A question for you all...

[grey_mouser]

I've noticed over the last few years that the word "gay" seems to have started to take on another meaning, which I guess may be defined as "lame" or "rubbish". I reckon I now hear it used in this context, particularly amongst the under 25's here in the UK, more frequently than I now do in relation to sexual orientation.

What I'd like your thoughts on is whether this is simply an example of language evolving to give a completely different meaning to an existing word, or is it evidence of intolerance and homophobia, somehow inferring that gays are rubbish? And, is this dependant on where you live?

From my observation it seems to me that the people who use the word are quite comfortable with its separate and different meanings and are capable of using it appropriately in either context.

What do you think?

Thanks - mouse

 

[Tymeless]

well gay actually means happy it just got attached to homosexuals many years ago unjustly.

language is an evolving thing and as time goes on words adopt new meanings. i don't feel it is meant to be deragatory towards homosexuals in anyway i personally use it to mean lame and majority of the time don't even realized i used the word.

 

[ShinigamiSama]

its actually a different spelling, the term you're speaking of is 'ghey' or at least thats how it's passed off as, I do think its lame that that word in particular
but theres not much that can be done and from what I see its not derogatory

 

[MyFriend27]

Well its a Fun word

You can use it in so many ways and no its not derogatory. When used the way you are referring to it means lame however it really is associated with the "gay way"
"that is so gay" Sometimes means lame but also you could mean that iTs so gay as to say thats what gay guys do are all about its so gay that only a homosexual would do that and not a homosapien

 

[Etoile]

Yes, it is derogatory and homophobic. It's been used for years and years in the US, and it's tossed around by kids who don't even know what they're saying (see my wife's comments below). Tymeless is right, "gay" did originally mean "happy" before it had anything to do with sexuality. Therefore, the use of "gay" in a negative sense can only be tied to the use of it in relation to sexual orientation.

My wife says they were using it at her school when she was a kid, and she knew it meant "lame" but didn't actually know the other meaning. She says when it's used that way, it's being used in a derogatory sense against homosexuals. However, when she was in elementary school, she didn't know what a homosexual was, so as people get older they may not realize they're still using it in a derogatory way. (She's 38, btw - I copied this down while she was talking, so it's her thoughts.)

"Ghey" is actually a backformed word. It's only been used in the past few years, and primarily on the Internet. It originates from people trying to educate others about the fact that "gay" is used in a derogatory way, so therefore if you mean it in a bad way, you should spell it differently, so people can tell the difference. The two words are spoken exactly the same, though.

 

[Etoile]

You can use it in so many ways and no its not derogatory. When used the way you are referring to it means lame however it really is associated with the "gay way"
"that is so gay" Sometimes means lame but also you could mean that iTs so gay as to say thats what gay guys do are all about its so gay that only a homosexual would do that and not a homosapien

I'm sorry, did you just say that gay people are not humans? Yes, you did.

 

[naughtyinsilk]

You can use it in so many ways and no its not derogatory. When used the way you are referring to it means lame however it really is associated with the "gay way"
"that is so gay" Sometimes means lame but also you could mean that iTs so gay as to say thats what gay guys do are all about its so gay that only a homosexual would do that and not a homosapien

I am aware I am suffering from brain damage, but can someone please translate this statement into the english language?
From how my brain reads it it appears the writer has talked their way back up their own arse, without making any grammatic or linguistic sense at all. And been totally offensive in the process.

 

[HeavenCanWait]

As a teacher, I here this alot. I remember my (gay) uncle going into a school to do a workshop and being very upset by the way the word was used.

Young people that use this word *generally* aren't even considering homosexuality when they use it. It just doesnt figure. It's just a word that they are attaching to something, and as they mean no offence by it, I find it hard to be offended by it.

Live and Let Live.

 

[naughtyinsilk]

As a teacher, I here this alot. I remember my (gay) uncle going into a school to do a workshop and being very upset by the way the word was used.

