Some Queer Thoughts about the “Weird” Discourse
If you’ve been paying any attention to U.S. politics over the last week or so, then you’re probably aware that Democrats have taken to calling MAGA Republicans “weird.” (For those unaware, this article provides an overview.)
I will admit that I didn’t quite get the appeal of this strategy at first. For starters, the adjective “weird” seems to undersell how scary MAGA policies (such as Project 2025) and rhetoric actually are. On top of that, like many artists and queer folks, I have long embraced the fact that I am “weird” — that is, I differ from the norm in certain important respects.
Normally, I would say: People will inevitably differ from the norm in all sorts of ways, so we should learn to appreciate those differences. Thus, calling politicians we disagree with “weird” seems counterproductive, at least in this regard.
But over the last few days, MAGAs have suffered a complete meltdown over the word. They have been unable to formulate a coherent rebuttal to this charge, other than claiming that it is somehow “wrong” or “unfair” to call them “weird.” To be clear, this is a political party that routinely (and baselessly) smears their opponents as “groomers,” “vermin,” and “satanists” — words which are far more dehumanizing and demonizing than “weird” ever could be.
