To my homosexual friends:
Posted by Allychristine on Nov 05, 2009 · Member since Dec 2007 · 15438 posts
1. Does it bother/annoy/etc. you when people use the term "gay" to mean "stupid"? It's always bothered me, since the very first time I heard it used!
2. Does it bother/annoy/etc. you when people use what they think to be gay voices and mannerisms..in a joking manner? I've noticed a lot of my co workers (straight males and females) do this. I'm just like... ???
On the topic of general bigotry I find it interesting how the last couple of posts are now mentioning racism. I mean homosexuality being accepted is fairly new, and look at what Texas did with the "nothing like marriage" (accidentally making marriage itself illegal :-D) is fairly new at the moment in the west, despite homosexual acts being recorded in Roman times (perhaps, and probably pre-Roman as well, although I've not come across this).
Although there are clear differences, sexuality is on a scale and never one way or another, everyone's a little bi, at least from what I can see.
It's something that can change.
Race of course can't (or at least, not yet, who knows what the future holds).
But what I find interesting is that it seems most of the world tends to hold racism as the general norm amongst bigotry.
I think most people here will side with that more being specisism, but for people who don't understand that it does tend to be racism.
And in western countries the whole "ey took ar jooobbbsss" thing seems to be gaining some momentum. One only needs to look back at the rise of NAZI-ism to see of course that this isn't too new. I'm sure there are many examples of this before hand (arguably Louis XIV of France expelling the Jews, although that depends on your view of his motives, I mention him just because I happened to study him, I'm sure many of you have plenty of other examples, perhaps more relevant).
Anyway I think it's probably the most promenant form of bigotry.
I'd like to think that I'm not a bigot but I think I probably am, I think we all will be, I just can't say how, but it's dangerous to make the claim that you're past bigotry.
Tweety:
I think what's interesting about the prejudice against small southern towns is that, would I be right in saying statistically they do tend to be more prejudice. There's of course a difference.
All gays are evil.
All Jews are money grabbers.
The word 'gay' in this instance can be partially reduced to evil, it becomes part of the definition.
The same is true of 'jews' and 'money grabbers'.
(using those examples just because they seem classical, and the thread is directly relevant to one).
However "many southern towns at the moment contain a higher percentage of racists/homophobes' doesn't reduce everyone in the said place to 'racist' or 'homophobe' (using those two examples as the threads on one and recent psots are on the other).
I always wonder is it possible to be bigoted against a bigot? If by definition what you think of them being a bigot is actually true, then does it still count?
A definition of a homosexual person doesn't mention something as subjective as "evil" so on so forth.
That's funny BP.
I'm not gay, but the term "homosexual" gives me the heebie jeebies too. Not sure why! I usually just say "gay" whether referring to a man or woman, with an occasional "lesbian" thrown in for fun. That's what most of my gay friends say too.
I don't like the term homosexual. I prefer gay or lesbian or bi. Homosexual sounds like a phobia or disease or something. Not sure why.
Exactly! Maybe hearing too many homophobes over the years saying "homosexual" in a condescending way.
Exactly! Maybe hearing too many homophobes over the years saying "homosexual" in a condescending way.
that's an interesting perspective, quintess. interesting- in general- is the power we give to words, simply by the intentions behind them.
Exactly! Maybe hearing too many homophobes over the years saying "homosexual" in a condescending way.
that's an interesting perspective, quintess. interesting- in general- is the power we give to words, simply by the intentions behind them.
Actually it's just a Greek word or prefix tacked onto an English word. Nothing creepy or denigrating about it. It's a fancy way of saying "same sex relationship or person who has one".
But then words are my job.
yg- are you a linguist? english teacher? just curious-- how are words your job? that's pretty cool though...'what do you do for a living?' ' words, my friend. words...'
yg- are you a linguist? english teacher? just curious-- how are words your job? that's pretty cool though...'what do you do for a living?' ' words, my friend. words...'
I'm a translator by trade and training, but since I live in absolutely the wrong place for that (and as a simultaneous oral translator, I'm getting a bit old for it--the brain slows down and what was automatic becomes hard work) I now tutor Eng Lit at the university level (from home, for peanuts) and teach English to adults. I also write, so far unpublished, and read, and internalise the scripts of movies I like. I'm the sort of person who will think of a word in the night, and have to get up to look it up so I can go back to sleep.
I learned to read very young, like about age 3. I love languages and words and sounds. Russian beat me though--can't handle the Cyrillic alphabet. And we won't even try Chinese! ;D (Unless I make a Chinese friend who will teach me both the language and Mah Jonng...)
My dream would be to be a novelist or scriptwriter...but that is so not as easy at it seems!
I think any term used negatively to describe a sub-set of the population is a dangerous thing, gay or otherwise. It gets up my crack when people refer to anyone different from them as somehow inferior. It can be sexual orientation, color, accent, country of origin...you name it!
