Utah Common Values

[TripletDaddy]

I see less as a renewal and more of an ongoing movement, at least a decade old, if not more.

Note very mainstream examples going back to early 2000s such as Showtime's "Queer as Folk," which was critically acclaimed. And prior to that, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," another mainstream success that spawned media, fashion, design, and food careers for several of the original participants.

I think the timing of the change goes back to the Matthew Shepard incident, truthfully. I believe that incident coincides with a noticeable self-empowerment within the gay community to take back their dignity, assert themselves, and stop being victims. Neutralizing hate speech may have been one of the most natural methods within the first wave of self defense. Consider the timing of Matthew Shepard and the use if the word "fag." a word that was once a jocular put down amongst heterosexual friends as well as a mild epithet towards gays quickly became a sign of bigotry and ignorance, almost overnight.

There is Cultural precedence for such didactic co-opting of language, particularly within the African American community.

[OhioBlue]

the Q is often used as 'questioning.' Some universities' organizations also have an A or two in them--for Allies and Asexual.

[pellegrino]

Think of the Q as "undecided."

It is generally GLBT, though, which is why your were thrown off.

In a traditional sense, queer seems to be a pejorative that was deliberately co-opted by homosexuals and transformed into non-threatening self-descriptor. It is not uncommon for gays to refer to themselves as queers.

Queer isn't really about being undecided, it's more of a generic, inclusive term for anyone and everyone whose sexual preferences do not fit the norm. As wuap said, it's a cool word, so cool that there's even academic field of queer studies.

[wuapinmon]

I see less as a renewal and more of an ongoing movement, at least a decade old, if not more.

Note very mainstream examples going back to early 2000s such as Showtime's "Queer as Folk," which was critically acclaimed. And prior to that, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," another mainstream success that spawned media, fashion, design, and food careers for several of the original participants.

I think the timing of the change goes back to the Matthew Shepard incident, truthfully. I believe that incident coincides with a noticeable self-empowerment within the gay community to take back their dignity, assert themselves, and stop being victims. Neutralizing hate speech may have been one of the most natural methods within the first wave of self defense. Consider the timing of Matthew Shepard and the use if the word "fag." a word that was once a jocular put down amongst heterosexual friends as well as a mild epithet towards gays quickly became a sign of bigotry and ignorance, almost overnight.

There is Cultural precedence for such didactic co-opting of language, particularly within the African American community.

I think you're right about this. Matthew Shepard's death really changed the tenor of conversations.

[TripletDaddy]

Queer isn't really about being undecided, it's more of a generic, inclusive term for anyone and everyone whose sexual preferences do not fit the norm. As wuap said, it's a cool word, so cool that there's even academic field of queer studies.

I was speaking specifically to the Q in GLBTQ. In that sense, it is not meant to denote all-inclusivity, but rather, "undecided" in a sense...not yet identifying as gay or bisexual, but realizing that there are some sexual orientation issues at play.

In the broader sense, I agree that queer covers a wide spectrum within a subculture and indicated that queer is no longer the pejorative it once was, but rather a co-opted term.

[TheBYUGuy]

Why do they limit their scope to Utah? Are there not "progressive" (as they define it) Mormons elsewhere?

[pellegrino]

I was speaking specifically to the Q in GLBTQ. In that sense, it is not meant to denote all-inclusivity, but rather, "undecided" in a sense...not yet identifying as gay or bisexual, but realizing that there are some sexual orientation issues at play.

In the broader sense, I agree that queer covers a wide spectrum within a subculture and indicated that queer is no longer the pejorative it once was, but rather a co-opted term.

so you're saying the Q is for folks who are "questing" then. gotcha.

[myboynoah]

Is the "Q" for "queer" or "questioning"?

And now I see there is also an "A"?!?!? That "A" used to stand for something else, but I guess it's been coopted as well.

Folks, if we're not careful, the GLBTQAs are going to use up all the letters and there won't be any left.

Save our letters! Fight against Utah Common Values!

[RobinFinderson]

Is the "Q" for "queer" or "questioning"?

And now I see there is also an "A"?!?!? That "A" used to stand for something else, but I guess it's been coopted as well.

Folks, if we're not careful, the GLBTQAs are going to use up all the letters and there won't be any left.

Save our letters! Fight against Utah Common Values!

*DING**DING**DING**DING**DING**DING*

We have a winner.

The Q, in this situation, means 'questioning.' Not 'queer.' But there have been some interesting things said about the word 'queer,' so don't let this fact get you down.

Edit: Oh brother! I just looked this up on wikipedia, and it supports the 'queer' interpretation along with 'questioning.' In common use (as in, with Faith, who is the faculty adviser to her school's Gay Straight Alliance, I have only heard 'questioning.' So I figured I had a leg to stand on here, but I guess I don't.) Personally, I think the inclusion of 'queer' is redundant, since all of the other categories are 'queer.' At least 'questioning' is something new.

[wuapinmon]

*DING**DING**DING**DING**DING**DING*

We have a winner.

The Q, in this situation, means 'questioning.' Not 'queer.' But there have been some interesting things said about the word 'queer,' so don't let this fact get you down.

Edit: Oh brother! I just looked this up on wikipedia, and it supports the 'queer' interpretation along with 'questioning.' In common use (as in, with Faith, who is the faculty adviser to her school's Gay Straight Alliance, I have only heard 'questioning.' So I figured I had a leg to stand on here, but I guess I don't.) Personally, I think the inclusion of 'queer' is redundant, since all of the other categories are 'queer.' At least 'questioning' is something new.

Queer embraces all of it. I don't find it redundant; I find it welcoming.