So I'm going to try and stop saying "gay" and "fag"

[Don Savik]

I find it funny that people are defending its "original" meaning when gay originally meant happy, not homosexual.

I don't mind people that trash talk like that unless I know specifically they are homophobic, and I don't trash talk like that because I want to better my vocabulary, not because it might offend. I can't stop people from being offended. Unless directed specifically at people then this isn't a problem if you ask me.

 

[Zen Toombs]

So my fellow Escapists, what do you think of my quest? Waste of time or worthy endeavor?
For discussion value, do you have the same problem as I?

I offer thee hugs[footnote]no homo that was a joke.
also i'm bisexual, so that makes it alright to say that, right?
..[/footnote] and encouragement!

As for me, I've decided to stop cursing entirely. I've slipped up a few times, but I've been doing pretty well for the past year and a half. Good luck on your journey!

 

[Euryalus]

So are you going to replace them with other words or just gonna try and stop raging? I never really use the words "gay" or "Fag." I don't really like the... err... aesthetic? of them. I just don't like how they sound. I mostly just use the f-word or hell when raging (along with more incoherent snarling noises lol). All in all its probably a good thing, since I'll never have explain that "I don't mean anything" by using them.

Oh! Also, I want to say good luck with your endeavor

 

[Wintermoot]

nope then again I never really saw the use of the words "gay" and "fag" as curse words except for stuff like "faggotry"

 

[royohz]

That's great, good for you! Shame "you jolly fuckwad" doesn't have the same ring to it.

 

[DEAD34345]

Any word can be offensive, I have no problem with people using "gay", "fag" or pretty much any other word for that matter as an insult. On the other hand, I do have a problem with people who actually discriminate against homosexuals.

Words are just words, and it's the meaning behind what you say that matters, not the specific vocabulary you use in order to convey that meaning. "Gay" originally meant happy, and "Fag" is just another word for "Cigarette" where I live. As long as you don't actually judge people by their sexuality I say you should use whatever words you want, and screw (have sex with?) any bastard (person born with parents out of wedlock?) who gives you shit (... ?) for it.

 

[kortin]

Okay, good luck, I suppose. I just growl swears under my breath because I live with my family still. I just stopped using words like "gay" and "******" because the words themselves were overused in their derogatory sense and incredibly boring to say.

 

[orangeban]

Good for you, I'm doing much the same thing only with ableist slurs. I've managed to cut "retard" out of my vocabulary and I'm doing well with "lame", but I'm struggling to stop thinking "dumb". It's an uphill struggle, but a worthy one.

I'm also having to do a similar thing with my new name, whenever I think of myself as my old name I have to correct myself.

 

[Tippy]

When black people casually toss the N word around, they KNOW they're referring to a more "brotherly" term rather than a derogatory term associated with hundreds of years of racism/slavery.
In the same way, whenever I yell "gay" or "fag" in anger, I KNOW that I'm not referring those words to homosexuality in any way. I have nothing against homosexuals, nothing at all. Same thing when I yell "retard!" at someone, I have nothing against the mentally disabled. Hell, I worked closely with the mentally disabled for over a year back in high school! I know how life is for them.

It's what you make of the word. It's what you make of ANY word really, since virtually anything can be taken in an offensive manner. People need to stop getting offended by what they read on the internet. I have no sympathy for them.

This isn't about contributing and trying to make the internet a "nicer place" - it will NEVER be a nice place as long as free speech is allowed i.e. as long as the internet exists, it's horribly offensive aspects will exist. This is a FACT so people need to learn to deal with it.
Obviously making RL threats over the internet is venturing into the realms of law breaking, but just some derogatory words thrown around? The sooner people stop getting offended by those, the happier they will be.

Good on you on trying to cut those words out of your vocabulary.

 

[WindKnight]

good going... and good luck ^_^.

one thing I advise, is berate the game, not the player..

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Yup, I do exactly the same, although not so much in game seeing as I don't play nearly as much multi player as I used to, but I still use it in real life sometimes.

I commend you for your efforts sir. (Although lets be honest, around here, who wouldn't?).

 

[chadachada123]

You have good intentions, so for that, I can't exactly suggest that you stop or that your actions are at all wrong.

However, like many many words before, these words used in this way will have two possible outcomes: Complete dissemination or complete eradication.

Either everyone will start using 'fag' and the like in a generic way that has nothing to do with gays (much like 'lame' and 'moron' and 'idiot' were all medical terms for mental or physical impairment).

Or, everyone will stop using it in that way and will only leave it as a negative slur.

Personally, I see the former happening, and see struggles to prevent it as just prolonging the inevitable.

It's a shame that probably half of the people that say 'fag' have no negative feelings towards gays and aren't even referencing homosexuality, while the other half is filled with 12-year old assholes and adult bigots. I don't see any solution to this short of just waiting it out, though.

 

[Tippy]

Either everyone will start using 'fag' and the like in a generic way that has nothing to do with gays (much like 'lame' and 'moron' and 'idiot' were all medical terms for mental or physical impairment).

I believe in many circles we've already reached this stage - ESPECIALLY in gaming circles. Probably hard to believe but bear with me here...the majority of gamers actually look down upon those who express their hate for homosexuals, try typing anything anti-gay into public chat and you'll quickly get put on a lot of people's ignore lists (if not outright flamed back). Unless we're talking about the Call of Duty community.
But most gaming communities are still totally fine to throw the word "gay" and "fag" around.

This hints toward the fact that we've *mostly* already stopped associating fag/gay with netagive/derogatory intentions towards homosexuals. It really makes no logical sense to try and OFFEND someone over the internet by indirectly calling them "homosexual!", because either they are (which just makes it sillier) or they're not (they'll just shrug it off). It's just not relevant as an offensive word anymore.

Simply calling someone "stupid" is actually FAR more offensive to them than calling them gay/fag. It's true. If someone said to me "are you stupid?" I will immediately react by replying "what? what did I do? why are you calling me that?" meanwhile if they say "you're gay / a fag!" I won't even bother reacting. It means nothing. It's like saying "you're a jug of water!". It would make no sense to get offended by that, at all.

 

[Mikeyfell]

Good on you. I know people who say "gay" as a synonym for "bad" and it bugs the crap out of me.
Almost as much as people who say "rape" when they mean "defeat"

Spoiler: a much more appropriate definition for the word gay

I don't have a problem with "******" so much.
I mean I won't stop saying ***** or **** because most of my friends are women.
That might make me a hypocrite but I don't care

 

[Nalgas D. Lemur]

As for me personally, I cuss in a very old-school way. If I get mad at something in a game, I will say "What the hell was that?" Or if children/my parents are around "What the heck was that?"

Gol durn it! Dag nab it! Gosh darn it all to heck!

 

[BOOM headshot65]

As for me personally, I cuss in a very old-school way. If I get mad at something in a game, I will say "What the hell was that?" Or if children/my parents are around "What the heck was that?"

Gol durn it! Dag nab it! Gosh darn it all to heck!

Hey now, I actually use "Dag nab it" as an actual cuss word. I just think it sounds cool, its fun to say, AND its kid friendly. Everybody wins!

 

[Devil_Worshipper]

****** is a pretty catchy word, although I find it much funnier to use "cisgender ******" to both confuse and infuriate.

 

[217not237]

Now, I, personally, am a fag, and have no issue with the use of words used as insults when they clearly are not being used in homophobic ways. However, many of my fellow fags do take offense to that, and I think it is a very noble goal to stop saying things along those lines.