What is the English term for the German 'queerfeindlichkeit'?

• A. queerphobia
• B. homophobia
• C. transphobia
• D. racism

Answer: (A)

Translating hostility toward queer people into English is about finding a term that captures both the target group and the prejudice. The German word queerfeindlichkeit means hostility or antagonism directed at queer people. The natural English equivalent is queerphobia, where phobia signals fear or aversion, and queer serves as an umbrella term for LGBTQ+ identities. This pairing accurately conveys prejudice that affects a broad spectrum of identities within the queer community, not just one subgroup.

Homophobia would emphasize bias specifically against gay people, which misses the broader scope of queer identities. Transphobia focuses on transgender individuals, leaving out other groups encompassed by queer. Racism involves discrimination based on race, which is a different axis of identity altogether. So queerphobia best matches the idea of negative attitudes or hostility toward the entire queer community.