Queer people do not need to offer excuses or defend their own existence. If one could become queer by simply waking up one morning and deciding to become queer, for a day, for an hour, it wouldn’t change the fact that being queer is just as good, as valid, as worthy, as being straight. Providing straight people with reasons or excuses for our queerness simply confirms their suspicions that our sexuality really is their business and that we need to justify our existence to them. This allows heterosexists to continue to believe there is something superior about heterosexuality, and that being queer is a deviation from some kind of normal or default sexuality. There isn’t and it’s not.I understand that "being born this way" is probably the best leverage against homophobia the LGBT community has, but it justifies something that should need no justification, and erases experiences of sexual fluidity or not fitting the narrative of "just always knowing."
Friday, November 11, 2011
Born This Way?
I've been sitting on this quote from a jezebel commenter for some time, trying to fashion it into a post. It succinctly illustrates why I've been reluctant to embrace the whole "born this way" rhetoric. Then I found this post from the Social Justice League :
Labels:
born this way,
LGBT
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I agree on both counts.. not everyone 'knew from the start' (sometimes for fun, I'll identify as 'straight, to date' since I can't guarantee I'll never be attracted to women... just that I haven't so far) and even if they did.. No one should have to excuse or justify their attractions and relationships.
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