I’ve been thinking a lot about generational differences lately, and the differing viewpoints within the LGBTQIA+ communities from various eras.

It’s really easy to judge our queer forebears for their beliefs or actions in today’s world. Too easy, honestly.

Perhaps it’s just me. I am, for good or bad, a fairly judgmental person.

However, I also see the nuances. The times before this era for the community contained a lot of nuance under the gay and lesbian umbrella. Erasure? Absolutely. Gatekeeping? Hells yes!

But sometimes I wonder: has the pendulum swung too far?

I look at all the wonderful identities out there now. I marvel at how I seem to learn of a new intersection or identity every time I turn around.

But one thing I don’t see as much is cohesion. The ones that push us apart are obvious, but I don’t see things that pull us together.

I’ll speak to my own identities here: non-binary, transgender, queer. All amazing and nuanced, but so individualistic I feel it’s almost impossible to unite around something. Transfemme is better, but there’s a lot of bias towards trans women and not of alternative experiences.

Lesbian? Well, that’s complicated. There’s a rich history there, but also I see so much conflict in that community now. Yes, the trans exclusionary folx are there and far too loud. But also I see a lot of struggling to find an identity in a world where it seem “lesbian” is becoming seen as outdated. I talk to older butches and they feel like they are going away. I rarely feel like I speak with femmes that use that word in the older sense.

I wonder: what is the outcome of winning our battles against bigotry? Do we want a world where we are all normal people? I know I don’t.

But it’s hard to see what else could be coming sometimes.