"Wait, how is that offensive?!"

[shadyh8er]

Well, not something that is said, but rather what one does:

Wearing Hats inside. I know why it used to be offensive, but it STILL being offensive is just absolutely stupid.

I was gonna say this! How is it ok for girls to wear hats indoors but not ok or guys? That's sexist people!

 

[mrblakemiller]

I once told someone that I didn't believe in predetermination or "natural talent." I said that, instead, I believed that with enough practice, passion, and drive, anyone can do anything they want, regardless of what they may be "naturally talented in."

He told me that if I were to keep making snide comments like that I should just fuck off.


-wut?

What indeed, that makes no sense.

I used to get cross-eyed looks from people for asking questions I shouldn't, mpore often from third parties than from the person whom I asked. I never understood why I needed to say, "He/she doesn't have to answer if he/she doesn't want to."

Spoiler: This example is sexual in content. You've been warned.

I was talking with some friends in high school when a girl said she'd found a mathematical formula online that was supposed to tell you how deep your vagina was. I asked her how deep she had found her vagina to be. Everybody looked at me like I was a monster. I said, "Well, if she's bringing it up, I'm assuming she's okay with talking about it." I still feel that way. If I remember correctly, I think she told me what she'd found.

 

[Aprilgold]

I'm not sure why people find curse words offensive, because haven't we been taught as kids that "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."?

But words leave giant holes cut in by words on your phyche, I always have to say it.

I never understand why straight guys find the term "Fairy" to be offensive.

 

[Thespian]

As an Atheist, I criticize beliefs of religious folk quite a bit.
Now, I don't walk up to people and say "YO DAWG, YOU RELIGIOUS? YOU WRONG!" and proceed to recite an essay, but if we get talking about god or religion, I'll state quite plainly why I think belief in god is totally irrational and has no place in society.

People constantly seem to be offended by the fact that I have belief contrary to them. I honestly cannot comprehend this.

For me, when people say "You have to respect my beliefs!" the immediate response is "I am. Scrutiny is the greatest demonstration of respect I can show."

If I didn't respect a system of belief, I wouldn't bother applying logic to it. I'd just ignore it. The fact that I take time to think about something and apply a methodology to it is an embodiment of my appreciation for it.

 

[Kopikatsu]

I'm not sure why people find curse words offensive, because haven't we been taught as kids that "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."?

But words leave giant holes cut in by words on your phyche, I always have to say it.

I never understand why straight guys find the term "Fairy" to be offensive.

It's taken to mean an extremely effeminate gay guy, which really upsets some people.

Protip: Guys who are extremely homophobic generally aren't secure in their own sexuality and/or are closet homosexuals. Good deal.

As an Atheist, I criticize beliefs of religious folk quite a bit.
Now, I don't walk up to people and say "YO DAWG, YOU RELIGIOUS? YOU WRONG!" and proceed to recite an essay, but if we get talking about god or religion, I'll state quite plainly why I think belief in god is totally irrational and has no place in society.

People constantly seem to be offended by the fact that I have belief contrary to them. I honestly cannot comprehend this.

For me, when people say "You have to respect my beliefs!" the immediate response is "I am. Scrutiny is the greatest demonstration of respect I can show."

If I didn't respect a system of belief, I wouldn't bother applying logic to it. I'd just ignore it. The fact that I take time to think about something and apply a methodology to it is an embodiment of my appreciation for it.

You're right, actually. By proclaiming that you're atheist, it means that you at least accept their belief in a higher power is at least meaningful, otherwise you couldn't be opposed to it/critical towards it. Unlike me, who is an Ignostic.

Very few people know what Ignosticism is, though...*sigh*

 

[HHammond]

There are certain things that are just flat out rude. Sadly, some of us didn't get the memo and don't quite get the "why" of it. This is a thread for those situations. What is something people say is extremely offensive and you just don't get why? I'll start off with homosexuality as a choice. I never got why some people are so offended by it, who the hell cares about WHY you're gay?

So, what don't you get? Feel free to help clarify it for your fellow man too, but let's try to keep it civil, mkay?

TL;DR: Screw you, I just watched Big Picture

The reason people get so offended about it is that it implies that you made the choice to be "wrong" because the people who generally say it are using are saying it in a "you shouldn't be this way, it's wrong" kind of way, or at least they have in my experience.

I never really understood the whole idea of it being a choice in the first place if I'm honest. I'm gay and I have looked at girls and felt attracted to them but not I've never had any overpowering feelings towards a girl like I have a boy. Also, if the people who say this think it's a choice then it implies they've thought about the idea of being gay and would go for it but whenever you point this out to them they usually say "no! That's disgusting!".

mines one i know is offensive, but as a product of my generation i use gay as a negative connotation, such as "thats gay" not because i dislike gay people, just because in my developing years it was a popular go-to phrase that just stuck with me.

Again because it implies that it's wrong. I know you're not using it in an offensive way but it can be really alienating when you have people saying that bad things are "gay" which makes you feel that what you are is wrong.

