That's Sooooo Gay!

[V1P3R]

That's so gay...

 

[Philly]

WHAT?!?

I can't remember the last time someone was actually disciplined for saying something the local mods wouldn't tolerate at school. I've heared "watch your language" type scoldings, but nobody has ever been punished with more than a scolding.

This nazi district deserves to be punished, I believe.

But, taking a school rule (a language one at that) to court seems to be beyond extreme, but of course, stupid people have things like this and won (Lady burned from coffee).

 

[Omnis]

Would they rather us say, "That's so queer." ?

 

[Klostrophobic]

Before someone comes in here and says 'that's so gay', I just want to say it first. That's so gay.

Anyway, saying something is gay or calling someone a fag has nothing to do with their sexual orientation. Everyone knows this.

 

[Omnis]

The obese community wasn't all pissed when people started calling things "phat".

Oh wait, phat means cool.

 

[Keef]

Going to court? That's so gay.

 

[throttlehappy]

Going to court? That's so gay.

yes....yes it is

 

[Touring Mars]

This nazi district deserves to be punished, I believe.

But, taking a school rule (a language one at that) to court seems to be beyond extreme

That sounds (to me anyway) like a massive self-contradiction. One minute you're calling the district Nazis and the next you're suggesting that suing the district over this issue is 'beyond extreme'...? Make up your mind!?

For my $0.02, I think that there should be clarity about what is acceptable language and what is not, and that schools should have the right to discipline pupils over the use of abusive, vulgar or obscene language. The argument that the word 'gay' has been sequestered into urban vocabulary, supposedly devoid of any negative homophobic connotations, doesn't wash with me... you have to ask yourself why people choose to say 'That's so gay' rather than something without the homophobic overtones, such as 'That's so lame'... they only do so because the word 'gay' implies negative stereotypes associated with homophobia, and as such, I don't think it has any place in schools (used in that context), just as the 'N word' should not be used because of the racist overtones it carries...

The fact that the parents are suing the school because they believe the school had no right to discipline one of their pupils for using what they felt was abusive language is a sad state of affairs. Whether we like it or not, schools must maintain atleast some level of discipline - more importantly, they must be allowed to maintain some level of discipline, otherwise the consequences would be dire.

Would they rather us say, "That's so queer." ?

That's a good point... and illustrates the problem with using the phrase 'That's so gay' in the first place. It seems the people who are happy to use this phrase would have us believe that the use of the word 'gay' has nothing to do with homosexuality or (more importantly) homophobia, so using 'queer' synonymously wouldn't apply...

calling someone a fag has nothing to do with their sexual orientation

Whereas that may be literally true in the majority of cases, it's still unacceptable language for a school playground or in civilised company generally, for much the same reason as I suggested above... you call someone a fag because you intend to offend someone (usually jokingly) and the offence is caused because of the negative connotations that are carried with the implication of calling a guy homosexual... So it might not mean 'I honestly think you are a homosexual', but it does mean 'I think you are crap and I intend to illustrate this by comparing you to homosexuals, whose values and inherent properties I also consider equally crap'...

 

[ledhed]

Well for all you young folks ...think on this ..the term "political corectness"
And being ! POLITICALY CORRECT ..came from behind the irion curtain ansd was used as a means to get the population to CONFORM to what the dictators of the times considered to be the " CORRECT " line of thought ..


So now we have liberal nazi's instead of communist ones ...all ready to send us to a reeducation camp to get us thinking in the way THEY feel is politically correct ...


I think I may have mentioned this before but ..

BITE ME ..lol .....kisss my butt....lol...PC is what I call my computer you retards ...fat ,stupid , ugly , smelly , tree hugging retards with delusions of group think...please line up to BITE MY BUTT .


This has been a message from the Anti PC crusaders of America and the world .

 

[Touring Mars]

There is a difference between political correctness and plain old 'not being offensive'... so if you object to allowing schoolchildren to call each other 'gay', or fags, Nazis, Pakis, whatever, then that makes you a liberal Nazi? I don't get that... call it freedom of speech, your 'right as an American' to say whatever you please (like Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski), but don't expect people to respond to it as if it doesn't cause offense. By definition, schools are place where children go to learn and therefore schools have a duty to protect as well as instruct, and therefore there has to be an element of discipline...

