Gay?

[dancingbear]

So why do people still feel the need to call things 'gay' or use words like 'faggot'? (i ask this to those of you on this board who use it in your posts) is this actually funny?

to me the political correctness movement was a good thing. i mean when someone says something that is different is 'gay' a sterotype is projected. do the grade fours and fives who say something is gay realize this? i doubt it. but it does penetrate on an unconscious level, equating gay with negativity . disrupting the psyche. propagating sterotype and unacceptance.

if a child grows up without 'this' (this being the thoughts in my head right now) even entering their mind, i feel it could have tremendous positive influence on uniting the world? hyperbole? maybe. but all big change stems from somewhere.

for the most part i do not see people writing ethnicity based wisecracks. is there a difference?

somewhere along the line did it become o.k. to stereotype some groups and not others?

If a friend makes a comment and you know their heart sparkles with love, kindness and acceptance i can see why someone would laugh. it is an intimate setting, with mutual understanding. this, the internet, is like shouting to the world, and for what it's worth i think we should be careful what we shout.

[Alexis]

here here

[c-towns]

wah wah

[zero]

I've got to say that I find myself using that expression and don't really have an issue with it. I truly believe it has evolved into a meaning that is distinctive from sexual identities. I suppose when people say 'that's just gay' they mean something is queer about it, or something's off but I tend to interpret it as meaning 'that's just lame' or 'totally unnecessary'. I know that it probably is not healthy for young people etc. but I do believe it's meaning as I mentioned has evolved passed basic sexual stereotypes. I guess I come from the Eminem camp on this one. There is also likely something that can be said to the effect that the gay population is more comfortable with so-called derogatory terms and is a touch or alot more self-effacing then for instance various ethnic groups. Anyone can fairly safely use the term queer but I think it's safe to say nobody but a black person can say nigger.

[paisley]

not that there's anything wrong with that...

'queer' used to be get thrown around in a derogatory manner, yet now every 40 year old with 3 kids hopes he ends up on 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy someday'

also, sometimes you need a quick word to tell your buddy his new wallpaper is perhaps uncomfortably effeminant for a straight fellow

think its become kind of an ear of the beholder thing... which mostly depends on the intent of the speaker... as a put-down its definately pretty dated

[Booche]

I wonder what happens when one Googles the term 'paisley'

[Alexis]

booche: wahahahaha

ok i agree with you that sometimes there is no better descriptor than that particular word, but getting back to what db said...it's fine with a close friend or social group who understand that you're using the word in the "queer/odd" term rather than the homosexual way. but when shouting it out to every person with an internet connection, who may not understand the context, well, why do it? there are lots of other ways to say something derogatory.

that's not to say that gay isn't a good descriptor for things that actually ARE gay.

for example;

good - cully, you're new paisley print wall paper is gay.

bad - this stupid test is gay.

if it's meant to describe something that actually has gay qualities, or is gay, fine.

if it's just meant to bring something down, but really isn't all that actually gay, that's bad.

[AdamH]

Man you guys are retarded.

[organicmama]

Words in the english language have multiple uses and intents, and I think when the majority of people use the word 'gay' to describe something else other than actually homosexual preferences, that it is fine. If younger children are using it in an actual prejudice manner, then it should be addressed appropriately.

Look at the word cock? Two very different meanings with that one. But even with other mellow words such as;

I bought a ball for my dog.

What are you going to wear to the ball?

Did you ball her?

I had a ball last night!

or

Did you leave a tip?

There's the tip of the mountain!

The boat's going to tip!

Ask for a few tips on how to fix that.

It's all context and how it's being used.

[SevenSeasJim]

Watching "The Kids In The Hall" always made me laugh when the entire scene was making fun of Scott Thompson being gay. They threw every stereotype at him and it was OK because he is gay.

[bouche]

a phrase that many people were brought up with, knowing full well it doesn't mean the same thing is

"that is friggen gay!"

when I say something is "utter shit", I certainly don't mean that it is actual real live poop.

If you don't have to be gay to be offended, at the same time do I have to be gay to not be offended by meaningless terms?

[Guest Low Roller]

This thread is so straight caucasian.

[SevenSeasJim]

Did you leave a tip?

There's the tip of the mountain!

The boat's going to tip!

Ask for a few tips on how to fix that.

