• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Is it homophobic to call something gay?

BoogityBoogity said:
Yes, I'm of Native American ancestry, but in bloodline only. I haven't really experienced the culture and never make trips to my ancestral home, so its really not a major factor in defining who I am.

I was just trying to make a humorous response (sorry to those who didn't find it funny) to those who are decidedly not Native American but take it on themselves to tell us what we should be offended by (and I'm not necessarily referring to anything posted on this thread). That most typically occurs whenever the word "Indian" is improperly used, or in the context of sports teams. Its always the same lily-white people who dictate whats offensive to me as the ones who dictate to every other minority or special interest group what they should consider offensive. If you look long enough and hard enough for something that might offend someone, you'll inevitably find it.
Click to expand...

You offend me all the time without even trying.
 
BoogityBoogity said:
Yes, I'm of Native American ancestry, but in bloodline only. I haven't really experienced the culture and never make trips to my ancestral home, so its really not a major factor in defining who I am.

I was just trying to make a humorous response (sorry to those who didn't find it funny) to those who are decidedly not Native American but take it on themselves to tell us what we should be offended by (and I'm not necessarily referring to anything posted on this thread). That most typically occurs whenever the word "Indian" is improperly used, or in the context of sports teams. Its always the same lily-white people who dictate whats offensive to me as the ones who dictate to every other minority or special interest group what they should consider offensive. If you look long enough and hard enough for something that might offend someone, you'll inevitably find it.
Click to expand...

I'm not telling gay people or black people to get offended by "faggot" or "nigger." I have actually listened to them when they said that they ARE offended by those words.
 
DistrictDeacon said:
What ever you do, don't dare use the J-word. That's a week banning, at least.
Click to expand...

SRSLY, I got a day for saying the H-Word in a PM. What we do know is that linguistics and epistemology may change through the decades, but some our hebrew friends never forget how to whine about any perceived slight.
 
BoogityBoogity said:
In what way? If you disagree with my point, give your reasons why. Thats a little harder than juvenile name-calling, but its far more productive.
Click to expand...

dude. it's called google. the fight against "redskins" is not spear headed by white people.
 
so did boogity actually go to wake? did he get in on the strength of his native american background because the dude's a moron?
 
Words only have the meaning that we assign to them.

Apparently, there is a new PC term for the intellectually deficient. One day people are going to be using that as a derogatory term.
 
TheTwinAndreBen said:
SRSLY, I got a day for saying the H-Word in a PM. What we do know is that linguistics and epistemology may change through the decades, but some our hebrew friends never forget how to whine about any perceived slight.
Click to expand...

40 years wandering around the desert leaves a lot of sand in one's vagina.
 
DeaconCav06 said:
Words only have the meaning that we assign to them.

Apparently, there is a new PC term for the intellectually deficient. One day people are going to be using that as a derogatory term.
Click to expand...

tarheel?
 
BeachBumDeac said:
I'm not telling gay people or black people to get offended by "faggot" or "nigger." I have actually listened to them when they said that they ARE offended by those words.
Click to expand...

My comment wasn't directed at you specifically, but since you saw yourself in it I'll respond. When I'm around my gay friends or black friends (or friends of any other ethnic or social group), I'm normally singing karaoke or playing basketball or watching sports or listening to music. Doing something actually fun, rather than talking about which words may or may not be offensive. But then again, talking about feelings may be your idea of fun. If so, more power to you.
 
can someone photoshop boogity's halloween costume pic with some gay dudes singing karaoke or playing hoops with some brothers?
 
BoogityBoogity said:
My comment wasn't directed at you specifically, but since you saw yourself in it I'll respond. When I'm around my gay friends or black friends (or friends of any other ethnic or social group), I'm normally singing karaoke or playing basketball or watching sports or listening to music. Doing something actually fun, rather than talking about which words may or may not be offensive. But then again, talking about feelings may be your idea of fun. If so, more power to you.
Click to expand...

Look, he takes them to karaoke and he sings things like Katy Perry's "Ur So Gay" or "The Whistling Coon" and nobody gets offended!
 
deacphan said:
can someone photoshop boogity's halloween costume pic with some gay dudes singing karaoke or playing hoops with some brothers?
Click to expand...

Normally its lesbians on karaoke night. You don't get out much, do you?
 
Patrick Burke (president of You Can Play, which promotes acceptance in sports) calls it "casual homophobia."

You Can Play: Behind Patrick Burke’s bold effort using NHL players to fight homophobia in hockey

I read something great about the Native American names used for sports teams recently that I thought was great, and included varied opinions from Native American readers, but I can't for the life of me find it. But, at the very least, the name "Redskins" seems awful to me.

Also, I :heart: ITK.
 
DeaconCav06 said:
Words only have the meaning that we assign to them.

Apparently, there is a new PC term for the intellectually deficient. One day people are going to be using that as a derogatory term.
Click to expand...

I've seen you repeatedly make this argument about words. Now, I agree wholeheartedly with the premise that we can and should choose how we react to words. But words themselves are not powerless or meaningless or useless. Consider 20th century history for the effects of the spoken word. Hitler's speeches to s beleaguered Germany. Churchill's speeches to England. Declarations of war, peace, destruction and creation all over the world, often fighting over a few words. We can try to divorce meanings from words, we can try to reappropriate them like the black community has done with the n word, and the gay community with the f word, but by no means do those actions undo the burden of a word's history.

In summary, I think it's good practice to teach our kids sticks and stones, so they don't have to fear words, but I also think it's a disservice to language and our ability to communicate to suggest words are exclusively what we want them to be.

I understand the backlash from those who think we've gone soft or too PC over language, I really do. But I also respect social nuance and use it to inform my judgments about the way I talk and write.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top