Is Queer OK to Say? Here’s Why We Use It https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/is-queer-ok-to-say-heres-why-we-use-it?utm_source=Teaching+Tolerance&utm_campaign=5f1e28b3d4-Newsletter+2-12-2019&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a8cea027c3-5f1e28b3d4-94646607 Queer dates back to at least the catalyzed LGBTQ rights movement after the Stonewall Riots in 1969, after which people began to wear the word as a badge of honor. To say, literally, “We’re here. We’re queer. Get used to it.” To demand to no longer be left in the margins, to demand that we redefine what is “normal” and what is strange—queer’s original meaning and the reason it was placed upon so many people like a scarlet letter. Having these discussions about identity, inevitably, will cause discomfort. Terms change. Meanings shift. And it is hard to divorce our history and pain from the word queer. But in conjunction with scholars, activists, civil rights organizations and an increasing number of people within the LGBTQ community, we hope to use the word queer as a beacon of representation and a push toward empowerment.
Queer Muslim Women Reflect on Navigating Their Faith and Sexuality https://www.them.us/story/queer-muslim-women?fbclid=IwAR2nVfdacvfAIN0Z5KfRoUG0EM03smau3YnJoDiUGvA_sgczPdPGA1rP_Go “When you’re Muslim, Bangladeshi, and queer, every act of love is seen as a rebellion; it’s essentially a matter of choosing love for Allah, love of Desi culture, or love for my partner. I may never figure it out, but I’m hoping that someday I’ll truly believe that they don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”
Eight common myths and misconceptions about LGBTQ2 youth https://www.edcan.ca/articles/the-straight-facts/?fbclid=IwAR1csMbZhuebeHrjmI6w9LoYy6ilSubNgyi9tDgEOt95Yus9B9GqwqyRnD4 In 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. Since that time, our nation has taken great strides towards the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and two-spirit (LGBTQ2) people in Canadian society. Despite these progressive moves forward, students in our K-12 school system still experience significant bullying, harassment, violence, and discrimination. In particular, our transgender, two-spirit, and LGBTQ2 youth of colour often face some of the most hostile and uninviting environments. Much of this discrimination and prejudice is rooted in stereotypes, fear, and misinformation that continues to be perpetuated by those opposed to LGBTQ2 equality.
How White LGBT Spaces Erase Queer People of Colour https://thebodyisnotanapology.com/magazine/why-lgbt-spaces-can-be-uncomfortable-for-queer-people-of-colour/?fbclid=IwAR2m-DKOyd0dVugUYdr2t_wBia_oWL1kSpQ3A1vreoY476CM5P4U8ewD-OU By nine, I was sure that my brown skin made me ugly. Despite the features on my face, I felt that the skin that kept them all together was holding me back from actual beauty. The internalized racism I felt was intense and affected the entire way I grew up. Queer culture, and the alternative culture that it seemed to be intrinsically intertwined with, was dominated by white figures. It was a culture of dyed and shaved hair, flannel, and alternative relationships like relationship anarchy and polyamory.
What Does Queer Mean Anyway? https://www.minus18.org.au/index.php/articles/item/31-what-does-queer-mean-anyway “There’re lots of reasons why people identify with queer, either individually or as an umbrella term. It encompasses a wide range of identities, and doesn’t risk excluding groups that the acronym may leave out. Some people find queer’s ambiguity appealing since it gives a sense of community without the need for a more specific label. You might be gay, I might be trans - but we’re both queer, and that brings us together.”
Growing Up Queer and Muslim Can Be Terrifying. That's Why I'm Telling My Story https://www.them.us/story/growing-up-queer-muslim ”I can’t stress enough how much I needed a story like mine when I was younger, how desperately I craved some affirmation that my faith and my sexuality didn’t contradict each other. I hope that if there’s a Muslim kid reading this and they’re questioning who they are, this can be that story for them. I hope they know that they are valid and heard, and that they are not alone. I have a lot of fear and qualms when it comes to talking about myself, but if it can help anyone, it makes every bit of worry or discomfort well worth it.”