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Think Before You Speak
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
Did you all know that nearly 70 percent of teens say they routinely use the phrase “That’s so gay” and other homophobic remarks in school?
A lot of people don't mean any harm when they say something is "gay" when they mean stupid, but the effects those words can have can add up.
I’m working with GLSEN's ThinkB4YouSpeak campaign and would love to have a dialogue about this issue.
So, what do you think? Can you pledge to "say something original" and take a stand against homophobic phrases?
A lot of people don't mean any harm when they say something is "gay" when they mean stupid, but the effects those words can have can add up.
I’m working with GLSEN's ThinkB4YouSpeak campaign and would love to have a dialogue about this issue.
So, what do you think? Can you pledge to "say something original" and take a stand against homophobic phrases?
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Comments
Deleted after thinking after I spoke x
Watch the video of the bishop, it's genius - 'remember: God's listening', seriously, come on!
Can i pledge to stop using the word
"thats so gay" nope, i like using it and see no harm in it, I have many Gay, lesbian bisexual friends etc and they use it, I have no moral quarms with using the words to that effect. I think people would have to be extemely sensitive to take that as an insult, considering that is a part of culture today,
Does it also mean it is offensive to say Gay meaning happy? just because gay as a different meaning?
many words can have different meanings or lots of words are joined to make a new word, just because it "could" refrence something else, I dont see why it'd need to be stopped.
Two - isn't that a US serviceman on a british poster?
have to say though where do you draw the line? was reading a blog about the sexism alive in today's western culture and calling someone a pussy or a cunt are sexist because you are saying women's genitals are a bad thing. one would assume it also works the other way round and calling someone a cock or dick is also implying a penis is a bad thing.
i think its less about having definite 'this is wrong' and 'this is right' words because words are *just* words, but about having the common sense and understanding to know what words might mean to people and how they could be offensive to some people. But I reckon most people have that common sense anyway.
For a humourous exploration of the concept you need to watch this scene from clerks ii: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2DxyAGzGxM
It's all about managing different people's attitudes to things. I think it should be about give and take - if someone says something you shouldn't be automatically offended just because of the word. But then people should think about what they say especially if there is a reasonable expectation it could offend people.
I don't think we should blanket ban any words though, I believe we should empower people to use and understand words and use a bit of common sense about it.
One - no
Two - yes
But seriously language changes (my nigga) and the meanings of words change over time. Gay being a derogatory term is so rooted in our everyday language that it isn't going anywhere just because it's no longer socially acceptable to discriminate against gay people. If no offense is meant then you have to address what is meant rather than the words used. That's the purpose of language after all, to convey meaning, and most of what matters in language is how something is said.
The meaning of the word gay has changed totally before, and now it's doing so again. If I say somebody is gay I don't think there's going to be anyone who, even subconsciously, thinks I mean they're a particularly cheerful person. Eventually the old meaning will no longer exist. Queer seems to be gaining popularity, maybe that will be the new "gay".
I don't think the attitude "the word is here and it's not going, so deal with it" will work unfortunately.
There is a name for this. It's called Political Correctness and it's creating an ever shifting tide of newspeak. If someone's a homophobe for example, it doesn't matter what they call gays. They could call them pineapple people for all the difference it makes, it would still become a slur. It's a waste of time changing words around, it doesn't change attitudes and you just end up having to change the words again when people are still getting offended.
I don't like the terms "white boy" and "whitey", but if I am hanging around with a non-white acquaintance and they use one of these in a joking/friendly manner then I address what they were trying to say, not the words used, because the purpose of talking is to convey meaning.
Let's stop using the word "cabbage" because it's offensive to stupid people.
It's not an attitude, it's a fact. The word is here and it's not going away so deal with it. Or don't, whatever, I'm not changing the way I speak again on the off chance someone chooses to be offended by it. I could give a fuck about people choosing to be offended, that's their right and it can be fun at times, but I refuse to involve myself in it.
You seem to have a very narrow-minded perspective of the world in that it only matters if you find it offensive personally, you have spared no consideration for what other people might think in your posts except to say 'screw them, it's their problem'.
That isn't what I'm saying at all. I could repeat myself again but what's the point? You'll just deliberately misinterpret me again so I'll just tell you to work on your reading comprehension and move on.
banned? :eek:
tbh I mosty agreed with him here. As long as it's clear the intent of using a word isn't to offend, people who take offense are at fault. And I think saying something like "This film was so gay, I wasted my time watching it" makes it clear there's no intent to offend gay people.
If we're going to get all pedantic about literal meanings then gay wouldn't even mean gay, just happy. So in essence, calling something gay for bad is the same as calling something bad, which i am led to believe actually means good these days.
Know w'arm say'n?
One thing I particularly hate is when people use the word "retard". Especially when they are talking to/about me! No-one would use the word "nigger" these days, so I think words loke "retard", "mongo", "gay", "poof", etc should go the same way.
C-A XX
I think, even though this was a very early post, kiwi has hit it right on the head, i'm a teen and yes, i say things like thats gay etc, but i don't mean them in a degroatry (i can't spell) way to homosexuals. some of my best friends are gay, lesbian and bi, i have no problems with that, its their choice and so long as they don't try and change my way of life i'm cool with that.
Also, my point is that languages change, my examples, gay used to mean happy, the english language used to be how shakespear is written, LANGUAGES CHANGE! Its just a social trend, i don't see why people are getting so upset about something that isn't in anyway meant to offend them, i accept that sometimes things can get out of hand and cause offence but something so trivial as using the word "gay" to describe something that you didn't like is over the top.
If this becomes politcally incorrect then i personally don't want to live in this country anymore, i can put up with the "one eyed scottish monster" and the bankers blunders because they are circumstances that i can't affect but with people becoming offended over something teenages say, then they should get a grip on themselves as the majority of teens are still immature and don't understand the power of words. Certain words that are racist can have such a profond effect that i know why they should nver been utter in todays society but others that are not meant to offend should not be allowed to have such an effect, "gay" is not a word meant to offend, it is meant to discribe one self if thats the way you swing, words like "puffda" or phrases like "fucking queers" can have that affect and i think that these are just as bad as racisism. rant over
I'm sorry if this offends anyone but for one of the few times in my life i'm being outspoken about my believes