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

[RJ Dalton]

Good on you, sir. My sister's husband keeps using those words all the time and it bugs the shit out of me.

 

[nyarlathotepsama]

Now I guess I have some degree of personal interest in this since I am a homosexual...but I still find myself saying "this is gay" from time to time, fucking era I grew up in I guess. I never call anyone out on it, since that would just be asinine and pointless. Language is as language does, although I'd love if gay and fag could disappear as go-to insults.


Would be heroic of you if you did though, one step towards newer and better swearing!

 

[ckam]

Good luck with that, at least you try.

 

[yeti585]

Words only mean the thought put behind them. So if you want to stop using those words then go ahead. Just don't shout this quest from the rooftops.

 

[Astoria]

I never say fag or ****** and when I say gay I'm usually saying in a joking way and mean lame. The meaning you give to the word means more than the word itself but good on you if you wanna stop using them. Would be nice if my brother did the same -_-

 

[darlarosa]

It is very good to stop that subconscious association. A nice effort, to have a code of consistency, good on you.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

The only people I call faggots are a few actual gay friends... and my bestie who's a lesbian (I dunno I just never really liked the word dyke?) they know its in jest though otherwise obviously I wouldn't. its more like the fake insulting that friends do.

I've never found myself using it any other way but literally though. Never as a random insult and I've never called something gay for no reason, both those things actually get on my nerves when people do it because it just makes you sound like a complete idiot. and 15. and a virgin.

if you are none of those things then good on you for cutting it out.

 

[irmasterlol]

That sounds pretty gay.
In all seriousness, does anyway except the Westboro fags actually use fag to describe the LBGT community? I thought we had moved on to more elaborate slurs after the internet robbed "fag" of all it's power and then raped it in a dark alley because the internet is a bastard like that.

 

[ManInRed]

What you need to start doing is inventing new curse words to say. This is the 21st century, can't you whipper snaps be more creative with your insults and expletive. Or at least bring back classic obscure references like nerf hurter. I mean we brought Frak back, surely there's some others to include.

How about talking like a Beast Wars transformer when your mad? Aw, slag! By the Matrix! Well, that's just prime. We're all gonna die. Yesss...

 

[Danz D Man]

I used to do this too, I stopped about two years ago. Though I still use "gay" sometimes with one of my friends, but to me it's a joke that I'm using it in that context. It's like jokeception, but not funny.

 

[McMarbles]

I just use "frell", "dren", "yotz", and other fake Farscape curses. It comes with the benefot of confusing the hezmana out of people.

 

[applesandoranges]

edit

 

[Torrasque]

-snip-

I certainly see where you're coming from, but the words "fag, gay, ******" has, in this society, been reduced to the same meaning as "Dickbag" or something. It doesn't have anything to do with homosexuality when using it as a curseword anymore.

Same thing, people going around calling people "emo", even though they don't listen to that kind of music nor cut themselves. The term has therefore left those meanings, and now only mean something like "dickbag".

EDIT: I mean, it has left those meanings OVER TIME.
Sorry, got little confused there meself.

Also, I like the word "Dickbag", because I always try to imagine it and it makes me laugh.

I enjoy the word dickbag as well.

I do agree that society has turned those words into insults, but I tend to deviate as far from societal norms as possible. I just don't like most of the things that commonly happen in society "just because they do". One of these things is the usage of "fag, gay, ******".

Try and add "Retard/Retarded" to that list as well. That would be another one I would love to see gone (one of the best things Obama ever did, striking that word from government records).

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?"

I actually had an interesting conversation with my friend Lerthyr about that, hang on, let me find it... I'll also throw it in the original post because it is what spawned the creation of this topic.


Torrasque: What the actual fuck. Also, please do not call them fags

Lerthyr: I wish you could watch my previous game. Why? They are fags.

Torrasque: Starting this weekend I am going to cut back on my gay and fag calling

Lerthyr: LOL

Torrasque: You and I have no problem with gay people yes?

Lerthyr: What's gotten in to you? Nope

Torrasque: Just let me explain

Lerthyr: As long as they no hit on me im fine

Torrasque: Opening facebook, sec. Ok, this may be a bit confusing, but I'll try to make as much sense as I can. Rhetorical question: why do you call them gay and fags? Because it is a derogitory term. Not because they are homosexual, but because you associate a negative association with being "gay" and "fag". If you hated gay people, that would be alright. There'd be the problem with you hating gay people, but that is different. The problem is, you're being inconsistent. Also when I say "you" or "you're" I also mean myself.

Lerthyr: I'm calling them a bundle of sticks and/or a cigarette. Not homosexual.

Torrasque: Cuz I do it too

Lerthyr: /topic

Torrasque: Its a part of my language but I don't want it there anymore. Yeah of course you are /sarcasm. But do you see what I mean?

Lerthyr: I am!

Torrasque: You can call them cocksuckers or assholes or anything, but not gay or fags. Because that is inconsistent and stupid.

Lerthyr: It's a plague on society because when one person hears it by word of mouth he/she will associate something or someone classified as dumb, as being gay or a ******.

Torrasque: I know it is, but you and I are not conformists. Society should conform to us, not the other way around. I don't want to associate someone playing a stupid retarded way with being "a fag".

Lerthyr: Thats just the world we live in unfortunately. Conformism.

Torrasque: I refuse to conform

Lerthyr: For me, it's a bad habit of when I'm mad I call someone a douchebag or a ******

Torrasque: I do too, but I want to break that habit

Lerthyr: I only say those things when im mad

Torrasque: I'm the same way

Lerthyr: Some people say it even when they arent mad

Torrasque: It'll be hard to purge these words from my vocab, but I'm determined to do so

Lerthyr: ?oh well that was gay? I'm not quite that bad

Torrasque: But you see what I mean? "that was gay" In what way was that homosexual? It wasn't, it was just 'bad', it was something that I disliked.