Young people that use this word *generally* aren't even considering homosexuality when they use it. It just doesnt figure. It's just a word that they are attaching to something, and as they mean no offence by it, I find it hard to be offended by it.

Live and Let Live.

I am not daft or over sensitive I do appreciate that there are other meanings of the word gay. What I dont understand is what is meant by this "only a homosexual would do that and not a homosapien"?

 

[HeavenCanWait]

que?

Edit: Oh! Yeah, what the fuck is he on about?

 

[Etoile]

I am aware I am suffering from brain damage, but can someone please translate this statement into the english language?
From how my brain reads it it appears the writer has talked their way back up their own arse, without making any grammatic or linguistic sense at all. And been totally offensive in the process.

ROFL! Very well put.

I make my living translating to and from English, and I couldn't figure out the meaning either. Except for the last part, which is crystal clear: gay people aren't human. Also, we do crazy things that no human would do. And this guy claims to be open minded!

 

[HeavenCanWait]

Given the general 'tone' of his post and his obviously immature mastery of the Queen's english, I'm not convinced that he used homosapien correctly, knowing what it meant. He may well have meant something different.

 

[HeavenCanWait]

Perhaps he used 'homosapien' instead of 'heterosexual'

 

[naughtyinsilk]

Given the general 'tone' of his post and his obviously immature mastery of the Queen's english, I'm not convinced that he used homosapien correctly, knowing what it meant. He may well have meant something different.

In which case he should have spent more time thinking and checking what he wrote as being what he meant or better to not have posted any comment at all.

 

[HeavenCanWait]

True, but we're not all lucky enough to be so academic. To be honest though, he may well be a fascist. I just don't know, nor will I unless he chooses to explain himself.

 

[Etoile]

I'd be surprised if he meant heterosexual, very surprised. But who knows.

 

[Misty_Morning]

I'd be surprised if he meant heterosexual, very surprised. But who knows.

He seems to use to the correct terminology in other threads without confusion, and still manages to exhibit the same compassionate understanding.

 

[naughtyinsilk]

He seems to use to the correct terminology in other threads without confusion, and still manages to exhibit the same compassionate understanding.

Thats why I thought, I think it was someome trying to be clever & offensive at the same time. Or is that an oxymoron, or just the scribblings of a moron

 

[none2_none2]

I'm sorry but the comments on this thread don't make any sense to me. Gay is a much more polite term than other terms that people use.

1) Homosexual -- so clinical. I think most people don't use five syllable words unless they are lecturing, sanitizing uncomfortable topics, or wanting to impress you with their intellect.

2) Faggott, Fairy -- straight peoples' derogatory terms for us.

3) Queer, Fairie -- gay peoples' derogatory terms for each other. Somehow it is perceived that if we call each other by these labels they must be sweet and endearing. However, they are as disgusting now as they were when they were thrown at us 20, 30 or more years ago.

4) gay -- We've been using this term for a long time, and I don't know where the perception of negativity is coming from. Sure to some it has a negative connotation, but that is because "homo" [Greek for same] love & desire & sex is just too disgusting for the majority of people to deal with.

Personally, I think we could dispense with using labels period. Labels belong on consumer goods -- not people.

Finally, I don't know MyFriend27 personally. Nevertheless, I really think all these comments against MyFriend27 are rather infantile. Not everybody speaks/writes English fluently. So he struggles with English? Big deal. Should this forum be limited to people who are fluent? If you have problems with someone's language, then you should offer to help them instead of lashing out at them. I have co-workers from all over the world -- India, Brazil, Argentina, etc. When they have problems with the language, I will casually mention it to them and ask if they want help. Most of the time, they appreciate the help. I don't make some public comment about it because there is a difference between helping someone versus insulting them.

I'm not fluent in French as I only took four semesters of it in college -- 20 plus years ago. Still, I'm thankful that when I was in France most of the people appreciated that I at least tried to communicate in their language. (My experience was totally different than the stereotype I had heard about francophones: "Speak it fluently, or say nothing." In fact, a lady in the Eiffel Tower made a crepe for me though her shift had already ended because she was impressed. She was impressed not by my flawless French, but the fact that unlike a lot of tourists, I actually made the effort.

