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Poll: The word Gay as a pejorative


The word gay as a pejorative, acceptable or unacceptable?
Yes, words don't hurt anybody
22.8% (78)
22.8% (78)
No, it's offensive to gay people
16.1% (55)
16.1% (55)
No, It's a form of bullying
8.5% (29)
8.5% (29)
Maybe, it depends on the circumstances
17.8% (61)
17.8% (61)
Don't know or care
9.4% (32)
9.4% (32)
It's just incredibly annoying
25.4% (87)
25.4% (87)
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Copy Clerk
Posts: 86
Joined: 19 Mar 2009

I'll say whatever adjective I feel like, and make it mean whatever I want it to, thank you very much.

Gay has multiple meanings these days, people need to get over that.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1419
Joined: 27 Feb 2009

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.

True, didn't think that through but still I agree with Fat Man Spoon, no words should be taboo. I fling 'nigger' around a lot as well (when talking to coloured (not neccesarily black) friends) as kind of an inside joke and they don't really mind.. I haven't heard anyone use nigger offensively in quite a while either so I don't understand the big hassle about it >.>

Infamous Scribbler
Posts: 545
Joined: 3 Mar 2009

The use of "gay" (or "ghey", whatever) as a derogatory term is rooted in homophobia. It's become so frequently and casually used nowadays I wouldn't assume someone who did use it was homophobic, but I think it's best avoided as a generic pejorative considering its history and that most gay people I know don't like such use.

On the Record
Posts: 5160
Joined: 21 Aug 2008

The Infamous Scamola:

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.

Ah yes, Mr Carlin. Context just complicates matters though. Would you call your mother a cunt/whore? If I called my mother a cunt/whore, regardless of context, she would slap the light from my eyes, and rightfully so. And if you can't relate to that, replace it with 'Queen' or 'Berlusconi' and replace 'slap the light from my eyes' with 'prison'. It's just much better for it not to be used any more. I mean no one uses 'Zounds' any more, that word is pretty much phased out.

It's fine on paper, but so is communism. If you don't want to step on a mine, avoid the minefield altogether. I don't think anyone should use it.

headshotcatcher:

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.

True, didn't think that through but still I agree with Fat Man Spoon, no words should be taboo. I fling 'nigger' around a lot as well (when talking to coloured (not neccesarily black) friends) as kind of an inside joke and they don't really mind.. I haven't heard anyone use nigger offensively in quite a while either so I don't understand the big hassle about it >.>

Check your history. In America and Britain such words are taboo because of the stigma that it carries. Sure you might fling it about, but it means nothing to you. The word Kike means absolutely nothing to me, but there are plenty of jewish peoples who take great offence to that word, so I will never use it in a conversation. Ever. Even if no words should be taboo, that's an ideal, an ideal that we may never accept as a society. Until that time may come, I don't think anyone should use it, or at least around me.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1281
Joined: 6 Jul 2009

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

LOL-Now there is a word that will start a fight or end one really quickly. Use with extreme caution.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1578
Joined: 18 Jul 2009

Labyrinth:
I ban people for using it as an insult, including variations such as 'ghey'. That is a fair warning to everyone.

That duck has a moustash! I just noticed.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 4768
Joined: 17 Mar 2009

ChromeAlchemist:

The Infamous Scamola:

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.

Ah yes, Mr Carlin. Context just complicates matters though. Would you call your mother a cunt/whore? If I called my mother a cunt/whore, regardless of context, she would slap the light from my eyes, and rightfully so. And if you can't relate to that, replace it with 'Queen' or 'Berlusconi' and replace 'slap the light from my eyes' with 'prison'. It's just much better for it not to be used any more. I mean no one uses 'Zounds' any more, that word is pretty much phased out.

It's fine on paper, but so is communism. If you don't want to step on a mine, avoid the minefield altogether. I don't think anyone should use it.

Well, obviously you should check your crowd, be certain that nobody actually takes anything you say seriously and as an offense. And, you know, there could be a context in which I could (albeit jokingly) call my mom a whore/cunt.

And I'm sorry, but I can't relate to your "Mom/Berlusconi" "slap the light from my eyes/prison" comparison. I don't live in Zimbabwe.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1419
Joined: 27 Feb 2009

ChromeAlchemist:

headshotcatcher:

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.

