Poll: Do You Use the Word "Gay" as an Insult?

[Rofl-Mayo]

Yeah, I used to always use it as an insult but now I try to not do it and I only say it every now and then. My reason for quiting is I realized how prejudice i was being.

 

[Headsprouter]

I feel ''gay'' is just another word that is commonly used in nonsensical situations, so much so, that in those situations it has lost its meaning. It's like saying F*** or sh** or ASS!!!! When you fail or whatever. in those situations all those words mean is ''i am having negative feelings''. However, if the word is used in a situation such as: ''wow, thats f***ing amazing!'' It would be a positive response. But people do not say ''thats gaying amazing''.

Finally, gay is often used for something negative, and it is to poopular belief that being gay is a bad thing (however personally i belive it is not). Why words that have almost completely lost thier meaning (such as f***) can be used in both positive and negative situations. this meaning that when people say something is gay, it is never easy to tell wheather or not they have something against homosexuals, as they may just have made a habit of saying it in the past when they considered it to be ''cool''.

Bottom line, i do not use gay as an insult or to describe something negative. i just beleive that this word(and other words used in similar situations) have virtually no meaning when used in the aforementioned situations.

 

[Zechnophobe]

I think you are exactly wrong. A word is only as valuable as the concept it conveys. Masturbatory lallygagging of sounds without intent of communication is not really worth discussing. Therefore words are a vehicle for communication, as opposed to mere sounds, and therefore the message transmitted is the one that matters.

"Masturbatory lallygagging"? That doesn't even exist. If you honestly want to lay claim to a word and then write it out of all of it's original definitions, then you're just imposing gorgeous restrictions. ("Gorgeous" - To be coated in blood and sweat)

Would you like Fairy tales, Fairy Lights and Fairy cakes referred to as homophobic as well?

Sheeesh. As I've already said irony, sarcasm and other uses of speech can turn the most positive messages into cutting insults and it's nothing to do with the words themselves. I can spit "Well done" at someone or how about "Break a leg" for good luck? Imposing a mandatory use of words is draconian. (Named after an Athenian law scribe under whom small offences had heavy punishments, and not only meaning reptilian)

And rallying behind Simon Amstell as your defender? That's like rallying behind Bernard Manning.

So, you keep noting how words can be used for multiple things, and I keep trying to point out that 'yes that is true, but the use of the word Gay is strictly negative in many cases, and those cases are where it is in appropriate.'

You have now added 'fairy' to the list. None of your example of it are using it in the pejorative. They are all simply adjectivizing the word to describe something in a slightly non-standard way. There is no good comparison to someone saying "Dude, that is so GAY." Such a comment is equate Gay with Bad. NONE OF YOUR EXAMPLES DO THIS! Okay? You aren't giving examples to the contrary, you are simply waving your hands and spouting out random bits of nonsense.

I'm not even sure where the Simon Amstell comment comes from. Until this post of yours, I had never heard of this person, and had to wiki him up.

 

[Zechnophobe]

I feel ''gay'' is just another word that is commonly used in nonsensical situations, so much so, that in those situations it has lost its meaning. It's like saying F*** or sh** or ASS!!!! When you fail or whatever. in those situations all those words mean is ''i am having negative feelings''. However, if the word is used in a situation such as: ''wow, thats f***ing amazing!'' It would be a positive response. But people do not say ''thats gaying amazing''.

Finally, gay is often used for something negative, and it is to poopular belief that being gay is a bad thing (however personally i belive it is not). Why words that have almost completely lost thier meaning (such as f***) can be used in both positive and negative situations. this meaning that when people say something is gay, it is never easy to tell wheather or not they have something against homosexuals, as they may just have made a habit of saying it in the past when they considered it to be ''cool''.

Bottom line, i do not use gay as an insult or to describe something negative. i just beleive that this word(and other words used in similar situations) have virtually no meaning when used in the aforementioned situations.

