Does gay as a derogatory term offend you?

[SnakeoilSage]

It seems pretty juvenile to me. My brother has used terms like "gay," and "Jewish" to describe situations he dislikes, always getting this thirteen-year-old giggle about him when someone calls him out on it, as if he's made some hilarious joke. He does it because it riles people and he gets a thrill from doing so. It's about as fitting as calling something "girly" was 30 years ago. You say it to dismiss the topic at hand as something you distance yourself from.

 

[Kolby Jack]

I say it as an insult, usually to a guy I know is straight because being wrongfully accused of being gay has a tendency to get under people's skin even though, yes, there would be nothing wrong with it if they were. It's just fun to watch people squirm, and I've been on the receiving end of it a few times myself.

As for using it as a general insult... sometimes, but not much. I don't mean anything by it, and that's what matters. It's all about intent. Of course, you have to be careful around children, because they wouldn't be able to tell the difference between harmless ribbing and actual hatred.

And to any gay people or otherwise aggressively pc folk about to tell me that it isn't harmless, uh, yes it is, if you let it be. Stick and stones, guys, don't blow things out of proportion.

 

[Spade Lead]

REALLY! Really?! What the Fuck, Escapist, why is this still happening lo these three years later?

 

[Spade Lead]

As a one of the "the gays" I can safely say I don't give a shit. Hell I use "******" like I make money for doing so, so maybe I'm not the best person to ask.

He-e-e-y There.... Shitty shitty fag fag, Shitty shitty fag fag!

(South Park reference for you young whipper-snappers)

Nope, don't give a shit if you think using gay is gay or not.

 

[SextusMaximus]

As long as the intention isn't homophobic, then no. Not remotely.

 

[NoeL]

Well, let me put it this way: if someone called me gay I would be offended - not because they were implying homosexuality, but because "gay" is now a generic insult, like "shit".

For me, there's no correlation between homosexuality and "gay", in it's generic usage (e.g. "This game is gay"). I would object to the term "mother fucker" or "cock sucker" on the same grounds even though I don't think there's anything wrong with having a thing for MILFs or enjoying smoking some pipe every now and then.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

Just makes me think you're 12 years old and ignorant.

 

[NoeL]

It seems pretty juvenile to me. My brother has used terms like "gay," and "Jewish" to describe situations he dislikes,

Ha, I use "Jewish" (or more specifically, "Jewed", e.g. "I got Jewed hardcore") so much these days I totally forgot about actual Jews.

Funny that we owe both of these popularisations to South Park. Same with using "fag" for Harley riders. Just shows how much of an impact a popular show can have.

 

[Syzygy23]

For example, "The new -insert game here- screens are pretty gay"

Just a random thought, since I've met straight people who will jump on someone for saying "that's gay" and gay people not giving a shat about it, and vice versa.

It never really bothers me, but if someone starts using it along with ******, or blatantly insulting someone for having gay characteristics, it does grind my gears.

The way me and my peers view the derogatory form of "gay" is this: The common depiction of the super flamboyant "thilly gooth" gay man is fucking stupid. Therefore, anything deemed "gay" is fucking stupid.

The gay men and women I have met are not fucking stupid, but they are homosexual. See the difference now?

 

[Saulkar]

I am bisexual with a couple of well acquainted gay/lesbian workplace friends who always use every single racially or sexually derogatory term imaginable with no hard feelings, at all, we do not even think about it. (not to be politically correct but we have a native American and an East Indian in this circle who apathetically use similar language.)

Additionally I shalt leave this here just because it is funny.

 

[Spearmaster]

I never use the word "gay", I don't think the word is offensive but rather the intelligence of the people that say it in an improper context. I do use the term "queer" from time to time but not to describe someones sexuality. Anyone find "queer" offensive?