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^ This. My generation used to think "sick" was a term when one wasn't feeling very well but now it looks like a positive. Impressive. Forgot who puts out the ad but it was for faster speed (computers) and the one kid goes, "That's sick".
That's the annoying thing. Now the words have become very ambiguous.
"Banana" is also used as a slang term for the male genitals. I remember when I told people that I went to the club or had found a friend from the club. They instantly assumed I was talking about nightclubs. Are you cool or are you ill? There are so many words that do not function for original meanings any longer but that's slang for you.
I agree with the above that people should teach their kids not to use terms like "gay" and "retard" out of context because the terms also refer to specific types of people who don't deserve to be insulted for those qualities. I know that's part of the fun for kids though, to make fun of others and use terms that bother their parents.
My son and his friends hang out at my house quite a bit. "That's so gay" means nothing more than it's lame.
There's no homophobia involved. My kid grew up surrounded by gays and his best friend's dad was a transsexual. The kids used to hand him his makeup while he taught them about jet engines.
He wouldn't dream of using it in the derogatory sense. Languages change over time.
Word.
"That's So Gay" is not nearly as offensive as using the word "gay" to identify homosexuals or the homosexual populations hijacking of the word.
Being gay used to mean, happy, carefree and a sense of joy. Somewhere, that word became the domain of homosexuals and that is far more offensive. Now you can't use the word without fear of offending homosexuals. Excuse me but too bad. There was no right to take that word and make it something it was not intended to be and by so doing, remove it from everyday speech just because some segment of the population needed a way to identify themselves.
By hijacking the word "gay" something was taken from others. Isn't it strange that it becomes a one way street so easily?
I could care less about the sexuality of anyone else but when you decide to simple take from others and then complain that it happens to you, all bets are off. First set an example, then ask others to follow it.
Not all of us like this word. Perhaps, if you knew where this term originated you wouldn't be so quick to assume. The term gay was originally, often used in a pejorative sense to describe gay men (and often still is). As in, happy in a "silly" sort of way; thus not masculine. Nobody has hijacked the word. Heterosexuals can use this word all they want to describe "happy." The problem is, the prevalent homophobia foisted upon homosexual people has black-listed this word, deeming anything, even remotely associated with homosexuality is equated as bad, thus to be associated as anything similar to the homosexual is a terrible thing. When heteros understand, that by eliminating homophobia they can free themselves as well, they too have something to be gained by eliminating this bigotry. Sadly, the straight male must always be aware, to keep his emotions in check, to insure he does not resemble, even slightly the stereotype of the dreaded male homosexual.
In British Columbia is seems to be pretty much confined to the high school crowd. I haven't seen it crossing over to other braindead units like the word "WHATEVER"!
The suggestion here is that you're only allowed (City By-Law) to use such words/phrases if you're 13, texting, and wearing your LuLuLemon tights without a brain.
I'm sorry, but when a young adult uses the expressions "that's so gay" there is no underlying homophobia, or any thought at all of homosexuals. It just means lame, stupid, ridiculous.
Have to say, I've never really agreed with this saying... as I think most of us know, words definitely CAN hurt, often waaaaay more than physical pain. If you punch me it'll hurt, but I'll get over it pretty quickly; if you denigrate me with words, that can leave a lasting/permanent scar. Just sayin'.
Another word that seems to have been reserved to exclusively mean homosexual is a five letter word that starts with a q and also means odd or unusual. I would type the word here, but it has apparently been determined by this website that this word is now inappropriate, since all you get a five asterisks: ***** how that works, isn't it? I wonder how long until gay shows up as ***?
Location: Currently I physically reside on the 3rd planet from the sun
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Quote:
Originally Posted by no kudzu
A little research tells me that today when young people say something is "so gay" they usually mean it is lame and not necessarily homosexual. I found this interesting.
I've been reading the comments that offer up the use of other words that have multiple meanings or over time have including others.
I also noticed that the words like banana and so on do not elicit nearly the effort to force people to use them in a certain way as does the use of the word "gay".
It seems that anyone using the word "gay" must be careful so as not to offend homosexuals. In the word of someone who posted earlier:
Deal with it.
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