Campaign against "That's So Gay" takes a hypocritical turn

[Jean-Luc]

http://kotaku.com/5336182/campaign-against-thats-so-gay

While I understand the purpose of this campaign, I don't think the methods they are using to persuade people are right. What they are essentially doing are combating insults with insults, based upon what I find to be misinformation. When I hear the phrase "That's so gay," I have never, not even once felt that the person was referring to a homosexual in a derogatory manner.

The issue here is that English is a living language, whereby words change definition over time as the use of the word changes. My problem with campaigns such as this is that they are looking for a problem in a common phrase that has become accepted as purely an expression of distaste. By deeming the word "gay" to mean only "homosexual," this campaign is locking the definition of the word, and preventing advancement, while they themselves are looking for the advancement of the people they feel are offended.

Those are my thoughts, feel free to discuss.

[klange]

That's so gay...




Oh, please don't tell me you didn't see that coming.

[hobojoe]

^

Win

[Jean-Luc]

Corny, but I definitely saw it coming.

[kid908]

That's so gay...HOMO




Oh, please don't tell me you didn't see that coming.


Ftfy

[Syuusuke]

That's retarded

That's the next thing they'll start attacking when there's enough retarded people-

...wait.

[kid908]

That's retarded

That's the next thing they'll start attacking when there's enough retarded people-

...wait.


I would like to add that there IS a campaign against the use of "That's Retarded" as well. My sister's school tried to be part of it. It fail.

[flibitijibibo]

First off: gay =/= homosexual 100% of the time.

Second: I don't quite see the insult in that particular ad.

Third: For people who are trying to make society better, they sure are approaching it in a negative way. There have been multiple campaigns for this crap, and they have yet to offer alternative words. You know why? Because all of the words tend to "attack" others. Stupid, retarded, gay, etc. Look, nowadays, people barely even use those words to describe those people anymore. In fact, wasn't gay basically used as a softer word for homosexual when this suddenly became such an issue? Beh, political correctness is confusing.

Actually, now that I think about it, there are other words too. If someone tries to correct me with this campaign, I'll just say, "fine. Man, that's really fucking shitty." See if they like that any better.

If you happen to be easily offended or are unable to read things carefully, do not click the spoiler.
In my opinion, certain groups and races have taken halves of each term, which may have originally been intended for a single group of people. /b/'s favorite happens to be the difference between "black person" and "nigger". In this case, it's "homosexual" and "gay". People have a lot of trouble separating the two, and I finally think I got it: The difference between the characteristic, the former, and the slur/soft word, the latter, is that the latter uses the characteristic as either a crutch or something that outranks things like thinking.

Here's an example. Everyone knows and loves Teekup, right? He's awesome, and is very well spoken and talented. We know about his sexual orientation, but was it a necessity? Of course not. Teekup is the former group, and he kicks ass for this.

Now, the latter category is something most of us have had to deal with. Whether you have any prejudice against homosexuals or not, you have probably seen a guy walking by, with the most frilliest of things, rainbow buttons on his shirt/bag and all. And if one were to be introduced to this person, the first (and possibly only) "interesting" thing the guy can say about himself is that he's gay. As if sexual orientation is REALLY that important. Like, people say as an icebreaker, "yeah, I'm straight. You?" This guy tends to be completely uninteresting, and has made it rightfully so to say phrases like "that's gay," because he decided to fuck it up for those who know better than to publicize their sex lives.

[Jean-Luc]

Second: I don't quite see the insult in that particular ad.
It's not a huge insult, it's just a bad way of going about things. "That's so gay," (which is being viewed as a generalization of all homosexuals), is being equated with generalizing that all gamers are people who have more video games than friends.

K, so it's not an insult. It's just piss-poor advertising -_-

[n00b1n8R]

I never say "That's so male person who takes it up the ass" and if somebody went "that's so gamer" I'd just :raise: at them.

IT'S A WORD
IT'S PART OF THE LANGUAGE
DEAL WITH IT

[Cojafoji]

the three gay people i know don't give a shit what you say, and one of them is a gay black jew.

talk about fucking insane.

[ThePlague]

It's one of my favorite words though :gonk:

[Bodzilla]

by pointing this shit out and getting your knickers in a twist nothing gets better tbh.
It's when people dgaf that it stops being derogatory.

we had this aboriginal dude come and give a speech at school one day and he was talking about how people called him black.
"your right, i am black. What keen eyes you have good sir"

and that was it.

[NuggetWarmer]

I don't really mind when people say it, but I try to steer away from saying "that's so gay" because I know people who do get offended if someone says that.

[Bodzilla]

tell them to get a mug-a-chino of harden the fuck up.

i swear to god it's like people TRY to be angry and upset over trivial shit these days.
take the copper pipe outta ya ass and maybe breathe once in a while without smelling your own farts.