Disagree with MyFriend27 all you want, but it would be nice to leave off the condescending insults.

 

[Etoile]

Finally, I don't know MyFriend27 personally. Nevertheless, I really think all these comments against MyFriend27 are rather infantile. Not everybody speaks/writes English fluently. So he struggles with English? Big deal. Should this forum be limited to people who are fluent? If you have problems with someone's language, then you should offer to help them instead of lashing out at them. I have co-workers from all over the world -- India, Brazil, Argentina, etc. When they have problems with the language, I will casually mention it to them and ask if they want help. Most of the time, they appreciate the help. I don't make some public comment about it because there is a difference between helping someone versus insulting them.

Disagree with MyFriend27 all you want, but it would be nice to leave off the condescending insults.

There may indeed be a language issue. However, that is something I am extremely sensitive to, and very good at decoding - I'm an interpreter, it's my job to do that. And the feeling I get is that while MyFriend27 may not be fluent in English, he also appears to be homophobic and anti-trans. He insists that he is not, but then he says things that demonstrate otherwise. That doesn't mean he deserves to be insulted, no one does, but I do think this assessment of him is not far off the mark.

 

[Wolfman1982]

Etoile: can you decode me ?

 

[Etoile]

Etoile: can you decode me ?

I don't have to, most of the time you make sense!

 

[Wolfman1982]

I don't have to, most of the time you make sense!

yup, exactly and ok, I won´t go more off topic, than I already have done for today

 

[Tymeless]

generally wolfman you do make sense!

 

[Queersetti]

I'm sorry but the comments on this thread don't make any sense to me. Gay is a much more polite term than other terms that people use.

1) Homosexual -- so clinical. I think most people don't use five syllable words unless they are lecturing, sanitizing uncomfortable topics, or wanting to impress you with their intellect.

2) Faggott, Fairy -- straight peoples' derogatory terms for us.

3) Queer, Fairie -- gay peoples' derogatory terms for each other. Somehow it is perceived that if we call each other by these labels they must be sweet and endearing. However, they are as disgusting now as they were when they were thrown at us 20, 30 or more years ago.

4) gay -- We've been using this term for a long time, and I don't know where the perception of negativity is coming from. Sure to some it has a negative connotation, but that is because "homo" [Greek for same] love & desire & sex is just too disgusting for the majority of people to deal with.

Personally, I think we could dispense with using labels period. Labels belong on consumer goods -- not people.

Finally, I don't know MyFriend27 personally. Nevertheless, I really think all these comments against MyFriend27 are rather infantile. Not everybody speaks/writes English fluently. So he struggles with English? Big deal. Should this forum be limited to people who are fluent? If you have problems with someone's language, then you should offer to help them instead of lashing out at them. I have co-workers from all over the world -- India, Brazil, Argentina, etc. When they have problems with the language, I will casually mention it to them and ask if they want help. Most of the time, they appreciate the help. I don't make some public comment about it because there is a difference between helping someone versus insulting them.

I'm not fluent in French as I only took four semesters of it in college -- 20 plus years ago. Still, I'm thankful that when I was in France most of the people appreciated that I at least tried to communicate in their language. (My experience was totally different than the stereotype I had heard about francophones: "Speak it fluently, or say nothing." In fact, a lady in the Eiffel Tower made a crepe for me though her shift had already ended because she was impressed. She was impressed not by my flawless French, but the fact that unlike a lot of tourists, I actually made the effort.

Disagree with MyFriend27 all you want, but it would be nice to leave off the condescending insults.

I believe you may have misunderstood the original post. The discussion is no about the use of "gay" to mean homosexual, it is about the newer appropriation of the world by straight (and sadly, some gay) youth to mean "worthless" or "useless".

We may disagree about the use of words such as "queer" or "fairy", but there in contemporary society, there is no semantic construction in which using "gay" as a general derogatory is not insulting to homosexuals.