Originally a synonym
for "odd", this word became a derogatory expression for gays in the 20th
Century. Even though many people still use "queer" as an anti-gay
epithet, a movement emerged in the 1980s that calls itself queer. Used in this way,
queer means sexually dissident, but not necessarily gay. Many gays, transsexuals,
bisexuals and even heterosexuals whose sexuality doesn't fit into the cultural standard of
monogamous heterosexual marriage have adopted the "queer" label.
In academic
circles, the term "queer" often refers to the approaches and
sensibilities of queer theory.
