Muslim Immigrant Father's Fury: You Queer Brat!

Introduction

When I was in senior high school, there was this Muslim immigrant family that lived in our block, right across our street. The youngest son, whose name was Khan, used to study at my high school. One day, Khan’s father stormed the school hallways amid a class session and headed for Khan’s class. His father yanked him out of his class, yelling, “You queer brat! This is how you repay me?” He angrily flashed a picture of Khan and another boy kissing, then hurled him against the wall, clenching his fist. The teacher had stepped in and pulled Khan away from him, after which he and angrily stormed out of school with a stern warning for Khan not to set foot at home, for being a disgrace. That was the first time I heard the word “queer” and I did not quite understand what it meant.

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Meaning/Context

In this context, Khan’s father used the word Queer to mean homosexual in a derogative manner. For a long time, Queer was a homophobic reference to refer to people attracted to the same sex (Barker and Scheele 21). “Queer quickly became a derogatory term for same-sex sex or people with same-sex attractions”(Barker and Scheele 21). It was widely used to slur to homosexuals and was meant to criticize their sexual and gender orientations. Oscar Wilde was referred to as queer in a letter by the Marquess of Queensberry, John Sholto, for having relations with his son (Barker and Scheele 21). It was in this same spirit I had my first encounter with the term. In this regard, it was applied negatively and was used to slur Khan, a radical expression of discrimination against homosexuals.

Application of “Queer” in this Reading

The reading uses the term concisely, taking into consideration the elements of gender identity, sexual orientation, gender expression. The piece presents the very notions of homosexuality and heterosexuality as historically specific social constructs. “Early sexology opened the door to discrimination, criminalization and pathologization” (Barker and Scheele 46). The text features the historical reclamation of Queer as a self-affirming blanket word for LGBTQ+ individuals, thus bringing forth the evolution of the term. It portrays Queer as encompassing an array of identities or practices that deviate from conventional ideals of sexual orientations and gender identity. There article’s use of the word Queer takes a contemporary understanding of sexual orientation as constitutive of the individual rather than a combination of situated practices.

Besides that, the reading uses and depicts the term queer as an evolving concept. The text reveals the gradual evolution of Queer from a generalized term for odd or peculiar, to mean homosexual (in an offensive way), and then to a contemporary reference for defiance of social expectations. The presentation of the term as continually changing in meaning and use brings forth the fact that as our understanding of gender identity and sexual orientations grows, people discover more diverse identities. The evolution of this the term queer, is an endeavor of the inclusivity of individuals with different identities.

The Difference From the Earlier Understanding

The depiction of the term queer in the course readings has profoundly changed my perception of the word. Earlier, I considered this term a slur, offensive, especially for its gender-defining implications. “Queer was also used as a more general insult to make things questionable by associating them with same-sex attraction” (Barker and Scheele 22). Following course readings, my understanding of Queer is a term that breaks free from the conventional definitions of masculine and feminine behavior. For a long time, I perceived that term as applicable only to people attracted to the same sex or any out-of-the-ordinary gender identity or orientation. Taking into account course content, view Queer as more of a blanket term referring to individuals whose sexual identities lie outside of heterosexuality.

Generally, my initial understanding of Queer was rigid, fixating on the LGBTQ+ bracket rather than taking into account other identities or orientations that fall outside of this bracket. “Queer is often used as an umbrella term for anyone who is not heterosexual or cisgender” (Barker and Scheele 25). The article’s portrait of Queer has brought me to the understanding of Queer as more of a social movement, not just for the LGBTQ+ community, but for all individuals against rigid social structures and their consequent oppression of nonconformists. I am more aware of the evolving scope of the term queer, to include people whose orientations deviate from what has long been considered normal.

My understanding of the term queer has shifted since my first encounter with the term. After this mind-boggling piece, it would be ignorant to keep viewing queer as a blanket term for a particular community. Being more enlightened, my view of Queer is a term that is not for a specific range of identities, but one that includes all groups or individuals, even those the acronym may exclude. It also brings me to the realization that unlike traditionally, where it was often ascribed to others, in the modern-day, it is claimed for oneself, reflecting a sense of belonging or identity. “LGBT communities began to reclaim the word as either a neutral word to describe themselves or as a positive form of self-identity” (Barker and Scheele 23). To some extent, I held the notion that for one to be queer, they have to fit the LGBTQ+ bracket. This course reading brings out the ambiguity of the term, which offers affiliates a sense of community without necessarily identifying with a specific group or label.

Work Cited

Barker, Meg-John, and Jules Scheele. Queer: a Graphic History. Icon Books Ltd, 2016.