Use of the word straight. Just as offensive?

[The Eaten Cake]

The word "gay" is offensive because gay people are considered to be different and wrong by the immature teens who use it in a derogatory way. This means that straight cannot be considered offensive by any party.

 

[wordsmith]

Hey I use "Damn straight!" to mean "You've got that so right it's unbelievable"

 

[SeaCalMaster]

I don't find it that offensive because the usage of "gay" as a negative is totally seperate from it's meaning of same sex attraction, but it's still annoying.

And that is the end of that

It isn't totally separate, though. The word "gay" began to be used in a negative fashion by those who were attempting to demean gays.

 

[zacaron]

I try to avoid any words that imply homosexuality or heterosexuality.
I find that whilst most gay people would laugh it off, there is probably a lot of people who would be offended. Therefore I try to never give anyone a reason to be offended at anything I say.

I take offence to that kind of neutrality

 

[Horned Rat]

Very valid point. I'd have to say it's got to depend on context. Me twisting my ankle during indoor football yesterday and having to spend this lovely sunny day inside on the couch is gay. I don't mean it in a nasty way or that it's homosexual, I mean it's lame.

Do remember, gay means happy too. It's all context related.

Ball has a double meaning also. If I say I'm going to kick my ball around the garden... I really really don't mean my right or left nut!

 

[Debatra]

This topic, at first post = okay.

This topic, from post 2 onwards = Flame War.

 

[Unimagined]

I wouldn't even say the word "gay" is offensive. It's a lifestyle choice with a title, get over it.

That's not what I meant. I meant using it to describe something bad or weird. Surely you agree that is offensive.

Not necessarily. If I say "That Japanese guy from Star Trek is gay" It is perfectly obvious what I mean. If I say "Dude, Star Trek is totally gay" it is also perfectly obvious that I don't mean the show is homosexual and wants to sodomize Battlstar Galactica. Same word, 2 completely different meanings. I can dig it, it isn't that complicated.

Why use gay to describe something that isn't homosexual when a number of other words are more suitable and befitting of your intellect?

You might realise that "gay" in the sense of saying something is bad, in your example Star Trek (as opposed to the actor) started out as a defamatory remark originating from homophobia. You say it has a different meaning but homophobes still use it (with negative connotations) in that way towards people who are actually gay and anything else they want to lavish their ignorance on.

Wouldn't you want to differentiate yourself from that?


In summary:

Non-homophobes and gay people use the word gay to describe homosexuals / homosexual activity or culture in an accepting way.

Homophobes use the word gay in a negative fashion towards homosexuals and things they don't like, "gay" or not.

The third way (as you seem to be) is using gay to describe gay people positively and things that don't appeal to you negatively.

I'm sorry but I think you have to make up your mind whether you're homophobic or not. If you're not then I'd consider expanding your vocabulary to describe things more accurately.

Or I could have my own philosophy that doesn't subscribe to "Other random forum-posting shithead's" bureaucratic bullshit. I have gay friends and genuinely like them, but shit-pipe penetration isn't a tasteful topic of thought or a pleasing mental image. I dare anyone to deny this. I have friends who are gay, but sometimes gay is a word that gets across my displeased feelings better than any other near synonymous word. If anyone is so determined to be offended by me saying that Folie a Deux is gay that they will call me on it then I truly have no remorse for their tender defenseless feelings. I don't need acquaintances who are so stuck up.

Are you really saying this with an air of credibility?

Ok, I enjoy South Park, to give you a barometer of how "stuck up" I am. I laugh frequently at it, despite the fact that Cartman is calling people gay and jew left and right. The reason why I laugh at him is because his character is that of an ignorant little twat, only concerned with himself and what effects him. I like SP, but that doesn't mean I want to act like a character from South Park. They're children after all. Basil Faulty, David Brent and Alan Partridge are amusing to me too, because they're inept. It doesn't mean I want to act like them. See how it works?

I've read everything you've typed here and despite it being a massive waste of my time (Troll 1 - Me 0) I will paraphrase your stance on the topic.


"I'm not homophobic but I will use the term gay to describe something bad, knowing full well that particular usage of the word has it's roots firmly in ignorance and homophobia and used in this way by some people in this demographic. It's uttered by underdeveloped trolls everywhere, yet I will distance myself from them because I like to think I have a unique(?) view on it. I didn't invent the term, but I will perpetuate it. I am not to blame. I take no responsibility. I will contradict myself in a bid to defend it, because I refuse to admit the dichotomy of my stance. I might in the future say 'I'm so annoyed I could gas a Jew ' or 'dying on that boss was a ******' because it might have become a "socially" acceptable means to express a dislike or frustration towards something other, as Gay has. I will mean something different because some of my friends are Jewish and Black people, so it's ok. I'm not so uptight to think that is in any way a hypocritical thing to say."

--

Basically, I can't spend time on a forum that has as many unmoderated trolls. I tried the escapist and found more of what I wanted to escape from. To all the quality posters out there, keep up the good work. To the others, may a prominent defining trait of your personality become a commonplace insult. Oh, we already have Troll, right?

 

[meglathon]

I really don?t care, since I us gay all the time, but I never use straight to it sounds weird(gay ha ha ha?.. bad joke).

 

[meglathon]

I really don?t care, since I us gay all the time, but I never use straight to it sounds weird(gay ha ha ha?.. bad joke).

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Well, I still use gay as in happy. Does that make me old fashioned?

 

[dcheppy]

I've read everything you've typed here and despite it being a massive waste of my time (Troll 1 - Me 0) I will paraphrase your stance on the topic.

LOL. So true. You fail.

It's refreshing when people admit when they have been defeated by the hated creature known to forum goers as the troll.

 

[WendelI]

Listen to this dough,

I am gay, so I am a reliable source (lol) The world gay has indeed become something farther than it was. Now I think is just a word that describes something of low quality, Low expectation, or really campy. I personally don't like the word and feel we should just switch back to "Homo" (like in the 80's). The association with the word is weird too, I told my friends "Hey, I'm gay" and their response was "No you just like to fuck guys." That made my eyes roll out of my head. They say that I am not gay because I don't compromise my masculinity, AKA i am not like Clay Aiken (Lolol that's never gonna get old).

But here is another word that is evolving when i call another "gay" guy a FAG(I have a license thank you) they don't get offended. I believe the word "Fag" has become something like the 'N' word( I don't have a license for this one... ). that means that the word fag wont be classified as offensive if you say it withing the group. but if you are outside of the group then the inner group will find it offensive.

Well the word straight can be used in a weird way in the gay community... like: "Hey shut up straight boy." As a way of depicting someone from a group. But you would only hear this if your girlfriend drags you to a Gay Bar. because you need a majority for it to work.

 

[Thaepheux]

I dont think there is anything wrong with reffering to something as gay. It's an expression of someone's dislike of something or reffering to lame or unnapealing things as being gay, wich I quite often do. It's become a worldwide expression. I do however think it's gay to call someone who is clearly gay, gay.

 

[facaldo]

im from Asia nd when we say im straight it is taken offensively
i think its a characterization nd saying straight is like saying gay or ****** or any offensive racial or characterizing word!

 

[facaldo]

I use this word quite frequently in my friend's circle to taunt someone and that doesn't make me feel any less straight.. Give it a break!!

 

[Necrophagist]

I think straight is an incorrect word. Gay is a word assigned to homosexuals. However, "straight" means that the opposite is "crooked" or "wrong". It's a flaw in language that begs for correction.