I was just wondering how the world at large (well, the escapist) felt about the use of the word gay as an insult. I just read the penny arcade comic about 'think B4 you speak' (note to adults designing these things, abbreviations are not cool, kids just seem to be able to make adults think they are) and I agree with the character Tychos remark "the intention is noble, but you're assuming a level of humanity that doesn't exist in your target audience". How do you feel?

P.S. Penny Arcade comic is here: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/8/17/true-face-our-enemy/
Think B4 you speak site is here: http://www.thinkb4youspeak.com/

I feel that the use of the word is should not be used as an insult to the gays themselves, as it is implying that to be "gay" is something that is bad and should be looked down upon.

I use it all the time, just like the nigger thing. If someone were to call me a straight cracker I wouldn't rage either now would I?

If you are homosexual and think being called a gay is offensive you should get slapped REAL HARD for being a fucking hypocrit..

DISCLAIMER:

No I don't hate black people, nor gays, nor people with feelings, nor do I eat babies, nor do I club seals, nor do I hurt animals or people, nor do I do this to troll. If you want my argumentation read more of the topics I've explained in further posts..

Everyone uses it where I live, it gets on nerves.

The word 'Gay' is flung around so often at my school, it's lost all meaning. It seems to be an insult used against anyone with a sliver of intelligence.

Of course, these are chavs that use this, scum of the earth they are.

Context is everything.

I'd never use gay anyway. Calling them a cunt is much stronger.

It's stupid. So many narrow minded, bone-headed neds use it as a derogatory statement that it's lost all meaning to them. if you say gay around half the people in my town, they'll think you're slagging something off. I know gay people, and they sure as hell take offense to it. A retort from one of my friends to the phrase "My computer's being gay" sums it up nicely: 'yeah, homosexual computers are a real problem these days...'

grumble...

Yes telling someone that they are happy is an insult. No one is happy :)

A gay friend of mine always gets a bit annoyed when I call something/one 'gay'... Hence I tend to use it loads when he's not around.
Or I put my own twist into it and use 'ghey' instead.

Gormourn:

deadman91:
I'd never use gay anyway. Calling them a cunt is much stronger.

So, you're saying that implying that they are a woman (or at least a female organ) is better then implying that they are homosexual?

Considering that both of those things are traditionally seen as weak, worse-then-men and "sinful"?

Great, now you're potentially being offensive to women. Or their organs, at least.

Ironically I once got called both. My only thought was: "Lesbians like me? Hot damn!"

Personally I prefer to insult people without using a stream of cussing, especially if you can twist their words around.

Gormourn:

deadman91:
I'd never use gay anyway. Calling them a cunt is much stronger.

So, you're saying that implying that they are a woman (or at least a female organ) is better then implying that they are homosexual?

Considering that both of those things are traditionally seen as weak, worse-then-men and "sinful"?

Great, now you're potentially being offensive to women. Or their organs, at least.

I don't particularly care who I'm offensive to as I'm insulting someone, as long as it gets the message across efficiently (strength in a minimum of words). Cunt is very efficient.

Being that way inclined (sort off) I don't find it insulting and often use it myself.
If someone shouts it at me it can't possible be insulting as its true. Simple.

Its funny reading the old books. Gay is used quite alot.

"And Sam stared Gaily(?) at Frodo"

Something like that is in the book, cracked me up when i read it.

Dude this thread is totally gay.

Historically the word just meant 'a bit off' or 'happy', I just assumed that the former was how it adapted into it's current use (And popularized due to the homosexual implications the word now has).

I can see why people have a problem with it, but I don't really think it matters tbh.

The "That's our word", etc. ideas only serve to distance people from each other. People are just too damn sensitive.

Danzaivar:
Dude this thread is totally gay.

Historically the word just meant 'a bit off' or 'happy', I just assumed that the former was how it adapted into it's current use (And popularized due to the homosexual implications the word now has).

I can see why people have a problem with it, but I don't really think it matters tbh.

I know where you're coming from with that. When I was a lot younger, someone asked me if I was queer, and the only definition I knew for the word was 'weird' or 'a bit funny', so I said yes. That's wasn't a good few years.

Personally, I think there's no need for anyone to use gay as an insult. Not only is it irritating to people who actually are gay, but it's become so that insulting someone is a lost art these days, there's no creativity in it anymore. Gay is so dull, and doesn't work because it's always used out of context.

Fat Man Spoon:
The word 'Gay' is flung around so often at my school, it's lost all meaning. It seems to be an insult used against anyone with a sliver of intelligence.

Of course, these are chavs that use this, scum of the earth they are.

