The term “queer” originally meant “odd” or “strange.” Starting in the late 19th century, it was used pejoratively throughout the English-speaking world, primarily referring to gay men and lesbian women.

Beginning in the late 1980s, homosexuals in the United States reclaimed the term “queer” as a self-designation and gave it a positive meaning. “Queer” then served as an umbrella term for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. The opposing term to this was “straight.”

Over time, the term “queer” encompassed more and more groups of people who dissociated themselves from the heteronormative mainstream society, and it entered the German mainstream starting in the 2010s. However, the term “queer” is not strictly defined and is used in several ways today:

• An umbrella term for all groups of people who do not conform to heteronormativity
• A designation for individuals who do not identify as LGBTI+, but nevertheless consider themselves queer
• A shorthand indicating agreement with the concept of queer theory

Because “queer” is not always understood and used by everyone as an inclusive umbrella term today, freiburg.pink uses the term “rainbow community”.