In the 1980s, some gay and lesbian activists began reclaiming вЂњqueerвЂќ as an empowering self-designation.ДЄs such, queer theory doesnвЂ™t see identity as determined by genetics at birth, but rather вЂњsomething that is constructed through repeated performative actions that are in turn informed by existing social constructions of gender.вЂќ For them queer isnвЂ™t a fixed identity so much as a critique of the very concept of identity and how itвЂ™s created and maintained. In the English language, вЂњqueerвЂќ originally popped up in the 16th century as a synonym for вЂњstrangeвЂќ and вЂњillegitimate.вЂќ In the 19th century, it began to mean вЂњodd,вЂќ and by the end of that century people used it as a slur against effeminate men and men who slept with other men. But let us clear it up so you can better understand the concept and how it applies to the entire LGBTQ spectrum. вЂњQueerвЂќ itself has a rather queer definition. When people ask вЂњWhat does the Q stand for in LGBTQ?вЂќ some people think its stands for вЂњquestioningвЂќ (as in someone who is questioning their own sexuality), but it actually stands for вЂњqueer,вЂќ a reclaimed anti-gay slur describing people whose sexual or gender identities arenвЂ™t just cisgender, heterosexual or otherwise вЂњmainstream.вЂќД«ut what is queer? What does queer mean? Is there a difference between queer versus gay? A queer definition is actually hard to provide because the word itself goes far beyond mere sexual orientation or gender identity.

What does kn stand for