Write Better Pride Copy: How To Decide To Use Queer (Or Not) In Your Pride Copy

Although we are at the end of Pride Month in the United States, the rest of the world still has Pride events coming. And Pride doesn’t end on the 30th of June. There are important celebrations and days of remembrance throughout the year. The tips we have covered this month to improve your pride copy will help now and going forward. You know how to start researching your queer audience. We’ve looked at the queer community in San Antonio, Texas. And you’ve learned how to incorporate queer history and current issues into your Pride copy. And now we’re going to talk about the last tip, which is how to decide whether or not you should use the word queer in your Pride copy.

As a heads up, I will use the word queer (of course) and the word dyke in this post. I will not be using any other (reclaimed) slurs. I identify (in part) as a queer dyke. These are my words to use (see below for more!), but I won’t use anyone else’s words as they are not mine to use.

And if you are looking for a Pride copywriter, click on that link and set up a 15 minute call with me! I can give a sensitivity read to the Pride copy that you’ve already written, create a Pride copy strategy for the rest of this year, or you can lock me in now to handle all of next year’s Pride copy for your business at a discount! (PS - To DMV-based businesses: World Pride is in DC next year!) We will talk about your goals, your local queer community, your business, and how I can help make your Pride copy absolutely fabulous.

In this blog post, we are going to talk about what a reclaim slur is and why queer is different. And then we’ll discuss both how to decide whether or not to use queer in your pride copy. Finally, if you do decide to use it, I’ll give you tips on how to use queer without being offensive.

Empowering Ourselves And Disempowering Bigots

A slur is a word used against a particular group to demean them (to put it mildly) or as an attempt to shame them (or others) into complying with how you think they should be. For example, the word “dyke” can be used as a pejorative for queer women but it can also be used against any woman who does not fit someone’s idea of heterosexual femininity. Slurs are violent, whether or not accompanied by actual physical violence.

So why would groups reclaim these words? Well, in my experience, reclaimed words are the best way to sap them of their power. If I proudly and openly call myself a dyke, then if someone else uses it against me, I am better able to let it roll off me. Of course, it’s a little more complicated than that. But at base, taking back a word, takes it away from people who hate us.

And as a reminder for your pride copy - and all your copy - if you are not a member of the community who has reclaimed the word (with the possible exception of  the word “queer”, as we’ll discuss), just don’t use them. Even if you think it’s totally okay now. You don’t want to come across as racist, homophobic, sexist, or ableist, I’m sure, so better to find words with positive histories for your copy.

Why Is Using the Word Queer (Maybe) Okay?

Queer as an identity started in the same way as other reclaimed slurs. It was a political act and a way to take back power from people who would use that word against the queer community in a negative and violent way.

Today, queer is an identity in and of itself. Queer is often also a progressive or radical political identity. And some people use it as an umbrella term so that they don’t necessarily have to always define the minutiae of their gender identity or sexual orientation, especially if those things are more fluid for them than for other folks.

Queer is becoming more mainstream as a word too, which isn’t the case for many other reclaimed slurs. Media organizations are using the term to refer to the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s not just those of us who have reclaimed the word.

But this comes with risk. Members of the community do not want that word to be used and not happy that it is becoming more mainstream. If you decide to use queer as in your pride copy, you are taking the risk that someone who does not want this term to be reclaimed is going to read your copy and be turned off. These people often have had awful experiences that have involved the word “queer”, so their reaction is appropriate. Like I said above, it’s complicated.

Should You Use the Word Queer Or Not?

Okay, all that is great, but how do you actually decide whether or not to use the word “queer” in your copy? 

This is where your research comes back in. Look at how your local community talks about itself and its members. Do they use the word queer? Do they exclusively use acronyms? Are there any blog posts or other articles discussing the word? (If so, delve into the comments on these, even if you usually adhere to the “Don’t Read The Comments” rule of surviving on the internet. It can give you a view into whether the word is part of a heated debate in the community or not.) 

If you see that they consistently describe themselves a queer, then likely you can respectfully use it to describe your local queer community too. 

But in the end, you have to factor in your own risk appetite. If you are willing to risk making a mistake and responding to any call out or call in graciously, go ahead and use it. If that’s not you (no judgment - I am personally pretty risk averse), then stick to LGBTQIA+ or another appropriate acronym for your local queer community.

Avoiding Offense: How to Use the Word Queer in Your Pride Copy

Let’s assume that you’ve decided that you want to use the word queer in your pride copy. How are you supposed to use it in order to avoid being offensive or violent?

Use queer as an adjective, not as a noun. And particularly avoid it as a plural noun, because that will definitely read in a violent and offensive way. (Bonus Tip! This also aligns with how you should use transgender or trans: these are adjectives that describe a person, not nouns.) 

Even if you see people within the community using queer as a noun, you should avoid doing the same. Queer as a noun is in-community only.

And if you decide to use the word queer in your Pride copy, get someone from the community to give it a read and make sure that you aren’t accidentally using it in a way that could be read as violent or offensive.

And if you don’t have anyone who can do that for you or are looking for a Pride copywriter, click the link to set up a 15 minute call. We will discuss your goals, your needs, and how you want to engage with a queer community, both during Pride Month and for the rest of the year. Let’s make your Pride copy stellar!

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