Personally, if I say something that someone finds offensive I will apologise because at the end of the day whatever I have said has offended that person and even if I can't see why they would be offended they are still upset. I will try and ask what they find offensive and then try and clear it up with this person.

 

[JamesStone]

Implying that sex-related chivalrae is stupid. You know, those ol´traditions about always opening the door to women even if they are right in front of the door and you´re 50 feet away, etc. like they were some useless creature incapable of doing things on their own. Apperently it´s a Capital offense thinking that that´s even more sexist. And of course, not making distinctions about gender when hitting people, like those rare girls that slap anyone male with no apparent reason, or those guys with a need to be the Alpha male by force. Oh yeah, apparently that´s the worst someone can think.

 

[ElPatron]

we do have some facts to indicate that there may be more bisexuality out there than is acknowledged which would indicate some choice of action.

That still means you can't choose your position on the sexuality spectrum.

 

[MurderousToaster]

Most of Frankie Boyle's "jokes". Notice that the audience mostly react with "ooooh" instead of a laugh. I personally don't find them offensive, I just think it's odd that people find shock "humor" to be funny.

He used to be funny, but eventually he just started being outright offensive for the sake of it. He wouldn't make an effort into creating a hilarious joke people can't help but laugh at and just made offensive comments.

OT: Horrific jokes about anything and everyone. Here's a few that are just awful:

Spoiler

Every girl I've ever dated has asked me what superpower I would choose. They always expect me to say something like invisibility or super speed, but they won't really help me escape this mess. I always choose infertility.

When my adopted son misbehaves I never feel disappointment, only buyers remorse.

My son asked me if the divorce was his fault, I told him that it wasn't his fault. If anything it was my fault, I used an expired condom.

Points to whoever tells me where I derive these from without doing a Google search.

I bet it's Sickipedia. All that shit comes from Sickipedia.

 

[AlAaraaf74]

i don't understand why people feel the need to make fun of my name. milner, derived from miliner. miliners made hats. see where i'm going with this?

Especially since Milner isn't even goofy sounding. If it were Miller, people could joke about you drinking a lot, but I can't even come up with anything for Milner...

 

[ICantBelieveItGoesBoom]

mines one i know is offensive, but as a product of my generation i use gay as a negative connotation, such as "thats gay" not because i dislike gay people, just because in my developing years it was a popular go-to phrase that just stuck with me.

I get that its wrong, but the thing that bugs me is that people can't get that im not doing it on purpose, and im not a big homophobe because of the way my language developed. They can't seriously believe that every time somebody uses it in that light its an actual slight.

Yes! This is what I was going to say!

It really has just become part of our age culture now and I say it probably more than my friends. Always makes for a funny moment when someone calls me out on it calling me homophobic and I just tell them that I'm bisexual. Works a charm.

 

[Herr Uhl]

Certain parts of the deaf community to people developing procedures to give hearing to deaf.

Also been flamed for saying that I'm a determinist, which i found odd.

 

[Aprilgold]

I'm not sure why people find curse words offensive, because haven't we been taught as kids that "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."?

But words leave giant holes cut in by words on your phyche, I always have to say it.

I never understand why straight guys find the term "Fairy" to be offensive.

It's taken to mean an extremely effeminate gay guy, which really upsets some people.

Protip: Guys who are extremely homophobic generally aren't secure in their own sexuality and/or are closet homosexuals. Good deal.

Well that makes sense, but I still think its quite silly to be agravated over, I had a guy break someone's nose for it, it was really odd because he was joking with the same exact word the whole night... Er, day, I had a weird friend that liked to party in the morning through to night.

 

[diebane]

I don't get why people sometimes expect me to give them my seat in a bus. No, they're not over 55 and have trouble balancing when the bus goes around a corner, because that would be fine, go ahead, have my seat. But only because you're 12 yeards older than me that does not mean I have to give you my seat.

You have two legs, you're not supported by crutches and you're not an old dude. Stand like everybody else, will ya?

 

[Dfskelleton]

Not as much offends as it does bothers, but Caribou Coffee's motto really pisses me off.
"We love coffee too. That's why we proudly brew."
I don't know why, but it just makes me want to slap whoever wrote it across the face.

 

[Mallefunction]

I'm that way with the "Get back in the kitchen jokes" or "That's not how you make a sammich".

Although my real beef with these is how OVERDONE they are. Occasionally a racist or crass joke can be funny, but copy-pasting the same joke that HUNDREDS of others use on a daily basis and acting as if you are so clever for it...that's what ticks me off.

 

[Lieju]

I'll start off with homosexuality as a choice. I never got why some people are so offended by it, who the hell cares about WHY you're gay?

In my experience, for a lot of gay people the reasons behind sexual orientation is a touchy subject because there is a fear it will be used as a justification for denying rights or trying to 'cure' them.

And there are definitely people claiming that since the gays have chosen to be like that, it's their fault they are not equal to straight people.

