but you might be the only person to ever speak to them with empathy about empathy for trans people. You've got an opportunity here to prove wrong the stereotypes about "screaming SJWs", stereotypes that are so baked in to our society that they have even managed to enter the discussion we're having here. In a world like the one that we live in, kindness and patience are radical and powerful tools, if we choose to use them.
tldr: I want to come off as a little aggressive - not enough to start a fight necessarily, but enough to catch coworkers attention. In the meantime the pride colors are already flying in a prominent position.
I see what you mean about the hostility. But to be honest, I'm aiming at being a bit aggressive. The people I want to influence are so used to hear soft messages, that they pay no attention if you don't force a slight edge in their faces. Besides, I'm done seeing trans kids, who have done nothing wrong, be met with dead sexing by boomers who are so frigging well aware of the kid's gender identity. It's like that episode of Fawlty Towers, except it's actually happening in front of you and instead of being funny it's incredibly cringy and you start to feel sorry for the kid.
I love everything you've said, I just want to add to that last point - while kindness and patience are radical and powerful tools, and people, allies especially, should try to lead with those, expecting (not that you implied it, just saying) marginalised people to be patient and kind in the face of bigotry is the height of privilege and often slips in to tone policing. People need to understand that anger is a valid reaction and part of the education, and that discomfort is essential to growth.
Absolutely, and thanks for pointing this out! I don't have anything to add, I just wanted to let folks know that you're 100% correct.
<3
LOL I LOVE this!! Maybe you could change it to “respect my trans homies, or I’ll identify as a ducking problem” or "pucking froblem".
As a 70 year old lesbian, one thing I've long believed and believe now more than ever is that the most radical thing anyone in the queer community has ever done is simply come out in their daily life. Then live their life as an out person, whatever they are out as, and to the greatest extent possible. So to you, thank you for coming out as an ally, and I hope you do so loudly and daily. It can take courage.
Queer is a great umbrella term, but it still originates fairly recently as a hated slur, which suggests queer people have more right to use it than not-so-queers. Thirty five years ago I was friends with a lesbian couple in their 60s who HATED the term dyke, and were highly perturbed when I joyfully embraced being a dyke, because "dyke" had been such a horrible slur when they were young. But now my generation was reclaiming the term.
First off, thank you for chiming in. I feel that most of my IRL input has been from gen z, and I appreciate your input for both the diversity it brings, as well as the insights. That said, I will never ever be able to use the d-word, it feels almost as wrong as using racial slur.
"Queer" has been suggested a couple of times. But I feel like it's aggressive towards the wrong group.
How would you feel about the term "rainbow friends"?
That made me feel weird. I'm not looking for thanks, I'm just trying to be true to myself and be a decent person towards my fellow people.
Whenever I get the chance :-)
It may have originally, but not 1% as much courage as the kids who have come out to me as trans when they saw an ally, or the courage you showed when you came out as lesbian. I'm a CISHET white man, I'm as safe as I can be. The kids OTH need a safe space to question themselves, and will do my best to provide that space for them.