IIRC the current lesbian flag was made in 2015 by a MOGAI (yes, MOGAI) flags account on Deviantart by removing the mark from the lipstick lesbian flag so if you don’t see it at pride much it’s probably because a majority of the world outside Tumblr, (a) doesn’t know it exists and (b) sees the rainbow flag as the symbol of the lesbian community. It’s a similar case with the purple and yellow nb flag- it’s newer and it was made by a Tumblr user so you’re more likely to see the older green and purple nb flag at pride.
It’s nice to be able to buy pride merch in the flag that best represents you and your community, but please, PLEASE consider that the person who made whatever you’re looking at that doesn’t include the new lesbian flag or the nb flag simply doesn’t know about either of those flags. If possible, you should let them know what flags you would like to see! But their lack of knowledge on a flag that was made by a MOGAI Deviantart account less than 5 years ago doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a raging lesbophobe or enbyphobe.
And yes, you might see ace and polyam flags, which are much older. That doesn’t mean people think that asexuality and polyamory are more valid and important, it just means that the flags are much older and more recognized. Hopefully the lesbian flag and purple-yellow nonbinary flag will get there soon! But they never will if we immediately turn to calling creators out instead of telling them what we want to see and why we want to see it.
mogais keep inventing bullshit homophobic and/or just plain fucking useless terms like “queerphobia” and “homonormativity” when the only similar term i can think of that might actually be useful would be some fuckshit like “queernormativity” since yall love to call every lgbt person “queer” without our consent
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t bother reblogging a post like this, especially not to this blog. But this post is a perfect example of a major problem that exists on Tumblr. In short, history is being ignored, erased, and rewritten with every new discourse flavor of the week.
The term homonormativity has existed since the 90s. It’s creation is credited to the trans community. In specific, the term is credited to Susan Stryker: a transgender woman and professor of Women’s, Gender, and LGBT Studies.
This is a screengrab from The Sage Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies. But a simple search will show that Stryker has written much on homonormativity and trans history.
The history of the usage of queerphobia has been less easy to track down, but a few pages suggest that its been in use since the 90s as well.
Given the push for the reclaimation of queer during the 90s and the growth of queer theory around the same time, that would be entirely logical. In addition, searches on Google books for “queer-phobic” and “queerphobia” turn up related hits dating back to the late 90s.
But I’m short on time right now. I do intend to keep looking for additional sources on this. And if anyone has any I would be grateful to you for sending them my way.
However, my point is this: even if the term queerphobia had originated on Tumblr, and it did not, it has since spread beyond into wider community and academic usage. Queerphobia has been mentioned in everything from blog posts to academic journals since the mid 2000s at least.
If the existence of the term queerphobia did not benefit or add to discussions of queer oppression, would we use it? Obviously the term has a place and a usage.
I find it interesting and telling that an exclusionist would go out of their way to lie about the origins of terms like homonormativity, so much so as to deny credit to the trans woman who coined it.
And I believe I know why: Homonormativity is a term that helps us to discuss assimilation and respectability politics within the LGBTQ+ communities. Exclusionary discourse on this website has been pro-assimilation since day one.
In any case, the tl:dr is this:
1) Be very careful what you accept as true, because lies intended to push a specific narrative are posted on this website everyday.
2) Learn queer history. When we know our pasts, it will be that much more difficult for people with less than honorable intentions to manipulate us.
3) Just because you’ve never heard something before doesn’t mean it is a new word or concept. *especially* if it sounds like academic or activist jargon it has likely been in use for awhile and you should look it up before brushing it off. (I mean, and the wider: don’t brush things off just because they are new to you thing…)
i’ve yet to see a “mental illness culture on this site is so toxic/problematic” post that wasn’t condescending, disdainful, infantilising, completely misunderstands why mental illness tumblr exists in the first place, or is straight up “why don’t u just choose to get better already?”, or All Of The Above.
i mean theres “i realised i needed to stop posting depression memes all the time bc it was putting me in a bad space” which I understand and have no disagreement with, but then there’s those same voices being coopted by this vein of “if you were more positive you’d feel better”, which is an All Of The Above.
pro tip: accuse someone of ‘wallowing’ and that’s an All Of The Above Hole-In-One, congrats, don’t talk to mentally ill people ever again until u sort out your own issues
exclusionary politics of all forms ultimately boil down to performative activism and making everything u dislike or don’t understand problematic so u can keep ur woke points bc keeping up the facade that you are Not and Never Have Been problematic is more important that the actual impact you have on others and the world, not actually trying to change things or provide resources or support or educating yourself and being able to admit you’re wrong or Grow as a human being.
i’m bipolar and i had my self esteem beaten the fuck down from the time i was Born. i understand how difficult dealing with criticism can be and how shameful being wrong can be sometimes. HOWEVER if you can not place those feelings above the well being of others, it’s no longer a not being able to take criticism problem. it’s you being selfish and that is wrong.
[id= the ‘is this a pigeon?’ meme in which an anime guy holds up a hand to gesture at a butterfly. The guy has been labeled “tumblr” the butterfly is labeled “ruthless mockery aimed at queer and trans people” and the text at the bottom reads “Is this discourse?” /end id]
remember the discourse that aces were culturally appropriating from tumblr mental illness groups by using an #actuallyX tag bc like….. that was so symptomatic of us white people having no concept of Culture and substituting it with any other kind of shared identity label
🍓🧀 (archive) 