I take it there are few people in your school who can spell intelligence

Anyone who takes offense to a word in everyone's vocabulary under simile's for stupid already have deep seeded emotional instabilities and doubts either about themselves or people they know about and their only reaction is the same one racist-on-the-inside-but-politically-correct-on-the-outside have when the black guy dies first in a horror movie and screams "RACIST! LOL".

headshotcatcher:
I use it all the time, just like the nigger thing. If someone were to call me a straight cracker I wouldn't rage either now would I?

If you are homosexual and think being called a gay is offensive you should get slapped REAL HARD for being a fucking hypocrit..

It's not the same. It just isn't. It might be a racial slur for a white person, but the N word carries such a negative stigma, that no one should be using it. Ever. Black or white. And even if black people are using it, two wrongs don't make a right, and thinking you can because they do is fairly childish. It's a vaguely similar thing with gay, vaguely.

Jirlond:

Fat Man Spoon:
The word 'Gay' is flung around so often at my school, it's lost all meaning. It seems to be an insult used against anyone with a sliver of intelligence.

Of course, these are chavs that use this, scum of the earth they are.

I take it there are few people in your school who can spell intelligence

*Donk!* Hit the nail on the head.

deadman91:
I'd never use gay anyway. Calling them a cunt is much stronger.

This, pretty much. Calling someone "gay" (or, even worse, "ghey"), makes you look like you're 12. Faggots are a kind of meatball thing. Fags are cigarettes. I love when I get called a fag on PSN, it means that I'm hot and people look cool just standing near me, and I'm occasionally set on fire.

Fuck, most of these insults make the person saying it look worse than the person they're attempting to insult.

deadman91:
I'd never use gay anyway. Calling them a cunt is much stronger.

I totally agree with you. I use it to describe people who are infact, absolute cunts. But when I use it infront of my friend (a girl) she gets offended by the use of it. I ask why and she says 'well because its a personal thing to me, its part of me. I Can't stand people who use the C word they are complete dicks'

See what she did there?

ChromeAlchemist:

headshotcatcher:
I use it all the time, just like the nigger thing. If someone were to call me a straight cracker I wouldn't rage either now would I?

If you are homosexual and think being called a gay is offensive you should get slapped REAL HARD for being a fucking hypocrit..

It's not the same. It just isn't. It might be a racial slur for a white person, but the N word carries such a negative stigma, that no one should be using it. Ever. Black or white. And even if black people are using it, two wrongs don't make a right, and thinking you can because they do is fairly childish. It's a vaguely similar thing with gay, vaguely.

I think it should be used by everyone, Black, White, Asian, whatever. Now word should ever be taboo, nothing should be taboo. Context however is important.

Fat Man Spoon:

Jirlond:

Fat Man Spoon:
The word 'Gay' is flung around so often at my school, it's lost all meaning. It seems to be an insult used against anyone with a sliver of intelligence.

Of course, these are chavs that use this, scum of the earth they are.

I take it there are few people in your school who can spell intelligence

*Donk!* Hit the nail on the head.

All i say is let em be - its their future - although the way ahead in this country is to be a criminal or a pregnant teenager.

OT: There are many terms to use to insult gays, using the word gay to insult something non-homo related is so norm now even gays use it.

really words only hurt people who aren't comfortable with who they are and those people need to grow some nads quick

It depends on the situation. If it is someone you don't know that well then be respectful. If it is a group of friends and you all know its just a joke then sure.

Pour example: I would never call anyone gay if I just met them, but when I'm with a group of friends I know really well I will make the occasional 'You're gay' remark. In my group of male friends one is gay and I think its great when he replies 'Your such a queer sometimes'. We all know we don't mean it.

Using the word gay is fine to describe something that is actually homosexul and/or blindly happy. Using it for anything else renders anything that you say invalid.

I have nothing against using the word gay to describe a gay person, but when jackasses start using the word gay like they would stupid it get's annoying. "Hey, Dude! Get off my chair, stop being so gay!" is one of those things that make me freak out with rage. Yes! That makes so much freaking sense! He's gay because he's sitting in your chair! Is the chair male, and is he fornicating with said chair?! NO!? WELL THAN SHUT THE HELL UP!

I used to mind what I said, but even my gay friends use the word gay like that. So the argument tends to fall apart in my context.

I rarely call someone gay as an insult, but I have to admit to calling things gay when I'm pissed off with them. E.g. a particularly unfair death on Halo may lead me to scream "ARRGHH such a gay death".

Ironically one of my Halo companions is gay and he tends to just laugh like anyone else would, I guess he knows I mean nothing by it - it's just a word after all and it was completely out of context for its normal usage.

If I'm insulting someone for impact I tend to go for personal faults, or attack their mothers (verbally!), that tends to work. Luckily I have little call for that nowadays.