That's Gay

[Nila Bean 133]

People ( mostly guys) at my school say this about a thousand times a day. It can get annoying, but they usually use it as a replacement for "lame". 

 

I don't think their intention is to target gays as a whole. Just the person they're directing it to. Most of the time people use it when they're joking with their friends. 

[pixelmusic 22]

like most teenagers i used to be a bit of a nub but in a weird way "thats gay" came as a natural phrase/insult i was always against the insult but sometimes found myself saying it...... maybe in some weird way its inbuilt into a teenagers genes i dont say it now but look back and wonder on why i said something i was against

[~Sugar Sprinkles~ 638]

It doesn't typically bother me, but my best friend is a Lesbian and she HATES it. I can understand, considering she is gay and it is pretty hurtful to her. Usually she speaks her mind and tells people to please don't say it around her.

 

I don't say it anymore, because it hurts my best friend and I have other things I say other than "That's gay". Like "That's dumb" "That's not fair" "That's stupid".

[Bright Bastion 241]

It doesn't really bother me either, I've actually got my little brother good a couple of times because I'm openly gay and he says that's gay and I just look at him. He's just like, Nononono, but I know he doesn't mean it like he's trying to make fun of gay people. Like just about everybody else it seems, the phrase just seems to have lost it's edge. I actually used to say it ALOT when I was younger (I was 11 maybe) And I didn't even recall ever really thinking about it being offensive, but you know now I know it is. When I got into high school though I stopped using it on purpose, but it still slipped out sometimes. So maybe I just feel like making people stop saying it is kind of hypocritical because the only people I hear say it anymore is kids of that age.

[VanillaChip 71]

I don't get offended by words, and yes I do use the phrase a lot. Seriously, people need to grow some skin.

[Dark Qiviut 22,379]

Seriously, people need to grow some skin.

Why should they? Because some people like to use such a phrase that's known for it's vile implications. Calling something "gay" to mean "stupid" marginalizes a specific group of minorities. For this case, the LGBT and their allies. Yes, even yourself as a bisexual. I'm straight and white, and this phrase is disgusting thanks to its demeaning connotations. It's something the offender should be called out for using: It's harmful.

 

If we're going to get true equality, we should be more sensitive to phrases like these. By admitting to using it and using the "grow some thick skin" strawman, the pot's calling the kettle black, and you're proving the people who hate this phrase their point.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[VanillaChip 71]

Why should they? Because some people like to use such a phrase that's known for it's vile implications. Calling something "gay" marginalizes a specific group of minorities. Yes, even yourself as a bisexual. I'm straight and white, and this phrase is disgusting thanks to its demeaning connotations. It's something the offender should be called out for using: It's harmful.

 

By admitting to using it and using the "grow some thick skin" strawman, the pot's calling the kettle black.

Because our freedom of speech is worth more than some guy's feelings. "Your freedom ends where my feelings begin".

[Dark Qiviut 22,379]

Because our freedom of speech is worth more than some guy's feelings. "Your freedom ends where my feelings begin".

You're applying the "freedom of speech" card inaccurately. Freedom of speech means the government can't prosecute you, but it doesn't equate freedom of consequences. If you're going to say something, expect some kind of consequences, good or bad. "That's gay" is factually offensive, and you will get called out for that.

 

And not every country has it so thoroughly. Many European countries have hate speech laws, and calling something "gay" to mean "stupid" could get you in trouble for violating it.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[VanillaChip 71]

You're applying the "freedom of speech" card inaccurately. Freedom of speech means the government can't prosecute you, but it doesn't equate freedom of consequences. If you're going to say something, expect some kind of consequences, good or bad.

 

And not every country has it so thoroughly. Many European countries have hate speech laws, and calling something "gay" to mean "stupid" could get you in trouble for violating it.

And you know what, I will accept those consequences. Hate speech laws are pointless, are you really going to fine someone for saying or thinking something?

[The Peculiar Derp 193]

I hate it when people use the word "gay" in that sense. One of my best friends that i have known since forever is bisexual. The day that they came out to me was one of the most significant days of my life. I was totally not expecting it, as I was pretty sure that they were totally straight, but isn't that how it is most of the time? I was just so proud that someone i knew could have that kind of courage!

[Sigma 768]

I don't get offended by words, and yes I do use the phrase a lot. Seriously, people need to grow some skin.

 

Why would you use that phrase?

[iLuvAVENGD7FOLD 21]

I'm so glad they made those commercials!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sUN33U8ZCk

 

Now I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but as soon as these commercials aired, I've seen a sharp decrease in the usage of "That's so gay!" Thank you, Wanda Sykes!

[VulpineTaco 525]

It's just a sign of low intelligence. If you can't think of anything better to say than "That's gay" when pertaining to something you don't like, I think you need to expand your vocabulary a bit.

[Sunflower Tea 73]

I avoid using the phrase because I don't want to offend anybody, and it's so overused anyway. Although I have had gay/lesbian friends before who use the phrase themselves. I think that if someone is gay or lesbian and they're okay with it being used than that's one thing, they're the ones who should get to make that call. Otherwise I just don't use it.

