Americans Are So Homophobic

It is so FRUSTRATING to see people use the word gay now as a slang word. First it was used to describe the feelign of happiness, then for homosexuals, which is fine.

But when people use it as a synonym for stupid, THAT is when it has crossed the line. Because clearly, anyone who uses the word gay to dedscribe something they think is stupid, they are also makign the connection that gays are stupid.

A friend of mine is in class, and we are using newspapers for this project, and he keeps on looking at things and saying "that shirt is gay" or "he looks so GAY"

I got so frustrated that I shouted YOU ARE SO HOMOPHOBIC!

his response?

"NO, I'M JUST NOT GAY, I AM STRAIGHT!"

and then he went on to say that jew's are so open-minded and accepting and tolerant in a different conversation (and HE IS JEWISH.).

AGH!

 

I don't think that the usage of the word 'gay' is an indication of homophobia as such. Just like when people say 'fuck', they don't actually imply sexual intercourse. It's just a word. They aren't actually calling the things they don't like homosexual but use a slang word that just implies something bad. Whatever.

 

there are those who are truly afraid. i had a friend who would not let another woman hug her, as if it was some sort of sexual thing...she would shrink back away and let out this odd little scared sounding giggle if a girl went to hug her...even her best friend. and lord, when i came out as bi to her...oh lord....if i sat too close to her she would get this wide-eyed, frightened look on her face as if i was going to rape her. so yeah, homophobic people exist, and the term certainly makes sense for them . This same old friend of mine was also racist and would do those same kinds of things if a black boy, even one she'd known all her life, would come up and try to talk or hang out with her....again, as if he was going to rape her. She's grown since, and isn't racist, but as far as I know, still homophobic unfortunately.

I don't like people saying gay, meaning stupid, either. Besides, to me, it just sounds dumb.....meh, I heard it way too much in highschool.

 

Interesting title: "Americans Are So Homophobic." True enough, but be thankful you don't live in Saudi Arabia. The government executes gay people over there. Just yesterday, a gay couple was beheaded in a public square in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. Not only were their heads cut off, their genitals were also cut off.

-- Skeeter

 

HIppyopotomus-

uh, yeah, have you ever heard that majority of the time, it is NOT a persons choice to be gay- its more like, homophobes are those who dont agree with who a person is. And yeah, there ARE epopel who are CLEARLY afraid of gays, and either show it, or hide it by acting tough and macho.

ANd like I said, if people use gay and stupid interchangably, then they are clearly saying that stupid adn gay is the same thing, thus: Gay is stupid. So yeah, that is atleast implying that they are somewhat against homosexuals, or they themselves are just stupid, and dont have aproblem with gays, but by saying it in such terms pass on an intolerance of gays to the next person.

 

the difference between calling someone a homophobe and using derogatory terms on gay people is huge. when you call someone a homophobe it's usually in response to them doing something hateful toward gay people. to say something mean to a gay person is a CHOICE. the gay person did nothing wrong other than the fact that they are gay, which is clearly not a choice. that's another common misconception, we did not select this lifestyle for ourselves, you can't control what turns you on. there are many people who are afraid of homosexuals but unaware of the fact, therefore they chanel the fear into hate which makes the term homophobe quite fitting for not all, but many gay-bashers.

i haven't heard the term gay thrown around much lately, it was HUGE when i was in middle school and early high school though. it really irked me whenever i heard it, but i use the term 'retarded' sometimes, so i'm really no better in the eyes of the mentally disabled and their caretakers. it is among the most useless and hurtful overused terms but when i hear someone use it i tend to feel intellectually superior to them so there's some comfort in it.

 

The noun "homophobia" has 1 sense in WordNet.

1. homophobia -- (prejudice against (fear or dislike of) homosexual people and homosexuality)
________

It is not just a fear of, and homosexuality is not a choice.

Homophobic is intentionally a derogatory term. People who use the word "gay" in a derogatory fashion need to accept that it, too, is a derogatory term.
______

Would you prefer the term "heterosexist"? Or "bigot"?

 

You DO have some choice in regard to lifestyle, You DONT have choice regarding sexuality.

Sexual orientation IS NOT a lifestyle. Everyone, both hetero- and homosexuals have a sexual orientation, and they both occupy EVERY IMAGINABLE LIFESTYLE!