It's all context and how it's being used.

Or "Excuse Me Mam, would you like THE tip". :wink:

[c-towns]

I was thinkin more like a buncha fancy pants queers myself, wait is that out of context?

[can-o-phish]

This thread is so straight caucasian.

Yah, this coming from an "Ultra-Super Fag"...

Sorry, couldn't resist, but I was laughing with tears from this line last night from "Rescue Me". The whole bickering scene between Tommy & his cousin in the diner in no way was directed towards gays/homosexuals/lesbians. It was a display of juvenile antics that was brilliant.

While being "Politically Correct" is a must in today's world, on this board, I've found, that people for the most part are very open and sensitive to other people's POV, opinions, etc. and any "name-calling" is done between folk that know each other and is done in fun. Newbies coming to the board are quick to pick up on this and usually jump in on the fun.

Trying to maintain a balance of PC-awareness and humour is often walking a very thin line that can change at a moments notice.

[bouche]

haha...that was a GREAT scene.

"By the way...Ultra is WAAAY worse the Mega!"

Then he pours his coffee on his cousin.

[can-o-phish]

haha...that was a GREAT scene.

"By the way...Ultra is WAAAY worse the Mega!"

Then he pours his coffee on his cousin.

I'm still fuggin' pissin' myself over that scene. It was brilliant!

[Large Marge]

I truly believe it has evolved into a meaning that is distinctive from sexual identities. I suppose when people say 'that's just gay' they mean something is queer about it, or something's off but I tend to interpret it as meaning 'that's just lame' or 'totally unnecessary'.

I recently had a friend tell me that he got "totally Jewed" when making a purchase. I couldn't believe my ears, took offence and asked him what he meant by it. He told me that he meant he got ripped off and what was my problem? Like many folks, he didn't make the connection or even realize that his words were not just some commonly acceptable colloquialism.

While I am as guilty as anyone, reverting to words like "gay" or "retard" or even the usual four-letter lexis lends an appearance of ignorance and a lack of creative wordsmithing.

[secondtube]

i say 'totally jewed' quite often....

hmph.

[Guest Low Roller]

That's funny. I would have used the term "totally Jewed" if someone refused to lend me a buck for a chocolate bar or something of that nature. People of Yiddish-persuasion don't tend to be scam artists like those sneaky Polaks, just cheap.

But if I did, it would be horribly un-PC, so I would never use it.

Large Marge, I think your friend needs some sensitivity training to avoid such further politically incorrect outbursts.

[Booche]

Well, this wont be up for very long.

[bouche]

Jipped/Gypt/Gypped is another one.

"I feel like I was Gypped"

[Kaidy Mae]

Oh man, give Stephen Harper his vest back.

[dancingbear]

c-towns

is wah wah like crying or laughing or what? i truly dont know.

zero

i understand your point about the evolution of language and it's meaning at specific temporal points, however i would still argue the VAST majority of people still use it with an underlying derogatory manner.

as for the 'non-derogatory' users, there are even some who seem to use it so frequently as if trying to say 'look at how many slurs/derogatory/stereotypes i can say' but they arent really slurs/derogatory/stereotypes, cause i'm above all that.

paisley

ear to the beholder thing, is kinda my point. to a buddy fine, to a group of people whom a lot you dont know, maybe not so fine?

alexis

agreed.

polkaroo

dont get me started on that one!

large marge:

last time i was in toronto at a jamband (which i still believe holds a more 'aware' audience than most bands) and this guy who used to be in a well-known canadian jambands says "his fucking jew landlord is screwing him". jewed me down is a horrible term.

booche

thanks for the picutre.

[MarcO]

For me, it is not about political correctness or not. It is simply this: there are a lot of people out there who have control over their language and can use it in specific contexts for specific effects, be it pathos or humour, whatever the intended effect is. They have a sense of relativism and discretion and can pick and choose their terms of expression to suit their application(s). Armed with these skills, talk of "political correctness" becomes moot.

Unfortunately, these people are outnumbered by others who simply have no control over their own speaking skills, have a poor grasp on their language and its uses and feel compelled to spew forth ignorant word after ignorant word in some demented effort to be heard above what is to them a dull din of intelligence.

This is the why right-wing media is so succesful as of late. Hello Bill O'Reilly.