Yea, since very rarely is the thing actually gay. Getting sniped from half a mile away in Modern Warfare 2? Not gay. Getting teabagged after said death? Yes, that's gay. Not that hard to figure out.
I guess it would if you were actually gay. I have a lesbian friend and she used to get all freaked out whenever I said something was gay, but now she realized that it's really not that big of a deal. I don't care either way.
I take offense when people say something good is gay. Why? Because then I realize that if I like that thing they're calling gay... then I must be gay myself.
I save my self righteousness for slightly less unimportant things, but I do not often use the term.
However, as with many things, someone skilled enough with the english language can use the word (in the context you described) to great effect.
Also, neither gay nor straight people have any right to actually be offended at the perversion of the word, because the context of it representing homosexual persons is itself a perversion from a different meaning (to be happy). Language is always changing.
" @Snail: This has nothing to do with the topic on hand, but your avatar is really depressing. :( "
What?... "
It just reminds me of a dude stuck at work on Christmas. He tries to be joyful and festive, but his Grinch of a boss made him dismiss his family and come in to work to finish off some last minute TA reports. Maybe this guy has a son back home who thinks his father didn't love him and didn't want to spend Christmas morning with him when the truth is that his dad was forced to be there against his will. Maybe little Johnny gets that brand new bike for Christmas, but has no one there to teach him how to ride it. But that's just my opinion.
" @Snail: This has nothing to do with the topic on hand, but your avatar is really depressing. :( "
What?... "
It just reminds me of a dude stuck at work on Christmas. He tries to be joyful and festive, but his Grinch of a boss made him dismiss his family and come in to work to finish off some last minute TA reports. Maybe this guy has a son back home who thinks his father didn't love him and didn't want to spend Christmas morning with him when the truth is that his dad was forced to be there against his will. Maybe little Johnny gets that brand new bike for Christmas, but has no one there to teach him how to ride it. But that's just my opinion. "
I say it every so often just no thinking about it so it doesn't really bother me when other people say it or when I say it for that matter.
It's just like saying the Lord's name in vain I guess, I say it all the time as I am not religious, but I don't mean to demean him in anyways. Sure I may be calling something or some situation "gay" but its in no context to the other meaning of the word. Its just a word I've used to describe a situation I don't like.
I dont use it, and I wouldn't say it offends me, but it certainly does make a person look ignorant. If theres one thing that I hate it's stupid people.
" @Snail: This has nothing to do with the topic on hand, but your avatar is really depressing. :( "
What?... "
It just reminds me of a dude stuck at work on Christmas. He tries to be joyful and festive, but his Grinch of a boss made him dismiss his family and come in to work to finish off some last minute TA reports. Maybe this guy has a son back home who thinks his father didn't love him and didn't want to spend Christmas morning with him when the truth is that his dad was forced to be there against his will. Maybe little Johnny gets that brand new bike for Christmas, but has no one there to teach him how to ride it. But that's just my opinion. "
Dude. It's just this guy but with a Santa hat, because we at Giant Bomb put Santa hats on our avatar when it's Christmas time. "
Haha. Yes I know. I've just been too lazy to spiffy up my Cl4P Tr4P. I was just casually scanning the page when your avatar caught my eye. After a hard glare at your pic I began to analyze how the position of the Santa hat sat on the character's head. It drooped slightly down atop his eyes. Giving him an almost bummed expression. And all I thought was "awww :,-0 " Nothing against it, or you. Just an observation I made.
No I don't take offense to it. However, I don't say it either since I think it makes you look flamboyant if your a guy and seem like a bitchy valley girl if you are well a girl.
Yes, I think it reinforces negativity directed at homosexuals. By one definition "gay" describes a same-sex orientation. But, this other slang definition equates the word with "stupid, bad and messed up". Therefore, I think it's too easy for people to transfer the meanings between the two. In other words, people will see homosexuals as stupid, bad and messed up.
It doesn't offend me, but I think people should go back to saying "queer" rather than "gay"...as "queer" means weird, strange, or odd. "Gay" means "happy"...and I don't think something being bad should be related to happy in any way.
"It doesn't offend me, but I think people should go back to saying "queer" rather than "gay"...as "queer" means weird, strange, or odd. "Gay" means "happy"...and I don't think something being bad should be related to happy in any way. "
Yea and It doesn't even make sense.. gay people aren't happy they are always depressed cuz nobody likes them and their butt always hurts cuz they take it up the pooper so they certainly aren't happy so why do we call them gay? i just call them faggots. "
No, it doesn't offend me, although it's not something I would use in public since I'm afraid of offending somebody. Still, I don't see using the word gay to mean stupid as being any different when people say "that's so retarded".
It makes perfect logical sense for someone of that orientation to be offended by "gay" when it's used as a derogatory descriptor. That said, all the gay friends I have don't (or, at least, not openly) take offense to it, and even jokingly use it at each other and at their straight friends.
In fact, the only people I know personally who take offense to it are the hyper-politically correct, twenty-something uber-liberals working at my bookstore. That doesn't mean "gay" is any more right or justified as a slur, of course, but it just goes to show how petty it has come to be for a lot of people.
No. Gay is a word I use to describe things all the time. The thing is... I don't associate it with homosexuality. People who are offended need to get over it.
Don't let them. The question is wether or not it offends people. It isn't wether or not people think it's cool or even acceptable. Let the comments trouble you instead. "
I think it should offend people, as should the use of other words that don't match their definition. The comments most definitely trouble me as well, but I guess I should just get off the internet.
Just saying, this is the second "OMG GAY OR NAWT" thread I've facepalmed over in the last 24 hours.
It bothers me when i find people that are supposed to be intelligent use both the words gay and retarded as a synonyms for stupid, dumb, and idiotic.
random people on the internet saying it doesnt bother me. its a known fact that 99% of people on the internet are ignorant and unintelligent sad excuses for humans
It irks me. It's worse when it's little kids saying it, because they use it way too much. They either say it without knowing what it really means, or they know exactly what they're saying, and that makes it all the worse. imagine using the N word every other word in a sentence, and see if it doesn't annoy you, if not offend you.
It doesn't offend me, but I wish people wouldn't because all it does is show immaturity and ignorance. Plus it WOULD be offensive to a gay person and you never know who may be around so you just need to be conscience of others.
I just want to bring up the fact that the original meaning of the word "dumb" referred to a mute person. So in essence the alternative people often offer is just as bad as the word they are already using.
The truth is the English language does this all the time. I'm sorry if people dislike the fact that this word got chosen, but telling people how to speak their language is just a waste of time.
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