"that's so gay!" - offensive, no?

[SlartyBartFast]

I think it's just a word with two definitions. One to describe homosexuals and things of homosexual nature, and the other definition to describe something as lame/stupid/idiotic. Same word, different connotations.

Rubbish.

Nice theory. Unfortunately not a single dictionary or language reference would back you up.

And equating gay with even lame/stupid/idiotic is still a slur to anything else 'gay'.

[nippinout]

Rubbish.

Nice theory. Unfortunately not a single dictionary or language reference would back you up.

And equating gay with even lame/stupid/idiotic is still a slur to anything else 'gay'.

pwned is not in the dictionary, yet millions of Americans use it every day. Doesn't make it any less of a word.

I spray painted my computer gold. All my friends said it looked gay. They mean it looked lame, not homosexual.

[SlartyBartFast]

pwned is not in the dictionary, yet millions of Americans use it every day. Doesn't make it any less of a word.

I spray painted my computer gold. All my friends said it looked gay. They mean it looked lame, not homosexual.

But, pwoned can be found used all over and is not associated in any way to a group.

Homosexual=gay=lame your argument still doesn't hold water. Homosexuals CAN be offended because you equate the same term to refer to them and lame.

[nippinout]

But, pwoned can be found used all over and is not associated in any way to a group.

Homosexual=gay=lame your argument still doesn't hold water. Homosexuals CAN be offended because you equate the same term to refer to them and lame.

If they are offended by a word that has grown to have multiple meanings, that is their own problem and need to stop being so sensitive.

pwned is a term that does refer to a group. noobs or people who suck at games.

In this case, A=B=C does not work. homosexual=gay=lame is not true.

Snow=cold=cool=awesome=radical=jihad=terrorist=osa ma bin laden





Osama bin Laden = snow

Sure.


When someone is describing a surface defect, like a scratch, dent, or a chink... OMG!!! Chink is such a bad word! We must exclude it from our lexicon. Never again must we use it to describe any defect! The Chinese must be so offended that it is even in our language!!! A word with two meanings!?!?!??! Only the work of the devil can create a word with two meanings.

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

If you ask people who use the word gay on a frequent basis, I almost guarnantee that atleast 75% of them, will say they dislike Homosexuals as a group.

edit I never knew that sigs reloaded when you post on a different page. I thought it was only once per thread.

[nippinout]

If you ask people who use the word gay on a frequent basis, I almost guarnantee that atleast 75% of them, will say they dislike Homosexuals as a group.

If you ask people who use the word gay on a frequent basis, I almost guarantee that at least 75% of them, will say they dislike eating lemons whole.

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

If you ask people who use the word gay on a frequent basis, I almost guarantee that at least 75% of them, will say they dislike eating lemons whole.

Umm those two things have no relation.

Also how do you people think the word gay came to be used in this connotation?

[nippinout]

Umm those two things have no relation.

Also how do you people think the word gay came to be used in this connotation?

The two having no relation is my point. The majority of teenagers you the word, gay. They are using the word, but they are not using it in a deragatory way. It's use has nothing to do with their like or dislike for homosexuals.

I can't remember at any time in my life the word, gay, used as a slur. But I'm only 24.

[paintballrulzs]

So, your not into Jesus? Then I really am confused as to why you feel the way you do. Apologies for unfairly pigeonholing. Just for kicks, would you agree or disagree with the statement that the Bible makes a strong argument against homosexuality?

That is correct I have no real religious affiliation at all. I feel that religious for most of a security blanket and they know very little what they claim they believe in. I know many people who claim they are religious and they do many things that would be considered to go against those so called beliefs. Many people instantly assume I am religious because of many of my views and my high morals, but I live life the way I see it should be lived not the way some book tells me to. I consider myself to be a better christian than almost all my friends who claim they are christian.

Now back to the original topic. I am not going to get into my views on homosexuality for the plain and simple fact I listed in my first post: I dont want to offend anyone. I think the politically correct thing has gone way to far. I think it is absurd some of the stuff that is considered to offend someone. Yet, they can have a television show called "***** eye for the straight guy," but if it were straight guys playing homosexuals in a show with the title containing the word "*****" the emails and letters would be piled to the cieling. I think people need to just chill out. I am from the "liberal generation" as well. Almost all of my friends are "diehard" liberals. I am opposed to marriage of 2 men or 2 women. I am not one of those guys who is obsessed with 2 girls kissing, because homosexuality is homosexuality. I feel that if they are allowed to marry it degrades the definition of marriage and also opens up our society to a world of problems. What is there to stop piligromy (ya i spelled it wrong....long day of work too lazy to look it up) and sodomy. If you dont see these a problem look back in history and even today. Many radical mormans feel that it is okay to have more than 1 wife. Also religions in the third world feel the same way. So why should we be the ones adapting for them? They are coming here so why should we be the ones "evolving" to comfort them. Our society spends too much of its time trying to please everyone in everyway possible and I feel it is ridiculous. Our soceity has changed drastically for the worse I feel, but hey I have only seen 18 years of it, but nevetheless I feel things are going in the wrong direction.

