Words I want back because they are good and noble words which have been stolen and corrupted:
comrade
gay
discriminate
partner
Queer used to just mean odd.
My mother still uses it that way from time to time. I’m not sure if anyone’s called her a homophobe yet (whatever that is).
Diversity, tolerance, acceptance, queer.... the list truly is endless. It's gotten to the point with me that in a lot of discussions..... say as might occur at a family gathering where socio-political topics might get discussed... every discussion I get into starts with a statement of "so before I can answer that question or carry on a discussion about that issue, how exactly are you defining that word?" It's like every discussion becomes consumed with clarifying the language, and establishing the definitions to the terminology that might get used.....
And the rainbow as well.