Use of the word straight. Just as offensive?

[Evilbunny]

In my every day speech I avoid using the word "gay" to describe something bad or weird because I find it immature and a rather offensive towards homosexuals, but the other day I had a realization. I still use the word straight. I don't mean to describe something without curves or turns of course, but rather to describe something that is fine, or ok. For example, if somebody were to offer me a glass of water but I wasn't thirsty, I might say "nah, I'm straight, thanks." Is this just as offensive? By using the word straight to describe something that is ok, or does not need and adjustment am I implying that gay people are not ok and need to be changed? What do the fine minds at the escapist think of this? Is using the word straight in that context offensive to gay people, or am I just thinking about this too much?

 

[Gildedtongue]

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

No, but to continually define it as "Something Bad" as most heterosexuals use it for, is offensive.

 

[RheynbowDash]

i use it around my homosexual friends all the time, they dont mind, they even told me so.

 

[nova18]

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.

 

[vamp rocks]

i can see where your coming from and i can see why you would think people would find it offensive, i personally dont see much wrong with it, i mean id probably look at you funny but thats only because *in the example you gave* it doesnt seem to roll off the toungue very well, but hey.. people are oversensitive or undersensitive to their own personality.

 

[Evilbunny]

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.

 

[SecretTacoNinja]

I don't think anyone really cares, you could just as well use the term 'Hetero' but if no-one cares it doesn't matter. I suppose no-one looked into it as much as you did.

 

[bkd69]

The problem I've always had with 'gay'=='bad' is that it's a trademark dilution. For example, if you say Guns 'n' Roses' music is gay, just because it sucks, what then would you call the music of, say, Erasure, or, Bronski Beat?

But as the only straight in the forum, I assure I'm not in the least offended by your use of it.

 

[abyzz]

You are addressing the main reason I hate censoring, we never know when to stop. Like you I have changed my speaking habits to seem less offensive to the occasional observer. With time I've come to the conclusion that we should stop worrying. I myself support the gay in there fight for equal rights, I occasionally even stand protests with my gay friends. I support women equality and had my pay lowered for 3 months to make a point to our bosses about unfair salary within the company (which worked, yay for us) yet I still like to use gay for something stupid and I like to call my friends girls if they are bailing out on stuff. If people are going to judge me for the way I speak then I want nothing to do with them, for if they took a closer look they'd realize that I support there cause, I just can't be bothered with all this bullshit. So I've stopped worrying, I'm not sexist, racist and I don't dislike any minority, I have nothing to fear, so I've stopped worrying.

 

[Jursa]

I use another solution I call heterosexual people normal people and I call homosexual people normal people, solves all the questions I have on the topic too.

 

[Evilbunny]

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.

I see what you're saying, but something about using the same word as a group of people to describe something negative just kind of rubs me the wrong way. Like, if people started using the word "Jewish" to describe something cheap, I'd probably feel a little offended as a Jewish person. I don't know, maybe it's just me.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

I don't say 'bent' in relation to sexuality, so why would I say 'straight'?

 

[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.

 

[Danny Smooth]

Synecdoches are tricky at best in this crazy pseudo-PC world we live in.

Though, I have to admit that I've never heard anyone say, "No thanks, I'm straight" as a reply to "Do you want a glass of water?". If you're worried about that, remind yourself to say "No thanks" only, the "straight" part is superfluous anyway.

 

[Socius]

The problem I've always had with 'gay'=='bad' is that it's a trademark dilution. For example, if you say Guns 'n' Roses' music is gay, just because it sucks, what then would you call the music of, say, Erasure, or, Bronski Beat?

But as the only straight in the forum, I assure I'm not in the least offended by your use of it.

dude, Guns N' roses pwn! paradise city long live

 

[pantsoffdanceoff]

I don't think "Strait" implies any type of sexual preference in the sentence you used. The term gay=bad or weird came a bit after the word "gay" (which originally means happy if for some odd reason you didn't know that) was used for homosexual preferences. When one says they are strait I think it more means they are on the "Strait and narrow" and thus are, okay. So really the connotation for strait being someone has heterosexual preferences came MUCH after the word strait was used to just mean okay. So don't worry about using strait to mean fine, you are using it for the intended connotation. When you use gay to describe something you find distasteful it is supposedly offensive to homosexual, but they really don't care either.

 

[rossatdi]

Well we all seem to be forgetting there are three uses of the word gay:

1) Happy.
2) Homosexual.
3) Awful in quality.

Demonstration:

"Dude, you just gave me like the best present ever, I'm so gay right now." Complimentary.
"Dude, you just stuck your dick in another guy, you're so gay!" Informative, offensive only if used to imply that its a bad thing.
"Dude, you just stuck your dick in my wife, you're so gay!" Condemnation with no homosexual overtures.

 

[J.B]

I too use the word "straight" a lot, though I've never really thought of it to be offensive.