[CuriousPony 157]

I never understood why this became a thing anyway, to be honest. 

 

I remember hearing it in high school, and it made absolutely no sense to me. I thought it was mean because it was a word that described a group of people, and I still don't think it should be used. But I never got why people thought it made any sense. 

 

To me it's like saying, "that's redhead," or something. It just seemed so... confusing, as a derogatory word. I understand what they're trying to say (or why people get offended by it), but I don't see why people can't just use, "that's stupid," or a word that's made for the context they're trying to convey. 

 

 

Gay also means happy. So.., "that's so happy?" Wow, what an insult.... not. 

 

I guess all in all, I think it's dumb of people to say it. *shrugs* 

[VanillaChip 71]

Why would you use that phrase?

Because I can, because I like to, and because it doesn't offend me.

[Littlepip3000 111]

I'm personally bi, but I am predominantly gay, and I will frequently say "faggot", "gay", and etc. as insults. Particularly when I'm playing online multiplayer. I think if you have such a weak personal constitution so as to get offended or hurt by words people speak then you are no true man or woman. Plus if we can use these words with impunity then so should heteros. It's just like when black people refer to each other using the "N" word; if they can use it, WE can use it. We, as a part of whatever community for whatever sexual orientation or race we may be a part of, have NO place to deny to others their freedom of speech based on our "feelings". And yes, I think "hate speech" should be protected. NO words should be banned or their speaker's publicly ostracized for speaking them. 

[Rainbow Dash 1,472]

 

 

It would seem to me that many teenage guys are very insecure in their masculinity since they are the worst offenders when it comes to using this phrase.

No disrespect to anyone on here, but most use the dumbest one liners and jokes ever. I mean, "you're momma"? That jokes funny when youre being ironic about it *hipster detected*

 

What do you guys think about this phrase and how it is used. Do you think it is hurtful? Or do you think it is acceptable? Let me know your thoughts and opinions and as always keep it respectful. Cheers. 

 
Its a hit or miss with me. I hear this all the time, and I kinda got desensitized by it. I dont think its hurtful...i can see it being annoying but not damaging...unless your being bullied by it at your elementary school constantly. Anyways, its not acceptable either cause obviously its hurting the LGBT community...but we shouldnt be banned from saying it or taught not to. Thats only going to make people use it more.

[Galen Selanno 351]

How does one prescribe a certain type of behavior to gays? That's kinda discriminatory, don't you think?

Edited December 17, 2014 by TheAnonBrony

[Codelyy 1,286]

That phrase drives me up the wall. Being a teenager in a high school, I tend to hear it a lot and i want to punch them in the face for saying it because what's the point of it.

 

When you say something is gay, That's meant to be an insult meaning the person saying it thinks gay is a bad word and it used for insulting someone so i don't want to offend anyone here but if you say something is gay then you are sort of a homophobe because if you didn't use the word gay for an insult then why would you say something is gay when your insulting it? 

[n0body555 334]

I used to call everything "gay". I tend to find it offensive at times. Although when responding to such people who use it as is.. I tend to just be a complete smartass about it really, jokingly.

[SCS 7,522]

I really don't give a fuck whether or not anyone wants to use gay as an insult. It's just a word, and I think time would be better spent teaching people not to care about what anyone thinks about them, especially when said person is an idiot and/or whatever they have to say is completely stupid. 

 

I think there are a lot bigger problems we should be focusing on right now, like ISIS. Words don't kill people, IEDs and machetes do.

[Hocus Pocus 636]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IednD9eVB5k

 

It all depends on the context. Language is constantly changing, and words are always becoming more or less offensive. For example, go back to Victorian era and use the word "bloody", it'd be a bloody swear word! (and actually is in England today). However, use it in the US today and nopony will care. At the same time, though, the word "Oriental" used to be the politically correct term for "Asian-American" but now it's offensive today by many people's standards. The definition of words are always in flux and we should keep an open mind to what is becoming more or less derogatory. With the word "gay" specifically, I'm kind of neutral on it. I certainly don't see it as a good thing that it's being used as a derrogitory term, however, I don't see it as a bad thing either because the people who use it are not meaning to demean homosexuals by saying it. In other words, it's more about the spirit of the message than the literal definition of the phrase.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Hocus Pocus

[pakicetus 312]

From what I've seen, most people who use it do it solely to be offensive for the sake of being offensive.

[Sommar 1,289]

It goes to show you how mean people can be. The word "gay" used to mean "happy" years ago, but times have changed and so has the meaning of the word. I attend highschool, and constantly I hear this word being thrown around loosely like a rag doll. If someone doesn't like something, they automatically think it's "gay". Don't they understand that using this term can make fun of people who are in fact gay? I may be straight, but that doesn't mean I'm going to make fun of people who are different from me. Honestly, I'm tired of teenagers trying to make it seem they're "cool" and whatnot. It doesn't matter if you're "cool" or not because when you graduate, you won't see most of your peers again; it's that simple.