True, didn't think that through but still I agree with Fat Man Spoon, no words should be taboo. I fling 'nigger' around a lot as well (when talking to coloured (not neccesarily black) friends) as kind of an inside joke and they don't really mind.. I haven't heard anyone use nigger offensively in quite a while either so I don't understand the big hassle about it >.>

Check your history. In America and Britain such words are taboo because of the stigma that it carries. Sure you might fling it about, but it means nothing to you. The word Kike means absolutely nothing to me, but there are plenty of jewish peoples who take great offence to that word, so I will never use it in a conversation. Ever. Even if no words should be taboo, that's an ideal, an ideal that we may never accept as a society. Until that time may come, I don't think anyone should use it, or at least around me.

I know the stigma it carries, but I'm sure someone once called a jew a dork and that word isn't taboo either. Times pass you know, Germany isn't Nazi anymore, nor are all black people in the 'free world' slaves. Words lose their meaning over time, really..

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1204
Joined: 6 Oct 2008

I still remember the word "gay" meaning "fun," like, "isn't this a gay old time we're having?" Y'know, things like that.

Now it's just become stupid. I hope the word dies a horrible, flaming death.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 2052
Joined: 22 Jun 2009

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

Thats actually a great word, really gets your point across.

Muckraker
Posts: 239
Joined: 7 Aug 2009

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

or "gay"

Paperboy
Posts: 41
Joined: 31 Mar 2009

I am strongly against calling people gay. Might have something to do with me being gay myself, but honestly.

Using it as an insult gives it a negative tone which would mean that there's something wrong with being homosexual. In doing this, it creates an 'us and them'-approach to the gay minority. Which is wrong. We live in an age were it's becoming socially accepted to stray from the 'norm'. Please. Stop using gay as an insult. It's not.

Muckraker
Posts: 239
Joined: 7 Aug 2009

headshotcatcher:

ChromeAlchemist:

headshotcatcher:

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.

True, didn't think that through but still I agree with Fat Man Spoon, no words should be taboo. I fling 'nigger' around a lot as well (when talking to coloured (not neccesarily black) friends) as kind of an inside joke and they don't really mind.. I haven't heard anyone use nigger offensively in quite a while either so I don't understand the big hassle about it >.>

Check your history. In America and Britain such words are taboo because of the stigma that it carries. Sure you might fling it about, but it means nothing to you. The word Kike means absolutely nothing to me, but there are plenty of jewish peoples who take great offence to that word, so I will never use it in a conversation. Ever. Even if no words should be taboo, that's an ideal, an ideal that we may never accept as a society. Until that time may come, I don't think anyone should use it, or at least around me.

I know the stigma it carries, but I'm sure someone once called a jew a dork and that word isn't taboo either. Times pass you know, Germany isn't Nazi anymore, nor are all black people in the 'free world' slaves. Words lose their meaning over time, really..

if i heard you use the word n****r around anyone, i'd have to hit you. hard. with something on fire.

not necessarily an intelligent argument, but hell, i'm hitting you with something on fire, so if that doesn't guarantee me a moral victory, i'm going to have to find something bigger to hit you with. hard. while it's on fire.

On the Record
Posts: 5490
Joined: 13 Aug 2008

Meh, you know honestly it just makes me laugh. Mostly because if you take people literally it's priceless. "That video is gay" = "That video likes to have sex with other videos of the same gender". Yeah, it's a bit annoying, but I don't get angry at it nearly as much as I do when people say "faggot" or "fag". Namely because those have never been used to refer to people in any way other than harmful. I mean, yes, if you're actually from Britain and you say "Can I get a fag" then I will accept that you are asking for a cigarette. But if you say "You're such a fag" then we all know you're not calling me a cigarette.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 916
Joined: 15 Apr 2009

for me it makes no sense as the word gay means happy, calling me happy and meaning it as an insult is about as weird as calling me handsome, funny and all in all a pure delight to be around after i spilled boiling coffee over them and then kicked them in the groin.

Red Guard
Posts: 4903
Joined: 14 Oct 2007

xitel:
Meh, you know honestly it just makes me laugh. Mostly because if you take people literally it's priceless. "That video is gay" = "That video likes to have sex with other videos of the same gender". Yeah, it's a bit annoying, but I don't get angry at it nearly as much as I do when people say "faggot" or "fag". Namely because those have never been used to refer to people in any way other than harmful. I mean, yes, if you're actually from Britain and you say "Can I get a fag" then I will accept that you are asking for a cigarette. But if you say "You're such a fag" then we all know you're not calling me a cigarette.