Lerthyr: I use the word lame, to be honest

Torrasque: I don't want gay to = bad

Lerthyr: Also why do we call people douchebags? That implies the person is getting pussy, that's hardly an insult.

Torrasque: Because the word douchebag has become its own meaning. lol no it doesn't imply the person is getting pussy. It implies the person is a vaginal cleaning thing. Besides, douchebag has become its own thing; like fag is not a cigarette anymore.

Lerthyr: Douchebags go into pussy. If youre calling someone a douchebag, you are saying they get pussy. See where Im coming from?

Torrasque: But I still don't want to use fag or gay to call someone a stupid person. Douchebags hold the thing that goes into the pussy. A douche is what goes into a pussy.

Lerthyr: And another thing. You gotta cut retarded and retard out as well if you are cutting these words out

Torrasque: No I don't

Lerthyr: If something's retarded, that thing has a mental disability. It isn't stupid per se.

Torrasque: I still associate retard and retarded with bad

Lerthyr: ....

Torrasque: If someone is being retarded, they are operating with lower intelligence than normal

Lerthyr: That is being insensitive. Do you associate ****** with bad too then?

Torrasque: To hell with being sensitive to towards people with disabilities. Nope, I don't associate ****** with bad, because I'm not American
/thread

Lerthyr: Good. I'd have to defriend you if that's how you thought.

Torrasque: I associate a person using ****** with incompetence and ignorance and general lack of intelligence. They're being retarded (trololo) Every single time I hear someone say "******" as an insult, they lose points in my book.

Lerthyr: I still don't think you should say ?Oh, that's fucking retarded man.?

Torrasque: Thats fucking 'lack of intelligence' man, still works.

Lerthyr: It can't be that hard to say "ohh thats stupid/lame"

Torrasque: Stupid = lack of intelligence. Retard is an insult, thats what it is. A person that is retarded, is someone that lacks intelligence. A disabled person is different.

Lerthyr: Retarded doesn't always mean that though

Torrasque: They may be retarded, but that is something you assert on them, not the other way around. Name me one time that retarded doesn't mean something negative.

Lerthyr: Both of a persons legs could be disabled and that person is classified as retarded or mentally handicapped. He or she isnt stupid..

Torrasque: They are not classified as retarded. Handicapped yes, but only an insensitive person will classify them as retarded

Lerthyr: What if you had a relative that was retarded?

Torrasque: They wouldn't be, they'd be mentally handicapped. But I wouldn't call them retarded. That would put a negative connotation on them

Lerthyr: What if you had a relative that was retarded, and you heard someone say ?thats retarded? ? Wouldn't that irk you, even slightly?

Torrasque: Nope. Gay/fag =/= retarded

Lerthyr: Well for whatever reason one of my friend's mom's gives me a pep talk if and whenever she hears me say that. Because her brother is mentally retarded. So i have to watch what I say.

Torrasque: He is mentally handicapped, not mentally retarded

Lerthyr: He is retarded though, he has aspbergers

Torrasque: The only case where retard isn't negative, is in regards to engine retarder brakes

Lerthyr: Yes, or flame retardant gear

Torrasque: Yep. Retard only applies to inanimate objects in the non-negative sense. In the animate sense, it is an insult. So when she gets mad for you using retard, she is giving that connotation to him and being insulting to him, not you. So you should give her a pep talk for insulting her brother, lol

Lerthyr: This conversation is fucking gay and you're retarded. ******. TROLOLOLOL

Torrasque: omg...

Lerthyr: But yeah. I'll do my best to completely rid my vocabulary of those words we mentioned

Torrasque: Thank you

Lerthyr: I'm so gay we had this talk.

Torrasque: /facepalm

 

[Torrasque]

Do you really need a pat on the back for not being offensive?

And whats wrong with dropping the word **** instead? Its one of the few words that still has the power to shock in a lot of circles.

And congratulations? Did this really need its own thread? Really?

I don't want or need gratification. I just wanted other people's opinions on this subject to see if my logic is sound.
I'm not going to get into a discussion about ****, because that is completely irrelevant to this topic.

-snip-

Now, "cock-sucker" I can agree with you being way to vulgar, because the curse in it self describes the sexual act, it can mean nothing else.

However, the words OP seem to want to stop using are the more common ones (because most 10 year olds on CoD would get spanked really hard if they got caught saying something more vulgar than "you're gay"), we cannot stop the usage of.

Also, kids are very, very, very stubborn.
("Stop saying ******!" "No I won't you fag!").

Sorry, got off on a rant...
The words op seem to want to stop using are the ones that originate from something that is entirely nonsexual ("Happy", "Cigarette", etc etc).
Which is why I propose we just change it again.

Lol, I'm going to avoid a discussion about the profanity that children use, because that could be it's own thread... In fact, I think I'll make it tomorrow while I am watching MLG Summer (if I remember).
I want to banish gay/fag/****** from my vocabulary because it is inconsistent with how I think, and inconsistent with how I treat homosexuals. I was going to say more, but deleted it because it confused the shit out of me. Hopefully that is enough to clarify my intent.

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 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!

I forget which comedian said "I can crack jokes about jews, because I am jewish". I know Seth Rogan cracks a jew joke in every single one of his movies, and he is quite jewish.

 

[ImmortalDrifter]

I've stopped using gay as an insult. Fag however, I will continue to use for as long as I see fit. At this point any insult people derive from a connection to homosexuality is consigned by themselves and not me.

Good luck though