Open Forum: The Death of Queer Culture

Is queer culture on the verge of death? The question may strike you as odd since millions of people have come out over the past few decade, and the numbers only increase over time. We have entered a time period where sexuality and gender are no longer binaristic, and new terms and identities are being created to allow freedom of self expression to take place. All these are signs that queer identity is blossoming and taking on new forms. After all religion doesn't dissipate when the number of followers expands, it only becomes more evident and vibrant.

So what's this talk about queer culture fading? Well unlike religion or political parties whereby more followers means more identity and power, the opposite is true with queer identity. Queer identity is built on the notion that we are different, and apart from the general public. The more people who join the queer "freak show" the less weird and alien it is to the general public and the easier it is for queers to assimilate. Assimilation is inevitable, the more people come out, equals the more normalized queer identity becomes, results in the less marginalized queer people become, and the result is less need for queer specific resources.

Is assimilation really a bad thing? It does come at the expense of some aspects of queer culture but many of the aspects being erased are ones of shame and exclusion...

"If there is a real choice between a culture built on oppression and a culture built on freedom, the decision is an easy one" - Andrew Sullivan

Is this the death of a culture, or is it the evolution of a movement? Do you see queer identity as growing or fading over the course of time, and do you view that in a positive, negative, or neutral light?