Over the past fifty years, we have gone from criminalizing homosexuality to same-sex couples now having many of the same rights as other couples. The holdings we Norwegians have had for LGBT people have gradually improved in parallel with this. Although in many areas we seem to normalize homosexuality, there is still a word that I believe does the opposite. Namely the word “queer”. “It’s weird. It must be fixed!” or “The nailer went crazy. Take it out and try to turn on again”. We humans have a tendency to dislike things that are odd. When did it become the norm to use this term for people with a different orientation? The word “queer” appears to me as linguistic laziness. I, who myself am in love with a man, never say that I live in a “strange relationship”. I prefer to say that I live in a “same-sex relationship”. It is neutrally charged. At the same time, it describes love between two people of the same sex without the assumption that both are necessarily gay. It fits well for me, who is bisexual. Such a word is inclusive and nice to use in the description of a non-heterophilic relationship. Incidentally, this is a word I would like to see more people use. Because where does the word “queer” actually come from? Many may want to draw parallels to the word “queer” which is used by LGBT people in English. But unlike Norwegian, in English they do not use the word queer to describe something negative. Nobody says “That nail is queer”. It just sounds weird. Queer is a word that covers a lot. I understand that for many people it feels safe to avoid saying “wrong”. At the same time, I ask questions about whether the word might contain too much. According to “The Great Medical Lexicon”, the word “queer” can also be used for people who have sexual preferences towards BDSM and other forms of fetishism. I am skeptical that we have such a well-used term that cuts both orientation, gender identity and sexual fetishism under the same umbrella. Although these are three minorities that have been oppressed in various ways throughout history, they are different in many ways. You can, for example, just as easily have a sexual fetish as a heterosexual. Linking sexual fetishism closely to homosexuality can reinforce the focus on sex in an environment that is already strongly characterized by it. Furthermore, several “queer researchers” also believe that the word cannot be used to describe homosexuals and bisexuals who live what they call a “heteronormative relationship”. That means us gays, bisexuals who want to live in a monogamous relationship with a house and be like a “normal” family. With that, several researchers emphasize that the word “queer” is primarily a word that describes polyamorous and sexually liberated relationships. With this definition, it does not necessarily have anything to do with sexual orientation. Even so, the word has become “mainstream” to use in recent years. Ironically, LGBT organizations are among the most diligent users. Or the “queer organisations”, as they themselves and many others like to call them. The word has also spread to the media and our everyday speech. Why should same-sex love be described with such a word? It just makes us continue to see same-sex love as something different. Everyone should be allowed to use the words they want about their relationship. I still ask if it is lucky to describe love between two people of the same sex with a word that does not necessarily refer to same-sex love and can be negatively charged. For me, the word “queer” does not help to normalize homosexuality, but rather helps to create distance. I’m no language expert, but it’s time to stop using the word “queer”. Perhaps we can find a new and inclusive word to describe love between two people of the same sex.
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There is nothing “queer” about homosexuality – Statement
