Does gay as a derogatory term offend you?
- Thread starter Dangit2019
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Of course not because I'm not gay. I even say things like gay and ****** offhandedly, but I watch my mouth around people who actually are gay. One time I accidentally said something like that around a friend of mine who is gay, felt pretty bad about it afterwards...
Anyway, there's not much point being sensitive about people who aren't even there.
Anyway, there's not much point being sensitive about people who aren't even there.
Read the rest of the quote you cut. Taking offense is one thing, but taking offense and then trying to alter society because of your personal offense is another. I would only take exception to actual harassment or the most grievous "word assault".Trilligan said:
If we altered society for every person or group that was offended.. well.. fuck that society.
That's just not how society works.
Doesn't offend me personally, but I tend to feel that anyone who uses it is immature and ignorant. Same with those who claim the term has evolved. It was used derogatively when people thought being gay was lame or pathetic. Now it means something that is lame or pathetic. That hasn't changed. It has made 0 steps of development from it's "original" meaning, but people are trying to say it's no longer related? They're just trying to save face IMO.
The way I see it, it's just a variant definition. Loads of words have multiple definitions, some of which may not even be related at all.
I mean, hell. Gay was at one point synonymous with happy or cheerful. How did it start to mean homosexual? I dunno, it just did.
The related term '******,' I think, could just be defined as 'an unpleasant or despicable person.' In the same vein as bastard, which is also an archaic/derogatory term for a person who was born to unmarried parents.
I mean, hell. Gay was at one point synonymous with happy or cheerful. How did it start to mean homosexual? I dunno, it just did.
The related term '******,' I think, could just be defined as 'an unpleasant or despicable person.' In the same vein as bastard, which is also an archaic/derogatory term for a person who was born to unmarried parents.
I'm not even sure if you're serious or not.Trilligan said:
Anyway as I already said, there is clearly a line in the sand here. The only people wishing to "silence" are those who take their offense to the next level. Political correctness has done more to harm society than the offending terms and status-quos ever have.
Well I am not gay so no, it doesnt personally offend... HOWEVER I am not so selfish as to only care about my feelings. I understand that using "gay" in a derogatory manner is linking being gay with negativity so I dont use it, I used to when I was an ignorant child but I managed to cleanse it from my vocabulary. Now all I have to do is wipe "fag" from it, which is annoying as I didnt even know about that term until I started playing online. I, like every self-respecting Brit, thought it was just another word for cigarette. Turns out this entire time when we said "Going to smoke a fag." we were either about to commit an act of murder or a sexual act upon a homosexual persons genitalia, either would have been quite a surprise to the person who just wanted to feed their addiction to nicotine.
I guarantee it hasnt, the only thing it has done is made people blame things that have nothing to do with political correctness on political correctness which is quite annoying... but I am guessing you know more about that than I, what with "Political Correctness going mad" and all that nonsense.nexus said:
And just a guess but you werent alive when political correctness came into play, right? Just an example of something the Conservative party would send children to your house to give you "If you want a ****** for a neighbour, vote Liberal or Labour."... children, to give out leaflets with this phrase on. Political Correctness stopped that. Now, your example of what harm political correctness has done... and I will warn you "Now we have to hide our hatred of people that arent us." ISNT harmful to society. Your move.
Edit:
Oh good, that was a terrible decision on your part. You are aware Steve Hughes is an adamant anti-racist and anti-homophobic chap... right? I dont suppose you are or you wouldnt be using him as an example of your "anti-PC" stance, a claim anyone who knows the work of Steve Hughes can easily shoot down.nexus said:
Gotta agree with this. It's not as blatantly offensive as other terms, but it still has the same implications - i.e. if you use "gay" to describe something bad, the implication is that being gay is a bad thing. It's just something that I think people shouldn't do.Overusedname said:
And yes, many gay people don't take offense to it. But many do, and there are plenty of gay people all around the world that are insulted and harassed by it. I personally would rather not perpetuate the use of it while it's still being used in a hateful way to harm others. Sure, most casual use of it within the gaming community isn't like that, but the association is still there and it has a persistent and pervasive effect.
I'll say pretty much what everyone else said: I'm not offended by it, but it annoys me to see homosexuality as a bad thing so ingrained in society that using homosexuality as an insult occurs constantly without anyone actually thinking about what their saying, no matter what their opinion on the LGBT community is.
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.
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.
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.
REALLY! Really?! What the Fuck, Escapist, why is this still happening lo these three years later?
He-e-e-y There.... Shitty shitty fag fag, Shitty shitty fag fag!Xartyve2 said:
(South Park reference for you young whipper-snappers)
Nope, don't give a shit if you think using gay is gay or not.
