{"id":18685,"date":"2019-11-20T09:00:42","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T17:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/?p=18685"},"modified":"2019-11-18T10:36:41","modified_gmt":"2019-11-18T18:36:41","slug":"queering-love-letter-to-a-term","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/2019\/11\/20\/queering-love-letter-to-a-term\/","title":{"rendered":"Queering<\/em>: Love letter to a term"},"content":{"rendered":"

I love the word \u201cqueer.\u201d It fits my body naturally and eases my insecurities. It sits alongside my experience comfortably and gives me a way to describe the affections I have known. It\u2019s an identity that embraces all that I am physically, emotionally, and sexually.<\/p>\n

The word feels open and welcoming; it sees me and smirks with wholesome intent. I smirk back. It feels soft and kind and confident and all-loving; it reminds me of myself and of my community, wild and joyous.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Queering<\/em> is a column looking at queer issues (graphic by Astrid Helmus\/Nexus<\/em>).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I have the privilege of \u201cqueer\u201d never being directed toward me as hate speech (\u201clesbo,\u201d \u201cdyke,\u201d and \u201cfaggot,\u201d on the other hand…). I cherish this privilege, as I know my love for the word may not be as effortless otherwise. The process of reclaiming labels thrown at us in violence can be both uncomfortable and fulfilling.<\/p>\n

The word \u201cqueer\u201d was once reclaimed as an act of resistance and, at its best, as a way of gathering and forming community. It came at a time when this kind of reclamation and assertiveness as a community was essential for LGBTQ+ people\u2019s existence during the late \u201980s and through the \u201990s.<\/p>\n

The term quickly became commonplace, now loved by individuals as a self-description, within academia (queer theory!) and beyond.<\/p>\n

I have, in the past and currently, identified with several labels that fall under the LGBTQ+ acronym and other queer terms. \u201cLesbian\u201d and \u201cdyke\u201d hold a fond place in my heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When \u201cdyke\u201d has been used against me as an act of violence, it filled me with anger. I am defensive of this term I love and the community behind it, offended that someone may try to use it with aggression. It\u2019s the beautiful and fierce history behind the word \u201cdyke\u201d that I defend.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I used to feel that the label I chose to identify with was singular and exclusive. That change could not occur without great event and a need to \u201ccome out\u201d with my new identity. Now my approach is more fluid\u2014I call myself by the terms I like. It\u2019s no great event; it\u2019s simply a phonetic description of my ever-growing existence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I love the word \u201cqueer.\u201d It fits my body naturally and eases my insecurities. It sits alongside my experience comfortably and gives me a way to describe the affections I have known. It\u2019s an identity that embraces all that I am physically, emotionally, and sexually. The word feels open and welcoming; it sees me and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,244],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-columns","category-november-20-2019"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t