. Sorry I can't let it slide, I am still wondering if I am the only person who finds this insulting. post #36 from Do you have a gay lisp? . Is it okay to insult "flamin" homos? as if they are somehow a lower caste than "regular" homos? Therefore, if we just get rid of all the flamin homos than we might actually like homos? Wait, except for the uppity homos, we have to get rid of them too. And the homos who what to get married and the homos who want to be priests and the homos who want to teach school and the homos who want to hold hands under the blankets. . . Where do you draw the line? After I raised an objection, that post was followed by post #40 at 02:05 PM. Let me see if I fully understand the subtle sarcasm here. If you insult "white trash honky assholes", (who ever that may be), because they do it on South Park which is written by two gay men; then it's okay to insult homos? Also see an answer to the question of Homosexuality and Overpopulation , post #11: Please allow me to educate. The word "homo" is a slur. So are the words "fag" and "dyke". They are insulting. They're used when you mean to insult someone. If you don't want to offend then don't call me a homo or a fag or a dyke. It also doesn't help when you use phrases that sound like they were plucked from a white supremacist's hand bill, (namely: They also say "geez", "fabulous", and "silly goose" a lot also.) But on quick reflection post #41 came at 02:08 PM I appriciate that you have dropped the slurs. And setting your homophobia aside, your last remark at least seems to pose an opinion, and shows that you can muster empathy when you want to. Stick around the gay forum and you may learn something about the diversity within the gay community. Some of us even talk like gang bangers. .
it was quite insulting...then there are a lot of posts in this gay forum that are insulting and often not made by gay men
Yes, stereotypes are insulting. Part of the problem with gay stereotypes is that so many people think they don't know any gay people because they've never met anyone who matches their stereotypes. There are gay men who camp it up and carry on as a joke among gay friends; I've seen it and heard it. There are gay men who are a bit soft and nelly and "un-butch." That is just who they are and it's very natural for them. For better or worse, we don't all agree about what is and what is not a slur. I don't like the words "fag" and "queer," but there are gay people in my town who use these words proudly. In fact, they will accuse you of "self-internalized homophobia" if you object to these words. Hipunk, I have to admit that I am a little confused by your post. You believe that the word "gay" is a slur, but you use it yourself toward the end of your very own post. I use the word "gay" as an adjective to refer to myself and to other men who love men. "Homo" is just a bit too middle school for me, and the word "homosexual" sounds a bit too clinical. Is there another word that you would rather that we use?
As a hetro male, I always use Gay. Am I being offensive? Is there a preferred term. The subject does not come up a lot but it is what I have always taught my kids and grandkids. Therefore, any correction would be a favor.
Ok, Yes Even Ppl Like Us Who R Gay And Proud Use Insulting Words Among Ourselves To Joke, Tease, Or Just To Do It. I, 2, Do Not Care For Names Other Then My Own ..or Stereo Types. Please, We R All Of 1 Race..........the Human Race. Cant We Just Say...there Are Ppl Who R Different And Just Respect Their Differences. After All Its Our Differences, That Make Us All Unique!!.
. I didn't, and don't object to the use of the term gay. I certainly didn't mean to imply it's a slur. Back in the seventies I, and others, wrote the local news agencies and protested to have the terminology they used changed from the clinical (and base) term Homosexual, a term that inadequately defines my love, to the preferred term of the budding movement: Gay. Our efforts paid off. Oops, Now I see it; there's a typo: If you note the quote from Inagodadavita, you'll see that he used the word fag, which I meant to reference in my comment. I've just corrected my response. It now reads : The word "homo" is a slur. So are the words "fag" and "dyke". Please forgive my mistake and the confusion it caused. I hope this doesn't change my original question: Am I the only one who finds it insulting? .
I understand why you could take this comments as offensive. I think they were very rude, and uncalled for, but it's a free speech forum. Obviously this person should know better than using these words in a gay forum, but I wasn't hurt by his words. He just made his ignorance apparant to the rest of us.
I really don't like the words "fag" and "dyke." Under cetain circumstances I'll put up with "homo." For example, if a good gay friend uses it in jest, it doesn't bother me. However, if context makes it clear that someone is being homophobic, I wouldn't like it. It's just a word I haven't heard in ages.
I knew a woman once who, when asked, would inform you that she was "a dyke and proud of it!", but I know the term is generally pretty offensive. It's all about personal perspective, so somebody's likely to be offended no matter how carefully you word things, but I like to offend as few people as possible. So, let me see if I've got this straight (pardon the pun): Gay is good, homosexual is mediocre, homo is bad. Right? Is lesbian okay, or should I just use gay? Not trying to be a smartass, it's just that I always have trouble finding the right thing to say so I don't insult someone. I always thought that using homosexual was pretty safely neutral, but it seems I may have been wrong.
. In many cases it is perspective and choice. Queer, is now a movement just as Gay was. And you do see Dykes on Bikes banners in Gay Pride Parades. You decide for yourself how you want to be addressed (that's Mr. Homo, to you.) And most people are respectful of your wishes. But, intention is more of the key to what I was objecting to. I mean, you can use the word "Lady" in a very derogatory way. "Move your fat ass, lady!" The context has a lot to do with it. For the most part I am not that easily offended, however the posts I listed above seemed to have no purpose other than to bait and divide us. "Move your fat ass, homo!" Homo is to fag as Blackie is to ******. No it isn't as heavy, it isn't as offensive -but there is never a question that it's a slur. Homosexual is a clinical term. It describes a sex act. A sex act between two people (or animals) of the same gender. You can be Heterosexual and still have a Homosexual relationship or perform homosexual sex. Gay is a term that describes a sexual orientation, it informs you of who I am romantically attracted to. If you're describing sex, or sexual activity, Homosexual is a perfectly respectable word to use. If you're describing the commitment ceremony between myself and my future husband, please refer to it as a gay wedding. I'm not lesbian, so I can't speak for my gay sisters. Some believe that Lesbian is as clinical a word as Homosexual, and agree that it inadequately describes their relationships. They may refer to themselves as dykes or gay women. Others question whether the word Lesbian has a clinical sexual connotation at all. The term originates from Sappho, the lyric poet of Lesbos who wrote beautiful love poems to women. .