The problem is, that this isn't a word that describes you. It isn't something you have had to build up your courage to tell your parents that you are. Think of the people who have to overcome their fear of societal rejection to say "I'm Gay", and think how you using it in a negative way effects them. You probably don't immediately sympathize because you aren't a member of a notable minority. But that doesn't mean it isn't a bad thing to say!

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

'yes that is true, but the use of the word Gay is strictly negative in many cases, and those cases are where it is in appropriate.'

Let me see if I can get this straight (tch), you wish all negative uses of the word Gay to cease, despite it being a word adopted for a certain cause?

Do you know how many words there are that CAN mean male/male relationships? Would you prefer them ALL to be restrained from all negative uses? For a quick example : twink, Polari, chicken, basket, gunsel.

Are we to assume that you'll fight equally hard for words that are derogatory towards male/female relationships, female/female relationships, and other relationships? I think we can safely assume that the non-legal variety are still fine.

By the way, I looked up lallygagging. It's the present participle of lolly-gagging, which means male/male oral sex. So your example of masturbatory lallygagging actually means sucking your own dick.

See what studying the etymology of words allows? The understanding that words can be used for multiple viewpoints/ideals, while the contextual use of them can denote hate-crimes, it comes from the context.

I can still refer to my fat wallet without it being obese, or the other thing I keep in my trousers.

I can also refer to Homo Sapiens, without people thinking I'm talking about only gay men.

 

[newdarkcloud]

Never used "gay" or "retarded" or any of their derivatives, but my mouth is far from clean. I think I've used almost every other foul word in the English dictionary.

 

[Syphous]

Insult towards people? No. Insult towards situations? Yes.

"Oh that was gay." And I know it doesn't make sense, but, there you have it.

 

[Simskiller]

Nope, for me Gay still equals happy...

Also kinda-sorta-but-not-really bicurious.

 

[Artina89]

No, I don't really use it. I don't mind other people using it however.

 

[FunkyRaspberry]

People who uses the term "gay" in order to insult others seem kinda gay to me.

In all honesty, I don't see the word as an insult; but due to my rather sharp sense of humor I tend to use "gay" along with racist terms and dandy words from the 19th century when I joke-insult my friends.

In other words: "Gay" isn't an insult, but it makes a ridiculous substitute for one.

 

[fullbleed]

I sometimes use it ironicly, that makes me sound like kind of a dick but I often just use it in refference to Shaun of the Dead:
Ed: Why have we got to go to Liz's?
Shaun: Because we do.
Ed: But she dumped you!
Shaun: I have to know if she's all right!
Ed: Why?
Shaun: Because I love her!
Ed: All right... gayyy

 

[interspark]

Do yourself a favor, learn how to spell.

yeah, thanks, that reeeeeeeally contributed to the discussion. do me a favour, if i ask your opinion on using the word gay as an insult, just give me your opinion, don't post some one-liner critisising my spelling of the word "since"

 

[Yukichin]

I never use that as an insult. It's offensive; if someone says "that's so gay", it feels to me like they're just insulting me (seeing as I'm gay), even if they honestly don't mean it that way. The only time I use it is if something is really stereotypically gay: then I'm just pointing it out. I really don't like the use of "fag" or "gay".

 

[cthulhumythos]

No. I'm not inbred.

I fail to see the correlation, good sir.

Then you're the only one.

HEY. my genetic background is none of your business.


on a serious note it's just an insult, it's not like everyone that uses it is some homophobe. hell, the word used to mean happy; my point is that word's meanings vary throughout time. i don't use homosexual as an insult, and chances are if you say someone's hot, you're probably not talking about their body temperature.

 

[interspark]

No.
Using it as an insult is close-minded, and being close-minded is something that I utterly detest.

i couldn't agree more, we didn't spend 6 million years evolving only to prove ourselves more stupid than our hairy ancestors, sentient brain power is a rare and unique gift, it's criminal how some people use/don't use it

 

[orangebandguy]

Nope.

When it comes to insulting people I am an olympic champion. My sarcastic gland works overtime.

But I'm still a nice guy. ^^