Calling out people who use "gay" as a pejorative term on Xbox Live

[Oxvon]

Yea, I played a lot of Xbox Live games and some PC games that have people that love using gay as an insult. Until a year or so ago when I decided to not use voice chat unless I'm with friends.

I think one of the reasons people keep using gay as an insult is because every so often when they call someone gay that person does get insulted for some reason. So when it works they keep using it.

 

[GonzoGamer]

The more I hear (about) what goes on on XBL, the more happy I am that I didn't get a 360. No offense.

It's just that between what I hear when I play on friends' 360s, that gay employee that sued them, and the lesbian who was booted off for mentioning she's a lesbian makes me feel like the 360 is sold to the same target market who watches Fox News (or will when they get older), join frats (or will when they get older), and/or make amateur backyard wrestling videos (or will when they get older).

 

[bookboy]

This happens everywhere. You see this often anywhere you find teenagers or kids.

as a teenager myself, i find this equally insulting when compared to being called "gay" anywhere, plenty of adults use this term too.

also, I prefer to semi-ignore those people on XBL who use these terms as insults, i pretend they simply mean that the person they are insulting (who is usually beating them pretty badly) just really likes other people who can easily defeat the insult spewers, (which is true enough).

 

[GruntOwner]

I never use "gay" as an insult.
"Ghey" is a different matter.
And as has been pointed out, it's not just teenagers, I remeber playing against someone, easily over 20 from his voice, who finished the match, asked if he won (He didn't, they were 50 kills down on team slayer, halo 3) and when I asked what team he was on, because it didn't display that in the lobby, and he just started shouting and calling me a fag. He had also done so at the begginning of the match, claiming he was going to pwn us. It all kinda combined into one massive parody of him.

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

Just like to point out that 'gay' never meant homosexual to start with, so why don't we just let it change to a new word which can be used negatively but isn't offensive. If it represents homosexuality, then it can be seen as offensive because it suggests that if somethings gay (in the sense of homosexual) then it's bad. But if it's merely another insult then it becomes just another way to show dissatisfaction. Personally, I don't mind if someone has to yell because they're angry with something in the game, I just wish they'd turn their damn mikes off!

 

[Evertw]

Anyone that uses the argument that being gay isn't natural or wasn't the way nature intended us is ignorant.

Why then are some animals gay?

And humans fall into the class of animals so then it's natural to be gay.

 

[SilentScream]

I try not to let it bother me and/or make quick use of any muting features at my disposal. If they're being idiots you aren't going to change them. I'd much rather game in relative peace than listening to a 14 year old telling everyone they're gay and their mothers suck cock. Muting is my preferred method of course, as trying to 'deal with it' usually results in a painful case of team killing the bastard.

 

[Insert Funny Name Here]

Its not homophobia, its just being a dumbass

I don't think the two are mutually exclusive.

You really think everyone who throws around those terms are homophobes?

There just using it as a quick insult that requires little thought. They're not implying that being gay is an insult. The word itself has lost that meaning in this sense.

Yeah, but its the fact that used in this context, they are using the word gay as a negetive word implying that being gay is wrong. Its the same with when people use the word jew. It technically IS an act of racism or being homophobic. Maybe not intentionally, but it is easy for someone to take offense to this.

 

[Nova Tendril]

Its not homophobia, its just being a dumbass

I don't think the two are mutually exclusive.

You really think everyone who throws around those terms are homophobes?

There just using it as a quick insult that requires little thought. They're not implying that being gay is an insult. The word itself has lost that meaning in this sense.

Yeah, but its the fact that used in this context, they are using the word gay as a negetive word implying that being gay is wrong. Its the same with when people use the word jew. It technically IS an act of racism or being homophobic. Maybe not intentionally, but it is easy for someone to take offense to this.

You really get offended by what people you have never met say over Xbox Live?

 

[thiosk]

I am tired of tailoring language depending on who I might insult.

We need a running ticker at the bottom of our vision that analyzes who we are looking at and scrolls a list of words that may offend them.

That would be gay.

