That's so gay....

[DrFaroohk]

I saw some commercial about how referring to something negatively using the word "gay" is now wrong.

Ok guess what people - the homosexual crowd does not own the rights to the word gay. It doesn't even mean gay, any more than fag or queer means gay. They used to at one time, but long before that they didn't, people need to get over their precious little egos and actually find something to do.

[AdminAssistant]

The problem is that "that's so gay" or "that's so homo" being used in a derogatory fashion. My fiance will say it on occasion, which always prompts me to say, "And what is wrong with that, exactly?" I'm slowly breaking him of the habit.

[DrFaroohk]

Well I dunno about "that's so homo", maybe we can start another thread on that one, but are we gonna start getting upset when someone says other things like "oh shit" because someone else has a ridiculous claim to it?

[HYHYBT]

There are two meanings for 'gay': happy or homosexual. By using 'gay' in an unrelated, negative sense, you're saying by extension that one or the other of those is bad also. And I'm betting it isn't 'happy.'

[muses_nightmare]

There are two meanings for 'gay': happy or homosexual. By using 'gay' in an unrelated, negative sense, you're saying by extension that one or the other of those is bad also. And I'm betting it isn't 'happy.'

Why can't there just be a third meaning? Frankly, I've said "that's so gay" or That's gay before, I've never meant it as derogatory towards anything but the situation I'm commenting on, I also haven't said it in years because it's simply fallen out of the common phrases I use. Just because it has other meanings doesn't mean that it can't be used elsewhere.

Also, I'd like to say I've never in my life heard anyone say "That's so homo", ever, perhaps it's a localized thing where you live? That one I don't agree with because it's blatantly being derogatory. That's so gay isn't because gay has more than one meaning, it doesn't all revolve around homosexual people.

People are overly sensitive about this issue, it drives me insane sometimes. They are just words, and for the most part they aren't being directed at or about homosexual people. Hell I hear homosexual people using it as well!

[AdminAssistant]

Also, I'd like to say I've never in my life heard anyone say "That's so homo", ever, perhaps it's a localized thing where you live?

It's frequently used in WoW chat, so it's localized to the dregs of stupidity that populate WoW trade chat. I still think that both are phrases that we can do without. If something sucks? Then say it sucks.

[blas87]

I love when people are selective over what they get offended over. They'll tear someone a new one for using "Retarded", but "gay" is ok. No, it's not.

[Greenday]

I used to use gay to describe stuff that sucks all the time, but during college, I stopped. It implies there's something wrong with being gay (And you aren't fooling anyone by saying it also means happy because that's not how you are using it.), which there isn't.

Another forum I'm on, one of two I use for a game I play, they constantly use the word fag. I am a milfag since I am part of my countries military in the game. They are polifags since they are politicians in our country. I've never heard anyone use it in that context before but to them, apparently, it just means person. Granted these are mostly kids under 18 but yea. I brought it up and I just got flamed.

[Mytical]

*dons anti-egg and rotten tomato suit* I believe it is just another example of people trying to be too politically correct. I've really never understood how people can let being called a name hurt them. Sure it can get frustrating, I understand that..but maybe it is just something I will not be able to comprehend.

I've been called Redskin, Chink, gay, Redneck, and the list goes on. Some accurate, some not even close (ie my eyes are slightly slanted because of my American Indian heritage, but people thought I was oriental..*shrugs*) Even the ones that were accurate, had and have no power over me. Labels only have the power you give them. It gets even more confusing when the people that are the target of those labels use them themselves (sometimes slightly altered), but get angry when somebody 'outside' uses them. Personally I don't think you can have it both ways..but that is a matter for another thread.

I've said it before, I will say it again. When we start trying to limit what people say because somebody might be offended, it is a slippery slope. People can take offense to just about anything if they try hard enough. Let others say what they will. After all it is better that they open their mouth and remove all doubt, then for us to wonder if they are fools .

Seriously however, what matters is what YOU think of you. Sure it's nice when others think good of you, but what matters most is how you feel about yourself.

[Greenday]

So, we don't make any effort to try to make the world a better place? Let's encourage hate and discrimination? Saying "It doesn't bother me" doesn't solve any of the problems.

[Hyena Dandy]

Mytical: Some people have strong emotions tied, for one reason or another, to a certain word. Maybe abuse and bad memories, maybe nervousness, but for one reason or another, words CAN be hurtful. Its not entirely reasonable, but people are not entirely reasonable.

Its impossible to never offend anyone. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't TRY to avoid offending people.

[Plaidman]

Eh, since the bulk of the people that I've personally witness use that word are homophobic, they know why they are using it. Though I've witness more "that's fucking faggy" more then "That's gay".

Seems more women use 'that's gay' here in portland then men, at least to my experence.


People live to insult and hurt others. Just a fact of life. How one lets it affect themselves is entirely different. I've been called plenty of names before, that it takes a rare good one to get me upset now. Guess it's just the sheer amount of expousre to it that allowes me to ignore it. However not all people can do that, just like people can call each other nigger until the cows come home for years, but the second someone that isn't black uses it, they are greatly offended and outraged. Doesn't make sense. A word ether offends you completely or it doesn't offend you at all. Can't pick and choose.

[Mytical]

Its impossible to never offend anyone. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't TRY to avoid offending people.

Absolutely! I couldn't agree more. While one of the only brain to mouth filters I have is shyness, and I will tell somebody exactly what I think of them if they want to know, I can do so without stooping to using such labels. Since I tend to not associate people with the labels society seems to, I never think them, so I never say them. Ok..I will correct that a little, the positive stereotypes I do often fall into the trap of using. I try not to, but sometimes I fail.

Plaidman - *nods in agreement* which what what I was trying to say. If you use a word to describe yourself, your friends, etc and somebody else uses it..why be mad about it?

[muses_nightmare]

Thing is, most of the people I've heard say "That's gay" aren't doing it to offend people, hell like I said, I know gay people that say it, or have said it. It's not as common as it used to be, or maybe I'm just not around people who say it a lot, I think I heard it more in high school/ junior high.

I also don't think saying that something is retarded is offensive either. Neither of them are being directed at someone, nor are they necessarily referring to the group someone thinks they are.

[Greenday]

A white guy going up to a black guy saying, "What's up, my nigga?" might not be trying to offend but do you really think that's going to matter?

Just because you aren't meaning it in a racist/sexist/homophobic way doesn't change the fact that it's racist/sexist/homophobic in the way you mean.

When calling someone gay or a fag became big, it was because no one wanted to be associated with being gay. They called you gay or a fag to call you lame. The only difference is people are using them to describe things other than people so now some people think it no longer means the same thing. You are still relating being gay to being lame/sucky/etc.