"One mistake the LGBTQ2SIA+ movement made over the last decade - in addition to all the variations on our acronym - was convincing people that being queer or being an ally meant homework. It wasn't enough to be queer, it wasn't enough to be cool with queer people. No, you had to do the reading, attend the struggle sessions, and pass the vocabulary tests. We turned 'queer' from something a person was into a 400-level course a person might fail."
A 50-year-old bisexual man living in Europe seeks guidance on understanding queer identity after recently coming out to his wife and exploring his sexuality. He feels comfortable identifying as bisexual but uncertain about calling himself queer, fearing he lacks sufficient knowledge of gay culture and community. He worries about being adrift compared to those who came out younger and questions what queer identity means for him personally. The response critiques how the LGBTQ+ movement has complicated queer identity by treating it as requiring extensive reading, cultural knowledge, and vocabulary mastery. Being queer is reframed as simply an identity reflecting one's authentic self, not an academic pursuit or cultural test to pass.
Read at Portland Mercury
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