“I’m Gay, Not Queer”—Okay, But Let’s Talk.

Queer 101 with Peppermint · Nov 3, 2026 · 33m · transcript

Y’all don’t have to call yourself queer. But “I’m gay, not queer” is not a permission slip to disrespect trans people.

On this episode of Queer 101, I’m getting into the gay vs. queer debate—and the difference between choosing a label for yourself and using it to shut somebody else out.

Gay, queer, masc, femme, trans: our language has history, and sometimes that history hurts. I understand why a word reclaimed by one person might still feel painful to another. You get to decide what you call yourself. What we’re not doing is denying anyone else that same respect.

So let’s talk about what…