Queer By Nature, Proud By Choice: The Reappropriation Of A "Strange" Slur

Over the past century, the term “queer” has undergone a radical transformation. Originally meaning weird or odd, “queer” became a slur targeting LGBT+ people, but then the LGBT+ community revolutionized the word during the AIDS crisis. Since that time, “queer” has lived in a strange state of convoluted meanings. Many question if the term can be used in a non-derogatory way, who can reclaim “queer,” and what the word suggests about the LGBT+ community. The debate over the reclamation of “queer” joins a larger conversation surrounding “political correctness” and the words we use everyday as we as a society discuss how we speak about divisive and sensitive topics.