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Post by chelseeyuh on Mar 17, 2010 16:12:42 GMT -5
Today at my Gay-Straight Alliance meeting, we talked about using the words "gay" and "fag" as insults. I personally am against it, as I know many other people are. But I also know people (both gay and straight) that have no problem with it. So what do you guys think about using "gay" or "fag" as an insult?
To me, using those words insinuates that homosexuality is bad. It's pejorative, just like the N word.
However, I once heard someone argue that the meanings of words change over time, and it's just something that we have to let happen. The word "lame" used to mean crippled, but now no one takes offense if you call something lame.
So, yeah.. What do you think? Do you use these words or get offended if you hear someone using them?
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Post by Lex on Mar 17, 2010 16:30:03 GMT -5
I think its interesting, because 'lame' was an actual scientific and medical designation at one point - but 'fag' and the n-word were both created from other words and used specifically as pejoratives. I'm fine if someone calls something 'gay' but just as long as they know exactly what they're insinuating - that the thing is happy.
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Post by Ricky on Mar 17, 2010 16:31:11 GMT -5
I also don't agree with people using the word gay as a negative adjective. Yes "lame" might have meant crippled some time ago, but the connection is long gone, and that's no the case with the meanings of gay
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Post by zAkAtAk on Mar 17, 2010 16:49:01 GMT -5
I say that stuff is gay everyday.
I say the word fag almost everyday.
I say the word nigger almost everyday.
This list goes on and on...
If someone is offended by it, then I don't say it.
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Post by click3tyclick on Mar 17, 2010 16:52:03 GMT -5
I say that stuff is gay everyday. I say the word fag almost everyday. I say the word nigger almost everyday. This list goes on and on... If someone is offended by it, then I don't say it. The thing is, if you use gay as an insult, it means you consider being gay a bad thing. And if you are a gay person and you constantly hear people using gay as an insult, you won't be very happy. At least I think you won't. |
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Post by Johncoyne on Mar 17, 2010 16:58:50 GMT -5
I happen to act rather... er... Flamboyantly. Some people think I'm gay. I'm not, but I take no offense. Homosexuality isn't a bad thing, it's a lifestyle. When people say to me, "OMG uR sooooo q4yyyyyyyyy.." I laugh. I honestly don't care. Some of the coolest people I know are gay. It is bad that some people use it as a derogatory word, but it shouldn't offend them. I was talking to a friend of my dad who happened to be gay (and blind, and he had a great sense of humor. It was hilarious) about people saying, "That's gay" He laughed when he first heard it. He told me that most gay people he knows are REALLY stupid. So not all gays are offended by it...
Wow, that was a long message.
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Post by zAkAtAk on Mar 17, 2010 17:09:26 GMT -5
I say that stuff is gay everyday. I say the word fag almost everyday. I say the word nigger almost everyday. This list goes on and on... If someone is offended by it, then I don't say it. The thing is, if you use gay as an insult, it means you consider being gay a bad thing. And if you are a gay person and you constantly hear people using gay as an insult, you won't be very happy. At least I think you won't. I understand that. But it's all in the context of what I'm talking about and who I am talking with. Most of my friends know that when I say that something is gay, I'm just saying that it's not working, or it sucks. I am a gay person. |
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zeromerc
Meteorite
This above all to thine own self be true
Posts: 35
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Post by zeromerc on Mar 17, 2010 17:13:09 GMT -5
I am not a fan of any word being used in a derogitory manner. Which is why I try not to curse and or use slurs. Ever
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Post by PunchJunky on Mar 17, 2010 17:35:05 GMT -5
To me the word 'gay' has lost all meaning as an insult, I still wouldn't say it to someone's face intended as an insult, as they may take it the wrong way. However, like ZAkAtAk, I constantly use it if something's not working or I dislike something, if someone's offended by That usage, I could not care less.
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Post by Dimstow on Mar 17, 2010 17:58:13 GMT -5
Just as a clarification before I continue, I do actually say the word 'gay' in the same context as one would 'lame', and I do it.....very frequently. The main reason that a majority of our generation uses the word gay, at least as far as I can see, is quite simply...other people use gay in that context....and not just 'other people' or specific crowds of people, in the schools that I have attended the word 'Gay' is used damn near universally across the student body, there are some against it's use obviously, but it's use isn't associated with any specific crowd, or click, or group. I just wanted to state how widely used it is I think that the context that it is most frequently used in (as a synonym for the secondary meaning of lame I.E. Undesirable, Unsought, Uncool) it's perfectly acceptable, it is simply an evolution of slang,something that really can't be avoided(slang not the use of gay) and it will eventually cycle out of use and will stop being thought of in it's original meaning. It's important for me to say that using gay in a direct correlation to homosexuality, and using coinciding it's use as an insult is both wrong and unnecessary For example: bill:I didn't make the basketball team John:Man, that's gay, I'm sorry that is perfectly fine but Bill:I Didn't make the team, I don't think the coach liked my moves John: That's cause he's gay, dont stress that isn't john is using gay, in i direct personal insult to a person, by referring to them as a homosexual But to simply call the situation gay is doing nothing more than it would if he had simply said 'that's lame' or 'that's undesired', though I gotta say if one of my friends ever said 'that's undesired' it'd give him one heck of a funny look. But I think that the biggest point I want to make is that by using Gay frequently and publicly we've truly taken the 'sting' out of the word, almost no one is really truly offended by being called gay, and yet we here it used so frequently that if it WERE still as offensive as it was just a few years ago it would be the equivalent of walking into a classroom loudly singing this song www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-xKUU5sWS4&feature=related Because of it's frequent use we've made the word 'gay' a normal part of language and not in a negative way, just...a part of it, and I'm fine with that. |
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Post by nickgreyden on Mar 17, 2010 18:07:15 GMT -5
I think that the context that it is most frequently used in (as a synonym for the secondary meaning of lame I.E. Undesirable, Unsought, Uncool) it's perfectly acceptable, it is simply an evolution of slang,something that really can't be avoided(slang not the use of gay) and it will eventually cycle out of use and will stop being thought of in it's original meaning.
