That tweet about bisexuals not being able to use f*g or d*ke is why I really worry about young queers who gained their "education" via the Tumblr mode of like, prizing validity over liberation, focusing on visibility rather than substantive change, ignoring historical contexts

This was gonna be a thread but then I got upset and took a walk and forgot

But I do want to say this reminds me of when I did a thread about using the word "queer" and I got pushback by a lot of older LGBT+ teens who'd seemed to swallow really anti-queer talking points and it made me really sad and frustrated

Here is the point I want to make: I am not someone who is attempting to reclaim anti-LGBTQ+ slurs. I am instead trying to establish that when those slurs are deployed, and when they have been, they've been hurled at bisexuals as well as lesbians & gays.

When we talk about anti-queer behavior, we shouldn't be policing what people have experienced and how they choose to discuss those experiences. A bisexual person called a f*g is being subjected to anti-queer violence & thus can talk about it

Gatekeeping in queer spaces is how we get T/e/r/f/s, many of whom are queer themselves. So BE CAREFUL. I say this to everyone but especially younger ppl who are getting their info from the internet. BE CAREFUL who you're listening to and what their agenda may be

Learn your history. Listen. Don't gatekeep.

Here's a thread I did recommending some queer history books https://twitter.com/ellle_em/status/1278071653180809223?s=19

Also please please please help me help cats https://twitter.com/ellle_em/status/1259945800379117570?s=19

Here is what I am not doing

-trying to claim I'm """"woke"""" for suggesting gatekeeping is bad
-trying to reclaim slurs or even use them to describe myself or anyone else
-lecturing

Here is what I am doing

-explaining that slurs are directed at anyone perceived to be queer, not just certain kinds of queers
-warning against strict and hyper-atomized definitions of queer identities
-begging ppl to read some queer history

Here is what I am not doing

-engaging w/people about these tweets

Here is what I am doing

-muting this thread
-painting birds