Oh I ban people for that too. Those words make me angry.

Infamous Scribbler
Posts: 537
Joined: 28 Jun 2009

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.

We share a common enemy, Mr. Spoon.

OT: Like Fat Man Spoon as said, it's used alot where I live as well. I used it alot, to call my friends, wherever it is nessecary. In fact my friends pretend to be gay, for amusement.

On the Record
Posts: 5490
Joined: 13 Aug 2008

Labyrinth:

xitel:
Meh, you know honestly it just makes me laugh. Mostly because if you take people literally it's priceless. "That video is gay" = "That video likes to have sex with other videos of the same gender". Yeah, it's a bit annoying, but I don't get angry at it nearly as much as I do when people say "faggot" or "fag". Namely because those have never been used to refer to people in any way other than harmful. I mean, yes, if you're actually from Britain and you say "Can I get a fag" then I will accept that you are asking for a cigarette. But if you say "You're such a fag" then we all know you're not calling me a cigarette.

Oh I ban people for that too. Those words make me angry.

Again, it's all a matter of context. Like I said, I could understand if it was a Brit asking for a smoke, but seriously, someone called me a faggot and said "But faggot means a bundle of sticks so you can't get angry!" I kicked him in the testes.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1419
Joined: 27 Feb 2009

Archer147:

if i heard you use the word n****r around anyone, i'd have to hit you. hard. with something on fire.

not necessarily an intelligent argument, but hell, i'm hitting you with something on fire, so if that doesn't guarantee me a moral victory, i'm going to have to find something bigger to hit you with. hard. while it's on fire.

Explain, my good sir, what is your gripe with the word nigger?

And maybe more importantly, are you a black person yourself?

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 3584
Joined: 8 May 2008

I quite often use it to describe something I do not like. However when I do I mean it in its original form.

1. having or showing a merry, lively mood: gay spirits; gay music.
2. bright or showy: gay colors; gay ornaments.

Anything that is too over the top happy or just too bright, gaudy and just generally all round tacky gets that insult from me. If homosexuals want to get all butt hurt over a word they fucking well choose to relate to themselves then it is not my fething problem.

On the Record
Posts: 5631
Joined: 12 Jul 2009

Broady Brio:

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.

We share a common enemy, Mr. Spoon.

OT: Like Fat Man Spoon as said, it's used alot where I live as well. I used it alot, to call my friends, wherever it is nessecary. In fact my friends pretend to be gay, for amusement.

What I also find amusing is Americans calling me a 'fag'.

Which is a cigarette. And then I confuse them by saying such.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 2034
Joined: 3 Sep 2008

Blackadder51:
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.

According to some absurdly large portion of my countrymen, it is and they should.

Words have long been used as weapons, there is nothing new about it. To ask if it's acceptable is irrelevant - none have the power to alter it.

Muckraker
Posts: 307
Joined: 11 Aug 2009

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.

what he said.

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 884
Joined: 24 Feb 2009

I'm getting fed up with people telling me what I can and can't say.

Muckraker
Posts: 239
Joined: 7 Aug 2009

headshotcatcher:

Archer147:

if i heard you use the word n****r around anyone, i'd have to hit you. hard. with something on fire.

not necessarily an intelligent argument, but hell, i'm hitting you with something on fire, so if that doesn't guarantee me a moral victory, i'm going to have to find something bigger to hit you with. hard. while it's on fire.

Explain, my good sir, what is your gripe with the word nigger?

And maybe more importantly, are you a black person yourself?

the word n****r was used as a term to describe black people, often used in a disrespectful manner. it was very popular around the MLKJr timeline, when they were after rights of their own. the white supremacists would call the black people this word as a means of control, sort of a "we can call you what we want because we're better" thing. the word was meant to keep them down, cause them to lose hope. bringing it up again brings back memories from people who lived in those times, and stirs up images for people who've heard of them.

and btw, i'm white, irish, and proud of it. now stand still while i hit you with this flaming rolled-up newspaper.

On the Record
Posts: 5160
Joined: 21 Aug 2008

The Infamous Scamola:

ChromeAlchemist:

The Infamous Scamola:

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.