Which, I agree, is a dumb argument. Even if sexuality was a choice, so what? It's not a reason to draw arbitrary lines on what rights people should have based on whether sex they like.

 

[Mischa87]

mines one i know is offensive, but as a product of my generation i use gay as a negative connotation, such as "thats gay" not because i dislike gay people, just because in my developing years it was a popular go-to phrase that just stuck with me.

I get that its wrong, but the thing that bugs me is that people can't get that im not doing it on purpose, and im not a big homophobe because of the way my language developed. They can't seriously believe that every time somebody uses it in that light its an actual slight.

Yes! This is what I was going to say!

It really has just become part of our age culture now and I say it probably more than my friends. Always makes for a funny moment when someone calls me out on it calling me homophobic and I just tell them that I'm bisexual. Works a charm.

Actually, people who do this CHOSE to allow that into their vernacular. The same way people choose to pick up on leet speak, or talking like a btard, something many well-adjusted people manage to go without picking up.

I live in a dairy farming community in a rural part of Canada for my entire life, I've not picked up the local accent/dialect, or the vernacular.

Now, if you went ahead and said: "All the cool kids were doing it, and being the impressionable youth I am, I wanted to fit in too" I would totally agree with you there.

Saying it's part of our culture is ignorant in itself, it's not part of the culture, it's part of your immature gaming communities, to label that as "our culture" is grossly incorrect.

And honestly, it's not hard to kick, I've worked with hundreds of transpeople over the years, do you know how much it takes to use a different name, and pronoun for a person who's transitioned, like a few hundred times over... Language is fluid, and what makes up our own personal language is what we allow into it, heck, my best friend in real life had to start calling me by female pronouns, and my preferred name, as well as stop with his sexist/homophobic/transphobic jokes... He's a dairy farmer, and an MMA fighter, a real meat head, and he can change over you guys? Well... I say it's a poor excuse, and you're just lazy and/or immature.

Also, there are plenty of homophobic bisexuals out there, a thread on here the other week touched on that.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

What bugs me, and I know there's an agenda behind it, with most of the newspapers in the UK being owned by people with TV channels that want the biggest and best rival dead, but here goes.

People, and by people I mainly mean the Daily Mail, wailing in horror that someone maybe said 'bottom' on the BBC.

Every time a comedian makes a slightly poor taste joke, if it's on the BBC, it's double page spreads of how the BBC has 'lost its values' and 'insults its audience'.

no, it's catering to its audience, its audience being everyone.

Personally, the 7 hours a day of people selling shitty antiques to each other offends me, when they could be repeating great old shows instead. But, I also realise there's a lot of people who, for some reason enjoy watching people buy a pot for £12 and selling it at auction for £14 then wetting themselves over their profit.

That's fine, in return, I'd like to watch Jimmy Carr call Theresa May a useless tory ****, so long as it's after 9pm, and it's done in a witty and amusing way.

I'd also say that the place matters, certain things can't be said on TV, because anyone could be watching, however, if you go to a Frankie Boyle live show for example, you don't get to run to the Daily Mail to complain that he mocked kids with Down's Syndrome, after you've sat there for half an hour laughing at jokes about the victims of paedophiles and people dying of cancer.

On a personal note, there's a wonderful piece of comedy songwriting on the BBC iPlayer right now, a song about an aged, tumour covered dog on it's last legs, and how sick he is, but he keeps on living. It's kinda offensive, to anyone who loves animals, but it IS funny. (comedy on the boat, and its about 23 minutes in, if anyone's interested)

I've linked it to some people, however my best mate's dog is old and probably on the way out, so despite him loving sick humour, I figured I'd skip that, in the way I'd skip telling a genuinely funny to a black friend, IF he was touchy about that stuff, if he was cool about it, I'd go ahead and tell him about the funny ****** who did something funny.

There's been a fairly huge debate on twitter about Ricky Gervais using the word mong and pulling 'special' faces, and I'm not really sure where I stand, because I can't help but feel he's only doing it because it'll offend, and get him publicity, I think offensive humour has to be performed with care.

I'll close with my example of what I think is an expertly done piece of offensive stand up, played to perfection by Stewart Lee, to a lively, drunken Glasgow audience. He pretty much abuses them, Scotland, Scottishness, and their national hero, constantly, and increasingly for about 20 minutes, and every passing minute you expect someone to just get up and punch him.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

i don't understand why people feel the need to make fun of my name. milner, derived from miliner. miliners made hats. see where i'm going with this?

I shall call you Thomas Hattington.
may i purchase a unique handmade hat?

The day I say African American is the day I voluntarily inhale a tube of bee?s!
fuck you if you have a problem with me calling you black you can fuck right off

i agree. and if you disagree, then i demand you call me Irish-Scandanavian-Germanic-French-Canadian-Anglo Scot.

I'll start off with homosexuality as a choice. I never got why some people are so offended by it, who the hell cares about WHY you're gay?

uh... maybe because it isnt a choice? thats most of the reason.