Am I being over-sensitive?

kyle4jem

OK, I saw this on another MB Topic and I was going to respond there, but thought I'd get the peer review first.

This is the conversation as it rolled out...

Facebook is gay, MFP is cool!

Agreed

And gay isn't cool?

the word "gay" has become, in the american lexicon, another term for lame or uncool. such as "dude, that european shoulder bag makes you look gay.'

Now I, better then most perhaps, as a linguist, understand that English is a dynamic language and words change meaning over time. After all gay used to mean happy, colourful, joyous before we adopted it to mean homosexual.

I know the current argument is when kids attribute the term gay to a footballer or a thing, it's not that it makes them look homosexual but rather uncool or weak or somehow less than desirable.

But in some ways, I think that's more hurtful than simply implying that they are homosexual, because what it's really saying is that somehow gays are also weak and uncool.

So, my fellow LGBT-MFPs... am I being too analytical and over-sensitive?

Hephree

I hate to sound like a 'too-tough' guy or anything, but I actually don't mind the term.


I feel like, well, I came out of those tough middle school years being called many things much worse than 'gay'
and I survived well balanced.

Not everyone is going to like everything, I'm kind of in the 'if you don't like it don't use it, but it's none of your business to prohibit others to use it" camp, because once we start forbidding people to use one word, then it's a slippery slope.

Mind you this is just one silly (me) guy's opinion.....

JoMcDonald

I agree, I hate that the word 'gay' is being used by kids now as something detrimental. Our kids are almost 13, and they say in their school it is common practice to call something that is 'uncool' or 'sucks' as gay.

We have drilled into them not to ever use the term in such a way, especially considering they have two moms, and they have of course listened and heeded our request, but they say no matter what they say to their friends to try and educate them, its just common lingo.

Its unacceptable to me, and to hear it in the media makes me so angry - people dont understand the damage they are doing to the gay movement every time they use such a slur.

I'm with you in your sensitivity.

make_it_matter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWS0GVOQPs0

enough said.

david581c

I used to be the dude saying "dude 'gay' just means lame" but that was when i was like 15 and still called people "gaylord"

Its not ultra offensive to me to say somethings gay, and i think i understand the context, tho it still urks me a little.

I got out of that habit a long time ago and in california, mainly naive people use that term to insult, and even then a lot of people who arent homophobic or still in high school dont really use it.

brandiuntz

I hate the way the term is used. I find it offensive. It's an insult originally based off when people would insult another by insinuating they were homosexual. It's the same type of insult, to me, as when men call other men "girly, p*ssies, throw like a girl". You're insulting women with that kind of talk.

I do call people out when I hear them use the term like that.