[Jean-Luc]

tell them to get a mug-a-chino of harden the fuck up.
Kinda makes me think...Whatever happened to the old phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

[PlasbianX]

My CAD teacher always told us never to say 'thats gay'. We had to say 'thats so heterosexually challenged' :X

[Jean-Luc]

Please tell me you're joking :smith:

[Syuusuke]

That's a horrible politically correct phrase.

[TVTyrant]

Im going to start saying 'thats so fucking cuntish' to get them even more angry.

[Aerowyn]

Well, I just hope they know that I am a gamer and I definitely make more friends BECAUSE I play video games.

[Cojafoji]

Do what you like. Don't let society pressure you into changing your vocabulary, as being politically correct is gay.

Also, who doesn't love to rock the social taboo's? They're the best words to say. In fact, just last night I got into a hilarious argument with someone who called me a racist for saying "sup nigga" to a friend of mine in a private conversation. I laughed at him, laughed some more, and then told him that I didn't care what he thought. He got huffy and stormed away. If someone cares enough about it, tell them that they're free to ignore you, or tell them to give a .45 a sloppy blow job.

[PopeAK49]

I think the whole campaign is kind of pointless. Whatever happened to sticks and stones will break my bones but words won't? :downs:.

[Pooky]

That's so happy.

I mean gay.

Look at these guys, getting all butt hurt :*(

[Alwin Roth]

Oh wow...
anyone heard of "Iron my Shirt BItch?"

[Jean-Luc]

Kinda makes me think...Whatever happened to the old phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."


I think the whole campaign is kind of pointless. Whatever happened to sticks and stones will break my bones but words won't? :downs:.


Don't copy mah posts :maddowns:

[Heathen]

Campaigning against words?

Rofl.

What is their goal? Get it illegalized?

Are they retarded? That's so gay.

[PopeAK49]

Don't copy mah posts :maddowns:

Oshi. I didn't even see your post! Seems like our minds think the same. :realsmug:

Whatever happened to freedom of speech. :iamafag:

[Varmint260]

i swear to god it's like people TRY to be angry and upset over trivial shit these days.

From my experience, I'd say you're bang on the truth.

[SnaFuBAR]

That's so happy.

I mean gay.

Look at these guys, getting all butt hurt :*(

I SEE WHAT YOU DID RIGHT THERE, POOKY.:ohdear: And you know what? THAT'S SO GAY. (merry, lively, bright/showy, given to or abounding in social or other pleasures :raise:, licentious; dissipated; wanton, ex: The baron is a gay old rogue with an eye for the ladies.)

oh sweet you can be gay and love women! wait, what? see what happens when you subscribe to this campaign's close-minded ideal?

[Con]

The issue here is that English is a living language, whereby words change definition over time as the use of the word changes.
This.
When people say "that's gay" they don't mean it in a derogatory way. I think it started that way, but it's too far established now and the meaning is lost. It's just another way of saying something that we've been saying forever. Anyone offended by the saying just doesn't understand how our language works.

[Varmint260]

The meaning of a word or phrase gets changed by popular usage. I like George Carlin's take on that one: "FUCK popular usage!"

But seriously, I do understand that the language will morph and mutate through the decades, but it does annoy me when popular usage changes the meaning of a word or phrase because someone's an idiot or plain ignorant to the point of being an idiot.

[Heathen]

by pointing this shit out and getting your knickers in a twist nothing gets better tbh.
It's when people dgaf that it stops being derogatory.

we had this aboriginal dude come and give a speech at school one day and he was talking about how people called him black.
"your right, i am black. What keen eyes you have good sir"

and that was it.
I mean idgi. How is black an insult?

At my school I got shot a dirty look by an old white teacher because she asked me which kid I was talking about and I said "the black one." I mean shit, what better distinguishing adjective is there? "The one with the short, curly dark hair and dark brown eyes...you know, the one with the uh....uniform shirt on....uhhh..."

He is BLACK.

[Alwin Roth]

This thread is so gay.

[Bodzilla]

I mean idgi. How is black an insult?

At my school I got shot a dirty look by an old white teacher because she asked me which kid I was talking about and I said "the black one." I mean shit, what better distinguishing adjective is there? "The one with the short, curly dark hair and dark brown eyes...you know, the one with the uh....uniform shirt on....uhhh..."

He is BLACK.
bingo.


And no black isnt an insult, it's a description :D
but so is saying thats gay.

"the item or thing you are referring to good sir does not sate ones appetite" *fart sniff*

[Heathen]

I mean really, if anything, if its not being used derogatorily, they should just get over it and be adults.

[rossmum]

People should grow the fuck up and stop crying over words.

Deliberately malicious statements, maybe. Individual words? Fuck off.

[Cojafoji]

really guys, this is a moot (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=define%3Amoot&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10) point. words don't change over time. this will always be offensive!

oh wait.