As a cisgender gay man, I've used the word queer as a personal identity label since 1990! I was among the first people in the United States to deliberately set about reclaiming the slur.

I wore Queer Nation symbols on my clothing for almost a decade.

I'm 62 years old, so I grew up in a world where "queer" was a terrible insult, maybe even more powerful than fag or faggot.

So I have empathy for older gay people who can't bring themselves to use the word. I understand. I get it. It's okay.

But what I don't get, and what I don't believe for a moment, is this sudden objection on the part of relatively young transphobes. They say they're terribly offended because "queer" is an unacceptable anti-gay slur.

I don't believe them.

They grew up in a world where queer studies departments are part of respected universities. They grew up in a world where Queer Eye for the Straight Guy is a runaway-popular TV show. They grew up in a world where bars for LGBTQ people are routinely called queer bars. So, let's get real about how offended they are, shall we?

Oh, I believe they're offended, just not because they think queer is a homophobic slur. They're offended because they don't want to be seen as part of a group of people who include trans people. They're offended because they are transphobic.

They should try to having some empathy for marginalized people. Transgender people haven't done anything to hurt them or anyone. Trans people are a tiny part of the population, and they're not a threat to anyone.

In fact, trans people are constant risk just living their lives. Hell, their children are at risk of violence, as I wrote about earlier this week in Prism & Pen.

I feel moved to repeat I phrase I chanted in the streets many times:

We're here, were queer, get used to it!