June is Pride month, and as linguists (a proudly diverse crew if ever there was one), it’s the perfect moment to celebrate the vibrant vocabulary that queer speakers use — and create — in the languages we love.
Queer language isn’t just about labels. It’s about visibility, resistance, solidarity, and joy. And like any living part of language, it evolves. Some terms come from institutions and activism; others bubble up from youth slang, subcultures, or the internet. Some are reclaimed from slurs, and others are lovingly borrowed from English. What they all have in common is that they tell stories — about culture, politics, humour, and belonging.
Here’s a multilingual sampler of queer vocabulary in the languages I work with and love, as well as terms to be aware (and wary) of — updated for 2025 and with a couple of notes to explain where and how these terms are used. As you’d expect, English terms have been co-opted in many cultures and are widely understood.
FRENCH
French queer vocabulary bridges formal discourse and rich colloquial creativity, particularly in urban and activist spaces. Youth and LGBTQ+ communities often borrow from verlan (urban backslang), argot, and pop culture.
Formal / Inclusive:
– LGBTQIA+ — widely used in activist and legal discourse.
– Une personne transgenre / non-binaire — trans / non-binary person.
– Homos / lesbiennes / bisexuel·le·s — broadly accepted and understood.
Colloquial / Reclaimed:
– Gouine — dyke; used proudly by some lesbians.
– Tarlouze / tapette — pejorative and generally not reclaimed (yet).
– Draguer — to flirt or cruise.
– Militant·e LGBT — LGBTQ+ activist.
Regional variant: In Québec French, you may encounter allosexuel·le (non-heterosexual) or personne queer, used in a slightly different way than in France.
GERMAN
German queer language mixes formal clarity with rich subcultural registers. Germany has a strong LGBTQIA+ history, with Christopher Street Day (CSD) being the main Pride celebration.
Standard Terms:
– Schwul / lesbisch / bi / pan — gay / lesbian / bi / pan; widely accepted.
– Queer — directly borrowed and proudly used.
– Nicht-binär / trans / inter — gender-inclusive language.
– Regenbogenfamilie — literally rainbow family.
– Coming-out — borrowed directly from English.
Colloquial / Subcultural:
– Homo — casual term; can be neutral or teasing.
– Gay sein — “to be gay,” borrowed and adapted from English.
– Tunte — an effeminate gay man; can be camp and celebratory within communities but also historically a slur.
Sociolinguistic note: German LGBTQ+ youth often use a hybrid of German and English (“queer sein”, “pride month feiern”, and “nonbinary Person” are common).
GREEK
Greek queer vocabulary is lively but still shaped by ongoing stigma in some spheres. Younger generations and activist circles are doing brilliant work coining and promoting respectful terms.
Formal / Inclusive:
– ΛΟΑΤΚΙ+ (LOATKI+) — LGBTQIA+.
– Ομοφυλόφιλος/η, λεσβία, αμφιφυλόφιλος/η — standard but formal.
– Τρανς άτομο — trans person.
– Κουήρ — transliteration of “queer.”
Slang / Reclaimed:
– Πούστης — historical slur for gay men; sometimes reclaimed but still very charged, so use with care.
– Λεσβού / λεσβία — lesbian (the former more colloquial).
– Ντραγκ κουίν — drag queen.
– Καμάκι — flirtation or cruising (not exclusively queer).
Cultural note: Greek queer media increasingly uses international terms like non-binary and queer without translation, reflecting global influences and activist solidarity.
NORWEGIAN
Norwegian LGBTQIA+ vocabulary is inclusive, modern, and quite straightforward, with excellent mainstream acceptance of terms like skeiv.
Standard / Positive:
– Skeiv — literally “crooked”; now a proudly reclaimed umbrella term for queer identities.
– Homofil / lesbisk / bifil / panfil — general, neutral orientation terms.
– Transperson / ikke-binær — trans / non-binary person.
– Regnbuefamilie — rainbow family.
– Pride-parade / skeiv kultur — directly borrowed terms.
Today, skeiv is actively used by government in public comms, youth organisations, and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups across Norway. Neighbouring Swedish has co-opted the English queer in most cases, although also has the reclaimed bög for gay men – occasionally, the word Regnbågspersoner (rainbow people) is found in Swedish event blurb and similar as an umbrella term.
SCOTTISH GAELIC
Gaelic queer vocabulary is vibrant and developing all the time, with new terms emerging thanks to community activism. Much of the lexicon is borrowed, calqued or adapted respectfully.
Affirming / Respectful Terms:
– Co-sheòrsach — same-sex attracted (literally “same-gendered”).
– Boireannach co-sheòrsach / fear co-sheòrsach — lesbian / gay man.
– Gèidh — gay.
– Neo-bhìnearaidh — non-binary.
– Gnè-sòisealta — gender identity.
– Gnèitheachas — sexuality / sexual orientation.
– Aithris gnè — gender expression.
Emerging language: Community groups are also exploring terms like cuèir (queer), far-ghnèitheach (genderqueer), and coimhearsnachd gèidh (gay community). These are not yet standardised but are used lovingly in queer Gaelic circles.
FINAL THOUGHTS: LANGUAGE AS RESISTANCE, JOY, AND KINSHIP
Words are powerful. They help us name ourselves, find each other, and push back against silence. In each of these languages, queer terms are not just dictionary entries — they’re evidence of visibility, resistance, and renewal.
What’s more, the growth of queer vocabularies often mirrors broader shifts in society — whether it’s skeiv being used in official policy, κουήρ entering mainstream Greek media, or Gaelic activists forging new terms for non-binary identities. Each new word is a signal of change, community, and possibility.
OVER TO YOU
Do you know other queer terms in the languages you’re learning or using? Have you seen how words can include — or exclude — depending on context? Drop a comment or share your favourites with me on the socials!
With love and linguistic Pride,
Rich x