[MarkM]

If they are offended by a word that has grown to have multiple meanings, that is their own problem and need to stop being so sensitive.

pwned is a term that does refer to a group. noobs or people who suck at games.

In this case, A=B=C does not work. homosexual=gay=lame is not true.

Snow=cold=cool=awesome=radical=jihad=terrorist=osa ma bin laden





Osama bin Laden = snow

Sure.


When someone is describing a surface defect, like a scratch, dent, or a chink... OMG!!! Chink is such a bad word! We must exclude it from our lexicon. Never again must we use it to describe any defect! The Chinese must be so offended that it is even in our language!!! A word with two meanings!?!?!??! Only the work of the devil can create a word with two meanings.

Whilst I agree with your example of a chain of words to get to another...chink is wrong.

Pronunciation: 'chi[ng]k
Function: noun
Etymology: probably alteration of Middle English chine crack, fissure
1 : a small cleft, slit, or fissure
2 : a weak spot that may leave one vulnerable
3 : a narrow beam of light shining through a chink

The usage you are talking about is a derogatory slang word (with an alledged racial meaning) so even your usage in the world of surface defects is incorrect. since it has just the one meaning in real life and another in commonly used slang.

Main Entry: Chink
Pronunciation: 'chi[ng]k
Function: noun or adjective
Etymology: perhaps alteration of Chinese
usually offensive : CHINESE

Note the difference is the Capitilisation of the first letter.

So assuming context (plus spelling since a capital letter is actually spelling too) not just the word the usage is fine as long as you use it as you intend to and I mean if you use it as an attack you make it very plain by it's spelling and postioning within a framed sentence.
.
If you really want to stretch a point take a look at your user name...is it offensive?...to you, no, to me, no, but you could take it as very racist if you really wanted to twist things. Silly arguement that isn't it but you see how things can be taken to extremes if you really want to.

You say that since you were born in 1980 and you haven't regarded the word gay as meaning anything less than lame...well sorry BECAUSE you were born in 1980 is part of the reasoning that you are unaware of associations (you and many others were still small children when all the media was alive with the headlines of Gay plague etc in relation to AIDS)...the majority of people who attempt to justify the use are also born from the 1980's onwards. For sure new words are added to the dictionary...note added...but meaning doesn't change they may adapt. If anyone calls something gay they are indeed using it in a derogatory way which if you follow word association links as you have done it still equates as bad and not needed so anyway you divide it to use the word it is derogatory, to some more than others. Just calling the product/person/event etc lame would offend way few people and also would mean that you wouldn't get threads like this crop up.. even lame has two meanings one slang based as used formerly and secondly as something that is disfunctional.

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

The two having no relation is my point. The majority of teenagers you the word, gay. They are using the word, but they are not using it in a deragatory way. It's use has nothing to do with their like or dislike for homosexuals.

I can't remember at any time in my life the word, gay, used as a slur. But I'm only 24.

Then where did the word being used in that context come from?

[red robot]

You've got the right idea, Monkey. People don't muatate the definition of a word to fit as a derogatory unless the word actually defines something they find ugly, ignorant, wrong, displeasing, bright, etc.... People won't start using the word lemon to describe someone that is stingy, however, they use the word "jew" to describe people that are stingy because of the generalization that all jews are stingy.

[Gr0dy]

can some one please delete this thread, so pointless and leading to arguements. Why is this such a big deal, Homosexuals dont get affended when you call them gay, they know there gay. They call there selves gay. They only get affended when you call them "***et".

[bofh]

I spray painted my computer gold. All my friends said it looked gay. They mean it looked lame, not homosexual.

Your friends are border-line functional retards, then.

[nippinout]

Your friends are border-line functional retards, then.

That's funny, because they said I was a retard for making my computer gangsta-fabulous. Maybe I need new friends? lol