We're here. We're queer. ✊ ⠀ 📷 and makeup by @mattxiv. Words by @mattxiv. ⠀ 💙 Queer originally meant “strange” or “peculiar.” In the 19th century, it started to be used as a pejorative for people who exhibited a “desire for same-sex relationships,” or when their gender expression didn’t aline with society’s expectations. ⠀ 💚 It first started to be reclaimed as a positive self-identifier in the 80s. This was both an attempt to find a unifying catch-all term for LGBTQIA+ people, as well as a word that reflected the anger and frustration of the community at the time. Now the word means “anyone who isn’t straight or cisgender.” ⠀ 🤍 Don’t identify as queer? That’s totally fine. Many people still associate it with past trauma, and refuse to use/cannot identify with the word. That is a valid position and we will never police how people self-identify. ⠀ 💛 When can you use the word queer? You use it to refer to anyone who identifies as queer. If someone doesn’t like using the word to describe themselves, please respect that. Do not use it as a slur. ⠀ 💖 The idea of “reclaiming” a word is nothing new. It's up to the individual LGBTQIA+ person to decide if it's right for them. Remember that no two LGBTQIA+ people are the same. Respect everyone’s boundaries and be kind. ⠀ Image description: Matt Bernstein (pronouns he/him) is known for taking beauty and making it political with his stunning makeup looks. This photo is a close-up of Matt's chest, which is sprinkled with star-shaped glitter and adorned with the words "c'mon, you can say it...QUEER." He holds his hands up to his chest, his painted nails on full display. Each nail is color-blocked in every color of the rainbow. The next five slides outline the history of the word "queer," why we use it, and when it's not okay to use it. Alt-text is available via screenreader. ⠀ #queer #lgbt #lgbtq #pride #lgbtqia #gay #gayrights #queerrights #lgbtqrights #makeup #nonbinary #enby #makeuphasnogender #fashionhasnogender #clothinghasnogender #loveislove #lovewins #mattxiv #gaypride #nonbinarypride #genderfluid #genderqueer #trans #transgender #transpride #loveislove🌈 #lovewins🌈 #lgbtq🌈 #pride🌈 #gay🌈