On the Semantics of "Homosexual" and "Queer"

mk@insidemordecai.com (Mordecai Kipng'etich) — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:46:18 +0300

With it being Pride month in certain parts of the world, I’ve found myself, at times, discussing the LGBTQ+ community with some friends.

Earlier today, my mind couldn’t help but wander. I pondered the semantics of the word “homosexual”. I barely use that word but I’ve never bothered to question myself until today. To me, the term feels quite derogatory.

In Kenya, public debate around LGBTQ+ issues remains heavily charged. I mostly encounter the word in news coverage when tied to hateful rhetoric, criminalisation, and conflict. In my opinion, that in itself might be the reason the word has a negative connotation. Additionally, it sounds way too formal and clinical, with it’s major use case being legal documents and medical contexts.

On the other hand, the term “queer” is used less locally. Perhaps that is why I find myself gravitating to it. It feels safer to lean on and use it. It has an element of community tied to it. It has been reclaimed by many LGBTQ+ people from it’s rocky past. Despite that, there are certain circles that are still uncomfortable with it but surely it’s better than the H-word.

“Queer” is more inclusive as an umbrella term. It wholly embraces the fluidity of gender and sexuality.

Certain camps still dislike this term and as such the safest option would be using gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans or LGBTQ+ when those are more precise. In this case, specificity is more respectful if you know how someone identifies.

Anyway, with this idea taking a huge part of my morning, I did a little research. I wanted to see if anyone else was quite pedantic about the semantics of those two terms. My research confirmed my suspicion, but I’m not here to gloat. Quite the contrary, I wanted to share my train of thought. Crucially, though, I found some interesting articles that would help someone explore this further.

A Language of Pride: The Terms Around LGBTQ+ Identity - this is very detailed and if you wanted to read only one resource, this would be it.
Glossary of Terms: LGBTQ by GLAAD.
Avoiding Heterosexual Bias in Language by the American Psychological Association.

LGBTQ+ on Mordecai Kipng'etich

On the Semantics of "Homosexual" and "Queer"