 

[Danny]

"That's so lesbionic"

Doesn't have the same ring to it.

 

[V1P3R]

you have to ask yourself why people choose to say 'That's so gay' rather than something without the homophobic overtones, such as 'That's so lame'... they only do so because the word 'gay' implies negative stereotypes associated with homophobia, and as such, I don't think it has any place in schools (used in that context), just as the 'N word' should not be used because of the racist overtones it carries...

So, if this were true then Mencia is really racist? I mean seriously, I'd like to know because his defense is everyone don't be so serious and go with it. But at the end of the day people see that show and are influenced and will repeat what he says.

 

[FoolKiller]

So, if this were true then Mencia is really racist?

What would you call using racial stereotypes to make fun of people?

I mean seriously, I'd like to know because his defense is everyone don't be so serious and go with it. But at the end of the day people see that show and are influenced and will repeat what he says.

I agree that people are too uptight about what gets said, especially when it wasn't intended to offend. But if I, a middle class white man, went up and said, "hey n-----," to a black friend of mine would that be okay? I didn't mean it as a racial slur.

However, in the school case I back the school district. It is a term with an offensive intent, whether homosexual tones are intended or not. They set down rules of behavior for the students to follow and as a school they have that right. They can also demand you wear certain clothes and fit a dress code. If the school told students they couldn't say "that's so idiotic" because it is not polite language no one would disagree.

 

[Silverzone]

That so Freakin gay. People seem to take things out of context way too much today.

 

[ExigeEvan]

I know teachers who have kicked kids out of class for blaspheming, despite my school not being religious

Things like "Jesus Christ", "Bloody Hell" and such. Personally I find that rediculous but I suppose it is whatever the teacher takes offense to.

"That's so lesbionic"

Doesn't have the same ring to it.

Everyone knows that "lesbo" is the correct term

 

[Wolfe]

I, too, use the words "gay" or "homosexual" to describe things I don't like, and my friends, coworkers and I all jokingly call each other gay. However, I have absolutely nothing against homosexuals. It's the homophobes that I think are fags.

It's hard to explain, because yes, as we all know, those words picked up their negative connotation from the homophobic stereotypes and perceptions of homosexuals, and yes, the "modern" usage of the words rely on that same negative connotation for their effect...yet at the same time, their usage has positively nothing to do with homosexuality, nor a disdain for homosexuals. Seriously.

 

[Philly]

That sounds (to me anyway) like a massive self-contradiction. One minute you're calling the district Nazis and the next you're suggesting that suing the district over this issue is 'beyond extreme'...? Make up your mind!?

I was referring to two different things. I was saying that the district is so strict that something needs to be done about it. On the other hand, taking the district to court because for being punished for such a small infraction seems a bit odd to do. You get what I'm saying? Something is wrong with both ends. The District has issues, as do the people sueing them.

On the issue at hand, I think calling somebody gay could be taken as a derogatory statement. Because the gays are being persecuted and so on right now, homosexuality is a rather large issue. People won't want to be caught making fun of and ridiculing that group by using the term "gay" in a negative way. That is what I see as being the issue with the word. Also, maybe they don't want to connotate a whole group to negative things. Just a thought.

That being said, I think it is completely fine if people call thing/people "gay." I use the term "nazi" to describe anybody that comes off extra-strict (as seen above). Nobody really cares; they know that I am just joking about and that I don't actually think they are nazis. Words like gay and homosexual are the same way. We are in a culture where a lot of things are ridiculed and everybody gets made fun of in some way or another. Calling things gay is just a way to do that. People just need to get beyond the idea of gay being a derogatory term.

 

[Touring Mars]

I was referring to two different things. I was saying that the district is so strict that something needs to be done about it. On the other hand, taking the district to court because for being punished for such a small infraction seems a bit odd to do. You get what I'm saying? Something is wrong with both ends. The District has issues, as do the people sueing them.

