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What does “queer” mean?
There is no single definition that everyone shares. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes queer as a term some people use when their sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual. Some choose it because labels such as lesbian, gay, or bisexual feel too limiting or carry cultural associations that do not fit them. CDC terminology guidance
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) describes broader use: queer can refer to a range of identities and orientations outside mainstream expectations, including people who are not exclusively straight and people with nonbinary or gender-expansive identities. These are examples of how the word is used, not boundaries that every queer person accepts. HRC glossary of terms
Is queer an identity or an umbrella term?
It can be either, depending on the speaker and context. A person may choose queer as their own identity label. Other people use it broadly for a group of identities and orientations. Because the word’s scope is not universally agreed, a broad use should not be mistaken for an individual’s chosen label.
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Is “queer” offensive?
The word has a history as a pejorative directed at LGBTQ+ people. Many have reclaimed it and use it positively, but others still find it offensive or do not want it applied to them. Both reactions matter; reclamation by some does not make the word welcome to everyone. The CDC and HRC both advise care in using it for someone else. CDC terminology guidance · HRC glossary of terms
How to use the term respectfully
- Use queer for a person when they have chosen it for themself.
- If you do not know someone’s preferred language, use their name or a more specific term they have shared rather than assigning a label.
- It is appropriate to discuss the word itself, including its history, without applying it as a label to a person.
- For a broad community reference, the CDC recommends “LGBTQ community” unless you mean a particular subgroup. CDC terminology guidance
How common is queer as a self-description?
In a 2025 Pew Research Center report on LGBTQ adults in the United States, 48% said they think of themselves as queer. The figure was 59% among LGBTQ adults ages 18–29. In the same report, 44% said they did not think of themselves as queer and 8% were unsure. These are survey responses from U.S. LGBTQ adults, not estimates for all people or other countries. Pew Research Center, 2025
What is the difference between queer and questioning?
Questioning usually describes a process: exploring or discovering one’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Someone can be questioning without choosing a label. Someone who identifies as queer is not necessarily questioning. The CDC treats the terms as distinct. CDC terminology guidance
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why definitions can change
Language around identity evolves, and people may use or understand a term differently across communities and over time. The CDC’s terminology page, published December 17, 2024, says terminology continues to evolve and definitions may change. Its guidance is useful, but no glossary can replace asking how a person describes themself. CDC terminology guidance
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