Student blasts 'queer' as LGBT descriptor

“We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it!” is the famous line synonymous with the LGBT movement. Kind of like the Patrick Henry battle cry, “Give me liberty or give me death,” only instead of ushering a bunch of continental soldiers to shoot the redcoats, it unites a chorus line of Ethel Merman impersonators, softball players, and Hedwig look-alikes against Anita Bryant. However, there is something funny and unique in this declaration. It uses a word that I seldom hear—“queer.” What a queer word queer is. I hear it most when Lewis Black is on the TV ranting about same-sex marriage. It is commonly used to describe all “not straight” people. Therefore, I explored the word queer in all of its queerness.
The fifth definition of “queer” on dictionary.com states clearly “homosexual.” Does this mean queer is the great umbrella term for everyone who is not straight? How cheap. I do not think this is an accurate term, nor do I think it does justice to individuals as gays, lesbians, bisexuals or transgender people. Queer is a meaningless term. Think about it—if you had a dachshund puppy and people asked you what kind of pet you had and you said “dog” you would be partly right. But wouldn’t you rather say “Dachshund puppy?” Saying what kind of puppy you have invokes a much stronger reaction such as, “aww those are so cute!” “Dog” only states a fact and not much else. If a man says he’s queer, does that mean he’s bisexual? Does it mean he’s gay? Who knows!
In my last article, I talked about how one shouldn’t care or ask if someone is gay. But I never said ambiguity was another option. Queer doesn’t solve the problem. Saying “queer” only creates more curiosity and discomfort. Take the example of a queer woman who says she’s queer to a group of people—a man or a woman could approach her. Let’s say she’s a lesbian. Why doesn’t she just say she is a lesbian if she feels she must say anything at all? I don’t know. Perhaps queer is a lighter way of saying the truth. Maybe queer is the word you tell your parents. Maybe queer is what you tell yourself when you’re not sure. Queer then becomes a transitional word. Queer is a lie leading to the truth.
But there is a peculiar notion around queer. At one time I was told that “queer is a word that has been taken back,” that is, the word is no longer solely used as a hateful term, like how “vagina” was liberated by “The Vagina Monologues.” Here is my revelation—who cares? Seriously, queer is nothing more than a word. It only means something when you give it meaning.  Perhaps it was a great social and political feat to use queer to describe all sexually different people, but it has become inaccurate and confusing. If you must call yourself queer, so be it, but keep in mind the details queer leaves out.

Geoffrey Edelstein is a freshman.