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LGBTQ - "Offensive language"

Hey all,

I submitted an essay a while back and just been going over my feedback. Essay was on how society has changed over the years and how this has impacted upon life and well being.

In one paragraph I spoke on changing views on social norms etc and wrote within the essay "...Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ) movements..". This was then annotated as being "very offensive" with it repeatedly coming up in the feedback comments saying that I need to be aware of offensive language being used. This makes me pretty sure I'll have been marked down on my essay because of this!

Am I the only person who does not see a problem with this?
I only state it once and was used as more of a reference than anything else. It's not like it was my own opinion or I was saying it from my point of view?

Am I missing the point here or..?

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Original post by IrKirsty
Hey all,

I submitted an essay a while back and just been going over my feedback. Essay was on how society has changed over the years and how this has impacted upon life and well being.

In one paragraph I spoke on changing views on social norms etc and wrote within the essay "...Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ) movements..". This was then annotated as being "very offensive" with it repeatedly coming up in the feedback comments saying that I need to be aware of offensive language being used. This makes me pretty sure I'll have been marked down on my essay because of this!

Am I the only person who does not see a problem with this?
I only state it once and was used as more of a reference than anything else. It's not like it was my own opinion or I was saying it from my point of view?

Am I missing the point here or..?


Queer used to be a slur but it's mostly been reclaimed by the community. I would call myself queer, and yes, it is actually part of the acronym.

It sounds to me like your teachers are not up to speed on the community.
I'm gay and I don't see how that quote could be deemed offensive but maybe the text surrounding it could have been? If you think you've been unfairly marked ask your teacher to expalain!
Original post by IrKirsty
Hey all,

I submitted an essay a while back and just been going over my feedback. Essay was on how society has changed over the years and how this has impacted upon life and well being.

In one paragraph I spoke on changing views on social norms etc and wrote within the essay "...Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ) movements..". This was then annotated as being "very offensive" with it repeatedly coming up in the feedback comments saying that I need to be aware of offensive language being used. This makes me pretty sure I'll have been marked down on my essay because of this!

Am I the only person who does not see a problem with this?
I only state it once and was used as more of a reference than anything else. It's not like it was my own opinion or I was saying it from my point of view?

Am I missing the point here or..?


You my friend have fallen victim to an extreme-leftist university doctor/professor.

This kind of thing happened to people I know during their first year studying sociology at university.
Original post by Cubone-r
You my friend have fallen victim to an extreme-leftist university doctor/professor.

This kind of thing happened to people I know during their first year studying sociology at university.


It's not a about being left, it's about knowledge of the community.
Tell your professor that anything can be offensive, its the real consequences of words and language that are deadly. Anything that has incited real violence.
Reply 6
Avatar for IrKirsty
IrKirsty
OP
13
Original post by AnnieGakusei
Queer used to be a slur but it's mostly been reclaimed by the community. I would call myself queer, and yes, it is actually part of the acronym.

It sounds to me like your teachers are not up to speed on the community.


Yeah, I am bi and LGBTQ is the acronym I use.. I just don't want to get myself into a cycle of "Well, i'm offended that you are offended.." etc for her to then turn out to be right from the academic perspective.

Original post by xxFreyaWxx
I'm gay and I don't see how that quote could be deemed offensive but maybe the text surrounding it could have been? If you think you've been unfairly marked ask your teacher to expalain!


Nope, nothing surrounding it was offensive. Was just saying how younger generations may be more accepting than older generations due to more exposure etc. It was just queer that was highlighted. Almost doesn't feel worth bringing it up in year two as it won't matter but at the same time.. very annoyed so I probably will!

Original post by Cubone-r
You my friend have fallen victim to an extreme-leftist university doctor/professor.

This kind of thing happened to people I know during their first year studying sociology at university.


Oh good! She has just become the new course director at uni and my tutor because someone else left. Lucky me! :P
Original post by IrKirsty
Hey all,

I submitted an essay a while back and just been going over my feedback. Essay was on how society has changed over the years and how this has impacted upon life and well being.

In one paragraph I spoke on changing views on social norms etc and wrote within the essay "...Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ) movements..". This was then annotated as being "very offensive" with it repeatedly coming up in the feedback comments saying that I need to be aware of offensive language being used. This makes me pretty sure I'll have been marked down on my essay because of this!

