Blog #3 (or oh my god, I was just watching Queer as folk!)

I definately agree that the meaning of "queer" and "dyke" has changed significantly since the 1950s (I mean what hasn't?). My gay friends and I call ourselves queers all the time and we never think of it as a deragatory term (although i never use dyke as a descripter of myself because I think of that as a more butch type of girl). Is it neccesarily bad? No, I prefer queer to GLBT because it's more of an umbrella term that covers everybody (such as pansexuals & asexuals).
How this happen is probably the same way in which "nigger" became affrimated (with mixed results) in the african-american community. The previous generation shunned it as hateful, but another "reclaimed" it as part of the history in their own right without letting the original oppressors (in this case, whites) take over it's use once more, re-reading if you will. Same with gays, most of whom vemontly despise straight people using "gay" as anything but a gay individual.
So are "queer" and "dyke" affrimations or hateful speech? To me, I believe, that it depends on the reading of the situation. If a straight person were to call me a queer or a dyke, it would be meant (in my eyes) with malicious intent and would offend me. Personally, I'm offended when straight people use words like "dyke", "fag" (and their non-british), "queer" or "gay" when reffering to a certain person whose not gay, situation or (and here's the kicker) an inaminated object because then what their really saying is "that's/it's/he/she is stupid" and I take personal offence to people using words of which I use to empower and identify myself with as "stupid". Conversely, if a person in on North Halstead called me a queer or dyke it wouldn't (it might even be used affectionately) because it (I would assume) is without maliciousness involved.
I hoped that anwsered the question set forth, I never know with these things.