The Dutch tend to think that they are better than people from Belgium - I have no idea why, but they will use the term, Belgian, as meaning something inferior to them and it drives me up a wall!! Belgium only separated from Holland about 140 years ago when a few hundred people peacefully decided they wanted to start their own country. When you bring this up if a Dutch person calls something derrogatory "Belgian", the look on their faces is enough to make me laugh for months! Honestly, 140 years is nothing in evolutionary terms...they're the same. DUH! :busted:
I learned to read very young, like about age 3. I love languages and words and sounds. Russian beat me though--can't handle the Cyrillic alphabet.
Yabbit, Cyrillic really isn't all that scary. I can mail you a beginner's guide I wrote for a friend if you're interested: a couple of non-linguist people I know have used it and declared it to be surprisingly painless although I promise no miracles! I offer because Russian etymology is particularly fascinating and seems to steal from every other language it's ever met ;)
I learned to read very young, like about age 3. I love languages and words and sounds. Russian beat me though--can't handle the Cyrillic alphabet.
Yabbit, Cyrillic really isn't all that scary. I can mail you a beginner's guide I wrote for a friend if you're interested: a couple of non-linguist people I know have used it and declared it to be surprisingly painless although I promise no miracles! I offer because Russian etymology is particularly fascinating and seems to steal from every other language it's ever met ;)
the scariest language i dared learn/ start learning: hebrew. arabic was wayy easier than hebrew, for some reason, though both are semitic in derivation.
I learned to read very young, like about age 3. I love languages and words and sounds. Russian beat me though--can't handle the Cyrillic alphabet.
Yabbit, Cyrillic really isn't all that scary. I can mail you a beginner's guide I wrote for a friend if you're interested: a couple of non-linguist people I know have used it and declared it to be surprisingly painless although I promise no miracles! I offer because Russian etymology is particularly fascinating and seems to steal from every other language it's ever met ;)
Thou art on, my dear. ;)b
I don't think it would really be appropriate to say "that's so black" or "that's so English" or "that's so father" to describe something crappy, so why "gay"?
I think if I heard people using that word, I wouldn't immediately think they're gay bashers, just inarticulate and immature.
I'm not massively PC myself mind and can be somewhat inarticulate and immature myself. I don't think gay people need to chill out with it, if the use of the word offends people, then those it offends should be listened to. That is just good manners. "That's so gay" when used by a non-gay person does not affect the person who uses it like it affects a gay person who hears it.
At the same time, I am big on freedom of speech.
I don't think it would really be appropriate to say "that's so black" or "that's so English" or "that's so father" to describe something crappy, so why "gay"?
Cultural note: In the UK it is common to describe something that is done the complicated way, or makes no sense, as "a bit Irish." I have heard Irish people use this too.
I don't think it would really be appropriate to say "that's so black" or "that's so English" or "that's so father" to describe something crappy, so why "gay"?
Cultural note: In the UK it is common to describe something that is done the complicated way, or makes no sense, as "a bit Irish." I have heard Irish people use this too.
I've not heard that and I've lived here all my life. :-\
Maybe it is in Ireland then (but then I've never heard Irish mates say it either).
Not saying you're lying or anything, I have just never heard it.
I don't think it would really be appropriate to say "that's so black" or "that's so English" or "that's so father" to describe something crappy, so why "gay"?
Cultural note: In the UK it is common to describe something that is done the complicated way, or makes no sense, as "a bit Irish." I have heard Irish people use this too.
I've not heard that and I've lived here all my life. :-\
Maybe it is in Ireland then (but then I've never heard Irish mates say it either).
Not saying you're lying or anything, I have just never heard it.
Maybe not so common then, huh?
I'm sure alot depends on age group. Of course, being over 30 could have a lot to do with it. Different generations use different phrases. I for one would never describe anything as "gay," in any sense. And during WW2 and the postwar era, being "very English" was in fact a positive thing. It was used to describe people who were understated, subtle and controlled their emotions. I have read this in war-era correspondence of such people as Nancy Astor (who was, I believe, the first woman Member of Parliament) and others.
being "very English" was in fact a positive thing. It was used to describe people who were understated, subtle and controlled their emotions.
As an unbiased English person, I approve of this comment ;)
I'm sure alot depends on age group. Of course, being over 30 could have a lot to do with it. Different generations use different phrases. I for one would never describe anything as "gay," in any sense. And during WW2 and the postwar era, being "very English" was in fact a positive thing. It was used to describe people who were understated, subtle and controlled their emotions. I have read this in war-era correspondence of such people as Nancy Astor (who was, I believe, the first woman Member of Parliament) and others.
What part of the UK are you from?
Maybe then, this is more to do with language reflecting power hierarchies in social class, ethnic groups or gender and sexuality?
being "very English" was in fact a positive thing. It was used to describe people who were understated, subtle and controlled their emotions.
As an unbiased English person, I approve of this comment ;)
I thought you might, oh Cat. ;)b
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