 

yeah i guess that was the wrong choice of words on my part, a lot of people around me lately have been referring to it as a lifestyle (my bible-thumping family mainly) so i just called it that out of habit. but i know, sexuality doesn't govern every aspects of my life. i guess lifestyle means you go to gay events and wear rainbows and shit, which i don't really do out of choice/habit. so uh yeah, in my last rant replace 'lifestyle' with 'sexuality' and it makes more sense.

 

This definition of homophobia is not accurate. Homophobia is actually an irrational fear that ONESELF may have homoerotic feelings, or fears being sexually abused by a person of his or her own gender.

Anti-gay extremists, such as the Rev. Fred Phelps and his "God Hates Fags" cult; right-wing commentator and former presidential candidate Alan Keyes; and discredited psychologist Paul Cameron, are utterly PARANOID about homosexuality -- and I suspect the reason for their paranoia is that they have a "lavender skeleton" (either themselves or someone close to them) in their closet.

Cameron was, in fact, "outed" by a Boston gay newspaper in 1999; Keyes' own daughter recently came out as a lesbian and the Phelps clan, I strongly suspect, is desperately covering up a secret about one of its own.

Bottom line: Homophobia is deeply personal. Those who are extremely insecure about their own sexuality or that of people close to them are most likely to be vehemently homophobic.

-- Skeeter

 

You are obviously in denial of reality.

Nobody in their right mind will consciously CHOOSE a lifestyle that they know would cause them tremendous grief.

Nobody would consciously CHOOSE to endure being branded "Faggot!" "Dyke!" "Sissy!" and other epithets.

Nobody would consciously CHOOSE to risk getting beaten up or worse by thugs spouting those epithets as they attack.

Nobody would consciously CHOOSE to be ostracized by clergy as an "abomination."

For you to insist that one's sexual orientation "is clearly a choice" is to be out of touch with reality -- especially when you KNOW you can't prove it. Sexual orientation is no more a "choice" than the color of our skin is.

-- Skeeter

 

Don't be absurd!

Incestuous persons do have little choice in their feelings. The glaring distinction: INCEST IS NOT CONSENSUAL!

 

dear Hippyopotomous,
please take the word hippy out of your name, you're giving us a bad reputation.

 

Heh. I LOVE how teachers will murder a kid who says the n-word, but ignore a kid who puts gay in a negative context. </sarcasm>

 

lol, good one

 

the term "homophobic" was no created by the gays...it is not dergoitory...afraid of homosexuality, it does make sense...why on earth would someone disagree with homosexuality if it didn't frighten them or confuse them (thus frightening them)...if you can give mean once instance of opposition to homosexuality absent of fear i will reconsider what i have said.

 

If this is so, then you are right, it does blow a hole in my argument. I just did a research paper that discussed pros/cons of gay marriage, and included in depth comparisons to incest & polygamay, because that is almost always where the gay marriage debate leads to.

In my research, I did not come accross one event of consensual incest. It could be possible, though, I don't know. . .

From my research, incest typically involves a very dominant partner, paired with a very weak minded, maybe even mentally/emotionally handicapped individual, or two weak minded, handicapped individuals.

An incestuous relationship, however, is MUCH more dangerous to family structure & values than a gay marriage.

 

Incest= Love between two people in a family

Gay= Love between two men or women.

One involves a gender, one involves relations. You can not choose what you are attracted to. I am bi, and I lean more towards guys, and I have always tried not to be attracted, but it doesnt work. I've done that all my life. I can't change it, face it, if I could, I probably would have.

And a gay relationship doesn't involve pressure on the other to give his or her consent. Like PhotoGra said, reserach shows that incest involves a dominant being, versus a weak minded person, etc etc.

There is cleraly a difference, it is just hippyopotomuss's (sorry for spelling, hehe) sick, horrible excuse for his blindness.

 

It is much more savage and complex than this, though. . .

 

i would like to say that people are not homophobic when they describe something as gay, but it the theory behind it that makes it bad. sure people might use the word a lot and might not be homophobic, but why use gay. it is being used in a negative way, and it kind of shines a negative light on homosexuals. i try not to use it anymore.