Ah yes, Mr Carlin. Context just complicates matters though. Would you call your mother a cunt/whore? If I called my mother a cunt/whore, regardless of context, she would slap the light from my eyes, and rightfully so. And if you can't relate to that, replace it with 'Queen' or 'Berlusconi' and replace 'slap the light from my eyes' with 'prison'. It's just much better for it not to be used any more. I mean no one uses 'Zounds' any more, that word is pretty much phased out.

It's fine on paper, but so is communism. If you don't want to step on a mine, avoid the minefield altogether. I don't think anyone should use it.

Well, obviously you should check your crowd, be certain that nobody actually takes anything you say seriously and as an offense. And, you know, there could be a context in which I could (albeit jokingly) call my mom a whore/cunt.

And I'm sorry, but I can't relate to your "Mom/Berlusconi" "slap the light from my eyes/prison" comparison. I don't live in Zimbabwe.

Neither does Berlusconi, and neither do I. Isn't B-Dog still in office? And didn't he stop that comedienne's satire show from being aired? That's kind of why I laced that part with a bit of hyperbole, only because of what I heard, and that documentary I saw.

It's universally accepted though in western society that you don't call your mother anything offensive. Even if I joked, and said 'oh mum, don't be a cunt :D' it wouldn't end well. Same goes for most people I know. Indeed it might be possible for you, but not for most.

Or, if that's a bad example, what about a stranger on the street, or someone else's mother? I understand context means just about anything can be said, but I mean in general.

Press Junketeer
Posts: 426
Joined: 28 Jul 2009

If you go up to someone, sneer and call them gay. its unacceptable.
If your talking to your parents with him and they say, "do you have a girlfriend" to your friend and the you say "no billys gay" its fine. its not perogative or anything. its just a fact.
it depends on the circumstances of saying it

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 2734
Joined: 23 Apr 2008

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..

Please explain because not everyone is like you.

Infamous Scribbler
Posts: 545
Joined: 3 Mar 2009

Aura Guardian:

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..

Please explain because not everyone is like you.

Don't let him explain. That last comment of his already did enough damage to my respect for humanity as an intelligent species.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1198
Joined: 24 Apr 2009

I'm gay and I use gay as an insult all the time. Not really bothered about it to be honest

Muckraker
Posts: 239
Joined: 7 Aug 2009

Agema:

Aura Guardian:

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..

Please explain because not everyone is like you.

Don't let him explain. That last comment of his already did enough damage to my respect for humanity as an intelligent species.

i'm still waiting on his response to my flaming newspaper, so me first- i want to see what this idiot's got to come back with

Pulitzer Laureate
Posts: 898
Joined: 24 Sep 2008

Considering the word originally meant happy and has since been adapted to mean homosexual, I'll use it as an insult if I want.

Words have many meanings, suck it up.

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1419
Joined: 27 Feb 2009

Archer147:
the word n****r was used as a term to describe black people, often used in a disrespectful manner. it was very popular around the MLKJr timeline, when they were after rights of their own. the white supremacists would call the black people this word as a means of control, sort of a "we can call you what we want because we're better" thing. the word was meant to keep them down, cause them to lose hope. bringing it up again brings back memories from people who lived in those times, and stirs up images for people who've heard of them.

and btw, i'm white, irish, and proud of it. now stand still while i hit you with this flaming rolled-up newspaper.

I know it was used in a bad way, (I'm one of the dutch, the word nigger originated from us) but if you make such a big deal about a word you're just making problems word. Think of PETA, they have OUTRAGEOUS campaigns complaining about bullshit, at least that's probably what you think about it, but I think exactly the same whenever I see someone freak out because someone used 'Gay'.

What do you think sounds more ridiculous:
PETA's 'OMG THEY KILL ANIMALS IN SLAUGHTERHOUSES'
or
Your 'OMG YOU SAID A WORD, NOW I WILL KILL YOU'

If people would stop making such a big deal about it it wouldn't be used as much, really..

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1912
Joined: 9 Aug 2009

I'm guilty and so are my friends of saying it a lot, but I don't have a problem with gay people and (despite what a couple might say when we're joking about) neither do my mates. It's almost become a way to say something's rubbish (in the same way it used to mean happy, then gay). It may not be right but it's just developed in that way.

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