I've received a LOT of tolerance training, having been a manager as long as I have. Clearly, it didn't stick, because I'm still an a$$ (just ask Therese sometimes) but I like to think that I am tolerant of other ideas and thoughts, even if I don't agree.
I remember one specific training I received around GLBT.
For those not familiar, that is Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgender.
Apparently there were those at work who felt they were being discriminated against, and all the managers had to go to a training about it. I went to the first session, and the woman who had put it all together decided it was the perfect opportunity to announce herself publicly as a lesbian. And as she stood up there, with tears in her eyes, I'm sure I must have had my mouth wide open in amazement. Not that she was publicly "outing" herself, but that she decided to do it at work. I always thought that was a more personal choice. But, to each their own, I suppose.
Anyway, I have a lot of experience with this stuff, obviously.
Yesterday, when reading the local paper online, there was an article about a GLBT rally on a local college campus. Since that campus happens to be my alma mater, I was vaguely interested and started skimming the article. What stopped me was the caption under the main picture.
"....members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersex and queer community."
Okay, so I've got the GLBT part down. And I understand transgender, though I'm not sure why it was added to the list. But intersex and queer? I'm extremely confused. I asked a guy sitting next to me, and he had never heard those terms either. Especially since I was always told that 'queer' is a derogatory term for homosexual!
So last night I looked up intersex, and apparently that is the new term for hermaphrodite. But I'm still not sure how 'queer' fits in there as a now accepted term. So if any of you want to enlighten me, please do. But know that going forward it is GLBTTIQ.
And don't you forget it.
Friday, December 5, 2008
We'll have a gay old time
Posted by Recovering Soul at 7:38 AM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Actually, what I've seen more is having it referred to as GLBTQA standing for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies. I think all the adding of initials, whether QA or TIQ, are efforts at trying to be as inclusive as possible, basically only excluding heteros who don't want to deal with the reality of the existence of other orientations.
Also, queer is only derogatory if one uses it as derogatory. Many gay folk have embraced the term a la the chants at rallies "We're queer. We're here. Get used to it."
Trueself
Your friendly local GLBT ambassador
I've always understood the use of 'queer' by homosexual persons as similar to the way urban blacks use the 'N-word' with each other - as a way of 'flipping' the insult.
It's interesting, because my two HS-age sons have quite a few black friends, from sports teams, etc., and with their friends, they don't even register as 'white'. 'N-word' is just shorthand for 'us-all'. Which I think is kinda cool. 'Course, it all hangs on how you use it; used as a 'racial slur', it still gets people riled up.
'Course, I'm just old enough to remember when 'queer' just meant 'odd/unusual' and 'gay' meant 'happy/carefree'. . .
And honestly, I do just sorta wish that people would get over this need to publicly air out what they like to do with their sex organs. Do what you want, and leave it between you and your 'partner' and God. If you need me to 'sign off' on it, then we're both just gonna be disappointed. . .
I haven't come across that one yet, although I'm sure it will show up in our annual tolerance re-training.
I'm more likely to look at someone and say "So?" when they announce themselves as gay/lesb/trangender, whatever- I mean, why would I care?
Well, the reason the organization came about was because of discrimination against the people of those 'orientations', so I guess they just keep adding as things become more mainstream. I mean 10 years ago, transgender was hardly ever even heard of, so the times they are a-changin, I guess.
True - I think that everyone "deals" with the existence of other orientations, whether they agree or not.
And using "queer" in a derogatory way or not; I don't think that can be what they mean, because they used it in the phrase at all. When I wiki-ed it, a term came up called "genderqueer". I don't know if that is what they mean, and after reading that I'm not sure I even agree with that term, but that may be it.
Des - I know a gay guy at work who is pretty open about it. We've worked together for 8 years, and knowing him well, I've heard him call himself a queen, a queer, and many other things. I don't really care what people are, either.
Sailor - lucky, you get annual training on this too!
So Gone - I'm not sure which organization you are talking about, because I've seen a number of them. But you are right, the times are definitely changing!
A friend of mine refers to herself as queer. She is biologically female, but has never really felt female. But she's not going to have gender-reassignment surgery. She is attracted to women, though they tend be somewhat androgynous like my friend. I think they adopted the name "queer" because it fits how they feel - odd, outsiders, not fitting in the straight community, but not an exact fit in the gay/lesbian community either.
Post a Comment