 

[polygon]

In my experiences, the only people who were offended by the use of "gay" as a synonym for "lame" were not, in fact, homosexual, but heterosexuals worried that gay people would be offended by it.
Language marches on. Gay can also mean lame now. Stop whining about it.

Anyone that uses the argument that being gay isn't natural or wasn't the way nature intended us is ignorant.

Why then are some animals gay?

And humans fall into the class of animals so then it's natural to be gay.

If an animal is born with a deadly disease, does that mean it's natural for us to be diseased? From an evolutionary standpoint, homosexuality is a defect.

 

[USSR]

Most of the time (and somewhat surprisingly), they just shut up about it. I tell the person it's not cool to use "gay" as an insult and the person shuts up.

I honestly don't think anyone on Xbox Live who uses "gay" as an insult, shuts up. The moral ignorance of the near entire community would never succumb to your approach towards this as issue.

You are going against the Russian Military with a Butter Knife.

You will lose and you will fall hard.

It's the cold truth..

 

[oktalist]

Your gay.
My gay what?
Huh?
Haha.

I consider myself a progressive, and certainly not a homophobe. And yet I will still use the word gay as an insult, with a meaning completely separate from its meaning as a sexuality. Like if I call something or someone a *****, that has nothing to do with a female dog, or a bastard, that has nothing to do with being born out of wedlock, or a cock or a twat, that has nothing to do with genitalia, and using those words in those contexts is not intended to denigrate the subjects of their literal meanings. I hold no ill will towards female dogs, people born out of wedlock, genitalia, or indeed gay homosexuals.

But maybe it is still a bad thing. I can see how a gay person would be not just offended but justifiably insulted and aggrieved to the highest degree by hearing someone use gay as an insult in a throw-away manner. Like a parent of a Down syndrome child might, upon hearing the word retard used in a similar way*. Like when someone says something is geeky or nerdy, not the same thing but I'm looking for some common ground here. And people still get beaten up and killed for being the wrong sexuality, so I can see how a throw-away remark might take on a gravity unexpected and to some extent incomprehensible to the speaker. Imagine if one was to use the word black in the same way.

Was "gay as an insult" pioneered by Cartman in Southpark? For he is the archetypal bigot...

Your gay.
My gay what?
Your gay willy.
Oh.

* no, gayness is not a deformity/abnormality in the same way as retardation; the similarity is that a retard and a gay and a neurotypical heterosexual are 3 people whose livers** are of the same intrinsic worth.

** that was a typo on lives, obviously, but I had to leave it in for hilarity.

 

[Jeronus]

The point is, I'm wondering if my new approach would be a good way to reduce the bigotry on Xbox Live.

You would have an easier time ending world hunger.

 

[Tech Team FTW!]

Note to anyoe confused by my previous posts:
I don't actually call people out on it, I just see it as one of many manifestations of a larger problem. Treating symptoms only masks the issue.

 

[Ladie Au Pair]

If everyone who is offended by racism, homophobia, and the like on Live spoke up, the bigots might not feel comfortable spouting their nonsense.

It's a nice idea, but we have already seen this fall flat on it's face in the real world. For every one person that listens to you and thinks twice about their actions, there is going to be another person who can't believe you called them on out on their beliefs and will simply shout them louder. (Rush Limbaugh any one?)

I think that the best option would be to try to fix this in every day life first, which will then reflect in XBox live. Unfortunately, I don't see that happen any time soon either. But you should still try.

 

[Insert Funny Name Here]

Its not homophobia, its just being a dumbass

I don't think the two are mutually exclusive.

You really think everyone who throws around those terms are homophobes?

There just using it as a quick insult that requires little thought. They're not implying that being gay is an insult. The word itself has lost that meaning in this sense.

Yeah, but its the fact that used in this context, they are using the word gay as a negetive word implying that being gay is wrong. Its the same with when people use the word jew. It technically IS an act of racism or being homophobic. Maybe not intentionally, but it is easy for someone to take offense to this.

You really get offended by what people you have never met say over Xbox Live?

I don't. But people can. Thats the point.

 

[hannahdonno]

I myself am bisexual and use the term gay quite a lot. I have never though someone using it is homophobic, it is just never seen as that.