A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from July 01, 2011
“We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it”

“We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it” has been a slogan of Queer Nation since at least August 1990. A forgotten addition today is, ““We’re here, we’re queer, we’re fabulous, get used to it.”
 
“We’re here” with “We’re queer” has been used in gay slogans since at least 1987.
 
   
Wikipedia: Queer Nation
Queer Nation was an organization founded in March 1990 in New York City, USA by AIDS activists from ACT UP. The four founders were outraged at the escalation of anti-gay and lesbian violence on the streets and prejudice in the arts and media. The group is known for its confrontational tactics, its slogans, and for the practice of outing.
(...)
The group’s use of the word “queer” in its name and slogan was at first considered shocking, though the reclamation has been called a success, used in relatively mainstream television programs such as Queer Eye and Queer as Folk.

Other slogans used by Queer Nation include “Two, Four, Six, Eight! How Do You Know Your Kids Are Straight?” and “Out of the Closets and Into the Streets,” and the ever popular, but often bastardized, “We’re Here! We’re Queer! Get used to it!”’
 
12 October 1987, Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader, “Thousands in Capital Join March for Gays,” pg. A1:
Marchers on Pennsylvania Avenue laughed when they saw one women holding a sign saying, “We’re here because we’re queer.”
 
8 May 1988, Sacramento (CA) Bee, “THousands March to Capital Assail Anti-Gay Bias,” pg.A1:
One of the popular marching chants was, ““We’re here because we’re queer.’‘
       
Google News Archive
9 September 1989, Ellensburg (WA) Daily Record, “Night at opera turns into AIDS melee, pg. 4, col. 1:
“Just before the curtain went up, they crowded in from the area and started down the aisles blowing police whistles, carrying a large banner and shouting, we’re queer and we’re here! Stop AIDS now!“freelance photographer Elizabeth Karnazes said.
 
2 August 1990, Boston (MA) Globe, “Boston Gay Groups Vow New Militancy Against Hate”:
They chanted: “We’re here. We’re quee.r We’re fabulous. Get used to it.”
 
6 August 1990, Washington (DC) Post, “NEA and Artists”:
(“We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it.”)
 
Google News Archive
1 November 1990, Eugene (OR) Reigster-Guard, “Prayers target evil, anger gay activists” Bby The Associated Press, pg 3A, col. 2:
“We’re queer, we’re here; get used to it,” they chanted. “Born again bigots, go away; racist, sexist, anti-gay.”
 
Google News Archive
26 May 1991, Spokane (WA) Spokesman-Review, “We’re here, we’re queer,’ activists say” (Associated Press),  pg. B8, col. 4:
The Seattle group (Of Queer Nation—ed.) borrows much from the original New York chapter, including its motto: “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re fabulous—get used to it.”
 
6 April 1991, New York (NY) Times “Militants Back ‘Queer,” Shoving"Gay the Way of’Negro’” by Alessandra Stanley, pg. 23:
Queer Nation, whose motto is “We’re Here/We’re Queer/Get Used to It,” has chapters in cities across the country but no appointed or elected leaders, and does not refer to adherents as members.

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /Health • Friday, July 01, 2011 • Permalink


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