Am I the only person who does not see a problem with this?
I only state it once and was used as more of a reference than anything else. It's not like it was my own opinion or I was saying it from my point of view?

Am I missing the point here or..?


I don't understand. What have you written that's 'very offensive'. The essay was on changing social norms. The various LGBTQ+ movements are clearly indicative of changing social norms, and had you omitted them, your essay would be missing a huge section. What's wrong here...?
Reply 8
Avatar for Anonsama
Anonsama
8
Next time just say "******s"
Original post by AnnieGakusei
Queer used to be a slur but it's mostly been reclaimed by the community. I would call myself queer, and yes, it is actually part of the acronym.

It sounds to me like your teachers are not up to speed on the community.


Mostly? Haha, no. 'Queer' still is offensive for many people in the community.

That said, I don't think the 'Q' in 'LGBTQ' is offensive, pointless yes, but not offensive.
Original post by Snufkin
Mostly? Haha, no. 'Queer' still is offensive for many people in the community.

That said, I don't think the 'Q' in 'LGBTQ' is offensive, pointless yes, but not offensive.


I might be thinking of the younger side of the community, whom I know and see a lot more of than older LGBTQ people.
Queer used to be (and in some cases still is) a slur, so a lot of older people are sensitive about using it since they don't want to offend the community (my mum thought the same before we talked about how it's been reclaimed as an identity). I'd say either save your grades and take it out, or explain to your professor that this generation used the word differently. I also think you could talk about it in your essay, as it comes under the umbrella of 'changing views on social norms'.
You should put everything in quotes, that's a get out of jail free card every time.

Spoiler

Complain to someone higher up than your lecturer if they're marking it down, as there is literally nothing offensive in that at all.

I just say LGB groups because there's no need to group Trans people within that, and the 'queer' label is just a way of saying "i'm not straight".
Original post by AnnieGakusei
I might be thinking of the younger side of the community, whom I know and see a lot more of than older LGBTQ people.


Original post by crocodile_ears
Queer used to be (and in some cases still is) a slur, so a lot of older people are sensitive about using it since they don't want to offend the community (my mum thought the same before we talked about how it's been reclaimed as an identity). I'd say either save your grades and take it out, or explain to your professor that this generation used the word differently. I also think you could talk about it in your essay, as it comes under the umbrella of 'changing views on social norms'.


I'm not that old. Don't assume everyone in your generation thinks the same. They don't. Queer is insulting to people of all ages.
Original post by Snufkin
I'm not that old. Don't assume everyone in your generation thinks the same. They don't. Queer is insulting to people of all ages.


I'm just going by how my LGBT friends and the people I've seen on the Internet use and perceive it. Yes, if it's used in a derogatory manner, it is still an insult.

Am I supposed to be offended every time someone refers to queer people, if it's clearly not meant in a homophobic way?
Original post by AnnieGakusei
Am I supposed to be offended every time someone refers to queer people, if it's clearly not meant in a homophobic way?


No. But you shouldn't assume that everyone thinks like you. Some people are unwisely trying to reclaim the word 'queer' - but it hasn't been reclaimed yet, and in my view, never will be. It comes with too much baggage.
Original post by Snufkin
I'm not that old. Don't assume everyone in your generation thinks the same. They don't. Queer is insulting to people of all ages.


(off topic but can I say I love your avatar, i ****ing love the moomins)

And yeah maybe you're right, like I'm pretty indifferent about the word because I don't think it's really part of my generations vocabulary (I'm aware that that's a pretty bias view though because I went to a very small secondary school), but I understand that not everyone has the same experience. People who have had the word used on them as a slur should be respected for not wanting it to be a thing.

However, I think it's undeniable that the new generation of lgbt+ people are reclaiming it. Like it's all over the internet as a positive thing (although I suppose it depends on where you look). I think my point still stands that it would make sense to talk about it in an essay about changing social norms.
Original post by crocodile_ears
(off topic but can I say I love your avatar, i ****ing love the moomins).


You may indeed. :biggrin: They are awesome. :fluffy:
Queer has been completely reclaimed within academia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_studies

There's an active movement among terfs online to make it back into a slur in order to exclude queer people from the lgbtq community.

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