It's important for me to say that using gay in a direct correlation to homosexuality, and using coinciding it's use as an insult is both wrong and unnecessary
For example: bill:I didn't make the basketball team
John:Man, that's gay, I'm sorry
that is perfectly fine but
Bill:I Didn't make the team, I don't think the coach liked my moves
John: That's cause he's gay, dont stress
that isn't john is using gay, in i direct personal insult to a person, by referring to them as a homosexual
think that just about covers it[/size] |
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Post by Ryan on Mar 17, 2010 20:21:29 GMT -5
The archaic definition of gay is: foolish, silly, dimwitted, used to describe court jesters.
Like Dimstow said it all depends on how it's used, but if I know that it doesn't bother me if someone uses it meaning something along the archaic definition. If used as an insult by attempting to call a person a homosexual in a negative sense, then it's far from acceptable.
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Post by RandiKthxxx on Mar 17, 2010 20:45:29 GMT -5
I say that stuff is gay everyday. I say the word fag almost everyday. I say the word nigger almost everyday. This list goes on and on... If someone is offended by it, then I don't say it. You use the word nigger or nigga? Apparently there's a difference. I use the word gay, fag, nigga etc, as well, but I don't use them against people. On the other hand, I don't use the word queer to describe someone who's gay, I use it in its original meaning which just means "strange" |
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Post by zAkAtAk on Mar 17, 2010 20:51:37 GMT -5
The words themselves are not important. It is the context in which you use them.
I don't care what the definition says. Unless I'm writing a professional, documented piece of work, I am going to use whatever comes to mind (unless of course I'm around people that are offended by the words).
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Post by thekmatheory on Mar 17, 2010 22:25:42 GMT -5
I don't use the word gay because I've had many friends who would get offended by that. Because of that, I've somewhat gotten used to the idea that the term "gay" is an offensive term, and shouldn't be used by people.
Like stated by people before, though, I feel like it's only a big deal if somebody says something along the lines of "Oh, you're so gay" or "He's so gay" or something like that. Only then do I feel like it could be offensive. But when somebody says "wow, this is gay" or "it is gay" or something along those lines, it doesn't seem like that big of a deal.
So yes, I think it's only really the context in which it's used in, not the actual word itself.
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Post by Jake on Mar 18, 2010 16:52:00 GMT -5
To be honest, I'm not sure what it's like to everyone else but where I'm from "gay" is the type of insult used more by 10 year olds. So I don't use it for that reason - it's not the most inventive of insults. I happen to act rather... er... Flamboyantly. Some people think I'm gay. I'm not, but I take no offense. Woo for Flamboyancy! |
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Post by Johncoyne on Mar 18, 2010 17:03:08 GMT -5
It's fun! I don't care what anyone thinks about me. I'm awesome and no one else can convince me otherwise.  |
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Post by chelseeyuh on Mar 18, 2010 17:04:15 GMT -5
To be honest, I'm not sure what it's like to everyone else but where I'm from "gay" is the type of insult used more by 10 year olds. So I don't use it for that reason - it's not the most inventive of insults. Well, unfortunately where I live, 17-year-olds talk and act like 10-year-olds. :\ I think that's what we should focus on: People need better insults. Whatever happened to insults like "Thou hast not so much brain as earwax"? THAT is an insult! But on a more serious note: The words have nuances. Some people say it because they don't think of it's literal denotation, while others do it specifically because they are homophobic. The meaning of the word has changed, but not so much so that it ONLY means "stupid," so if someone says it, I assume they're homophobic.. :\ |
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Post by Jake on Mar 18, 2010 17:31:08 GMT -5
To be honest, I'm not sure what it's like to everyone else but where I'm from "gay" is the type of insult used more by 10 year olds. So I don't use it for that reason - it's not the most inventive of insults. Well, unfortunately where I live, 17-year-olds talk and act like 10-year-olds. :\ I think that's what we should focus on: People need better insults. Whatever happened to insults like "Thou hast not so much brain as earwax"? THAT is an insult! Well that sounds like it sucks! But you're right in a way, because there's always a small group everywhere where people wll be talking/acting like 10-year olds. I prefer insults that actually work as an insult. "Gay" doesn't work for numerous reasons: The person on the receiving end isn't gay, being gay shouldn't be seen as a bad thing, and it's overused. We need insults like "not so much brain as earwax"!  |
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Post by Johncoyne on Mar 18, 2010 21:01:28 GMT -5
"Your mother was a hamster and your father smells of elderberries!"
~French Knights
BEST. INSULT. EVAR.
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