To Queer, or Not To Queer?

"It was clear to the gay, lesbian and bi community that they knew what
it was supposed to be," Thompson said in an interview from the show's
Santa Clarita, Calif., set. "Others didn't get it. I knew it. They got
a lot of flak about doing that, but in some ways it sets a precedent."

"My inclination is to leave her as she was. Why change it? But the
thing about my argument is that, in the case of Anne Heche, she was
straight, then bi, then a lesbian, then bi, then straight. If
[Poitier's character] is actually bisexual, she would appear different
ways, depending on the situation.

Anne Heche, OMG. Did she actually say she was straight or lesbian at any given...

9-25-2008 9:35 AM

So to answer the clips title question: Who cares? Obviously there are people here in the US who are afraid if society lets "loose" on bisexuality, OMG, their children or even themselves could have those kind of sinful feelings. News flash! Your orientation is your orientation no matter if you are straight, gay, or bi. I think the repression of it is more due to the fact that some people are not only fearful of what they don't understand, but also disgusted by what they don't feel and don't want to see it out in public or hear about it, or deal with it. And that's fine. They can choose to turn off their television or watch the programs they like. Just don't force us into a closet to make yourself feel more comfortable.

9-25-2008 9:50 AM

Queer is a slur against homosexuality.
Queer really means strange or different

9-25-2008 10:11 AM

mona

*pop* for debbyski's comment

9-25-2008 10:42 AM

No it isn't the same meaning for some gays now Skwil. It's been re-appropriated to mean something more different and positive. You are correct that it was a slur used to insult gay people at one time, but think about it in this way. It's usage was to mean "different" and gays and bi's are different! So we can now embrace the word. Lemme give you another example. I was walking in an isolated park holding hands with a woman I really liked once because I wanted to. It was such an innocent display of affection and not public at all at the time since no one was around. But a car came around the turn really quickly and it was bad enough that I felt I had to drop her hand, you know, but the...

9-25-2008 11:43 AM

Pretty much in full agreement with debbyski. Ideally, I'd like to see more queer characters slipped casually into shows. Where the focus isn't "This is the gay/lesbian/bisexual character, let's all pause to make note of this", but rather they're just like everyone else.

Of course, I'd like to see more female characters written as if they were just regular people too.

I'm not holding my breath for either.

9-25-2008 1:21 PM

So, nigger, spic, towel head and so on could someday be a positive thing?

Queer is an adjetive not a noun. If used as a noun it is a slur whether you believe it or not.

9-25-2008 1:41 PM

I quite disagree skwirlinator. I self-identify as queer and for a lot of us, queer is a powerful and positive word.

9-25-2008 2:12 PM

Try to put the word into a different context than you are used to hearing it used Skwirl. Lots of people reject labels because they don't fit them.
Don't get me wrong, I see your point. Obviously, you cannot walk into a room and say "look at those two queers over there" without people thinking that you mean it as an insult, but the two people in the room would say," Hey, I am queer and I'm proud to be that. Do you know what that word means to me?"
So, the term bisexual fits me. And the term lesbian fits the women I talked about in my previous comment. But for other's these concepts are limiting and they prefer to be identified as queer.

9-25-2008 9:10 PM

They think of themselves as queer because they are different. This is a true association. Being called a queer is derrogatory. I don't like it. You may be queer but you are not a queer (Stressing a).
To change bigotry in our world we must stop being derrogatory to each other. Gay is an established description of a homosexual but it used to be derrogatory, I don't use that term often either. Funny has been used as a derrogatory term too. I don't use that one either.

9-25-2008 9:17 PM

No, I am a queer person. I like the word. It's the word that fits me. It's the word that best describes not only my sexual orientation but my person in general.

I get that you find the word derogatory, but I (and many others) do not.

We're going to have to agree to disagree.

9-25-2008 9:22 PM

I see the point you are trying to make Skwirl, but it's not a black and white issue like you are seeing it. And I think it may be more difficult for you to understand because of your sexual orientation. I understand that she likes the word as a description of herself and I think it's a description that fits her and she embraces as a positive thing. I would have to agree with her and disagree with you also, in the nicest possible way

9-26-2008 8:03 AM

Ok, I'm just trying to break bigotry in my life. I get irritated that in this day and age there are still too many Archie Bunkers.

9-26-2008 8:11 AM

That's a very admirable goal, Skwirl.

9-26-2008 8:15 AM

You don't notice the hate until you start to focus on it and then you see it everywhere and in the smallest things

9-26-2008 8:18 AM

Its in the package advertising at the grocery store, all over tv and radio, in newspapers and even on billboards on the highway. How can we ever grow up as a people if we are constantly being bombarded with derrogatory terms, hostile stereotypes and subliminal images

9-26-2008 8:19 AM

That is very true. But there are some of us who are taking those hated words like bitch and fag and dyke and queer and reclaiming them. It's not easy and there are many pitfalls in the process, but it's an important part of healing.

9-26-2008 8:21 AM

You have to find things that are still beautiful, and there are lots of them. What helped me, truly, was sitting outside on my lunch breaks and watching the mother birds feed their babies. Their nearly fully grown babies. But these mother grackles (the type of bird) still made sure that the crumbs I tossed over to her were distributed equally amongst her kids. Find something like that. It really, really helps.

9-26-2008 8:25 AM