I kind of see what you're saying, but it still looks like a bit of a contradiction. If it's such a small infraction, then how is the district being 'so strict'? In any case, I agree with your opinion that it is a ridiculous thing to sue someone over!

People just need to get beyond the idea of gay being a derogatory term.

Absolutely true... this is precisely why people should stop using it as a derogatory term!

 

[Speedy Samurai]

When I was in school the 'insult word/phrase' was calling someone a jew (although I found this detestable and didn't participate). One day in English class, a not so well-liked student got angry at his classmate and said, "you stupid jew". Our English teacher, Mr. Beochner, exploded on him, and the proceeded to roll up his sleeve and show the student his ID number that was tattooed on his arm. It was ugly.

...Not so many years ago, a co-worker of mine needed some money for a vending machine and said to me, "Got any jew?" He said it meaning no offense to anyone, as just slang.

Before it became casual, it was used insensitively. Despite, how you may feel about it, it is reproachable to speak like this. (unless you really don't like gays or jews and then free-speech is your friend)

 

[Touring Mars]

A relevant news story, NYC bans the 'N word'...

 

[FoolKiller]

A relevant news story, NYC bans the 'N word'...

Once again, politicians wasting time and money to make symbolic gestures to gain votes. An actual legal ban would be unconstitutional.

The resolution to ban the so-called "N-word" is largely symbolic as it carries no weight in law and those who use the word would face no punishment.

 

[OZZYGT]

Its usage is habitual and seems culturally fixed and to stop it is likely to take a change in their attitudes rather than an edict from elected officials.

And how do they expect that to happen?

This is a perfect example of the term "vague".

 

[EXelero]

"That's so lesbionic"

Doesn't have the same ring to it.

lesbian is single sex isnt it? where as gay can be for both sexes?

In earlier usage, the word meant "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy",

dont think people can even argue that the word gay is being used in its original term either!
as a Brit, America is portrayed to us as being quite homophobic, but i really dont think the kids are using the word in a derogatory way. its just slang after all.

 

[Danoff]

This thread reminds me of the scene in the 40 year old virgin where the guys were hanging out playing video games and saying "you know how I know you're gay?". Calling someone gay is derragatory because it's an affront on their manhood. You're telling them that they're girly, feminine, weak, and generally that you don't respect their manliness and that you, the manly man, are going to beat them into submission, take their meat and their woman. I do this all the time with friends at work and have a great time doing it. But I'm definitely aware that it could offend gay people.

Now, when you tell someone that they suck, what is it exactly that they suck? Certainly not eggs (what do eggs remind you of?). You're still basically saying that they're gay.

How this translated to inanimate objects or concepts is beyond me. I don't know how a slow lunchline can be "gay", but I'm sure someone has said it. I guess basically the fact that men call each other gay to put them down, or tell them that they suck, eventually just became mainstream. So much so that it just generally means stupid or weak.

Schools should be allowed to tell children what is acceptible language at school. They make sure students don't cuss, and don't call each other all kinds of names. I don't see why ruling out the word gay or preventing kids from saying something "sucks" should be out of their range of censorship. These are children at school, they don't have as much freedom as they probably want - and that's a good thing.

 

[Wolfe]

These are children at school, they don't have any freedoms...

MORE ACCURATE'D!!1!

I do agree with the idea that the school has every right to censor whatever words they feel are inappropriate. If they can't censor "gay," then why can they censor the words that result in asterisks here on GTP? The line has to be drawn somewhere, whichever way you look at it, and it's ultimately the school's line to draw.

At the same time, though, I still disagree that "gay" is inappropriate. As you brought up, Danoff, calling someone or something "gay" is quite similar to saying someone/something "sucks." "Sucks" has been thoroughly ingrained into colloquial language, particularly among the younger part of the population, and is now accepted -- though frowned upon if used in formal writing -- with its negative connotation intact, but its derogatory connotation (relating to homosexuals) shattered. It's only a matter of time before "gay" reaches the same status, as it's halfway there.