Is this an LGBTQ thing?

Not specifically.

The literal meaning of ‘queer’ is just ‘weird’, though, and that’s significant. Historically, all minority sexualities and styles of gender expression have been viewed as ‘deviant’.

You can’t fight for LGBTQ+ liberation without fighting for the right for people to express themselves in unusual ways. It’s part of the reason why Gay/Queer Pride marches are so much fun! Flamboyancy is something that mainstream society permits only in certain limited circumstances.

Not only are LGBTQ+ folk are often seen as weird, but people who are seen as weird for other reasons are often assumed to be gay – or at least bullied as if they were. People who want to punish nonconformity tend not to be all that fussy about what they pick on people for. Normative standards in ‘Western’ societies are based around white, straight, abled, neurotypical, classist and patriarchal ideas of gender. Queerphobic, ableist, sexist and racist bullying and discrimination often overlap heavily.

People with intersecting marginalised identities are likely to feel this the hardest.

There are common threads in all of these forms of marginalisation and oppression, including the punishment of nonconformity or ‘weirdness’, but there are many important differences too. One of the key messages of Weird Pride is that it’s often a mistake to assume that you understand somebody else’s experiences, but it’s usually good to try.

So no, Weird Pride is not a specifically LGBTQ thing, but it’s not exactly separate either.


Shadows, trees, rainbows: a decorative image.
Photo by tackyshack under a CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 licence: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tackyshack/10733265856/

With all that said, here are some resources specifically on neurodivergence & queerness: