this post was submitted on 23 Jan 2026
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The English language is not a tonal language, and it's interesting that you bring it up — because I have only heard queer used as a pejorative.
Reappropriation does not work.
Then you haven't been paying attention for the last 30+ years. "We're here, we're queer, get used to it" has been an activist chant since the 90s, started by a group called Queer Nation. The Q in LGBTQ+ stands for queer. If you were involved with the queer community, you would know that it is used as a self-identifier for any non-heteronormative person regularly these days.
No I've heard the chant, what I disagree with is that it's actually had an effect on how the word is perceived.
For example, call a former inmate a bitch or a queer. Hell, call random men bitches or queers. Examine the results.
If they're a non-hetero person and you use it casually, I highly doubt they'll give a shit. If you use it like a pejorative, then is one. Like the word "Jew". That's the common word for those in that religion/ethnicity and very often used to self identify. But in certain contexts with certain intonation, it's understood to be a slur. The N word is less polite even among black people, but it's still a common word used to self identify for those in the black community, but is still very much a slur when used by those outside the community. Calling someone a genius can be a compliment, or an insult depending on context. Both can be true.
No I'm pretty sure you can apply a positive context to your use of the word and there are people who will still flip out at you about it.
I don't really care, there are certain things I can't stop — performative activism is one of them.