Use of "gay" on this board

[bossfan2]

Hi everyone--
I have a question, which I'm sure will rile up the less-than-friendly folks on this board, but I am truly curious.  I might be out of the loop because I'm older than the traditional law student.

When people say stuff like "stop being gay" on these message boards, do they mean:
a) stop being dumb (or something similar), as I've heard "gay" no longer necessarily means homosexual in this context, or
b) stop being homosexual, as if the person said something stupid because s/he is actually gay and must therefore be stupid?

Although some statements I've read on this board are clearly meant to be anti-gay, it seems like the above one might not actually be intended to be anti-gay.  I want to know if I should think the person who wrote that (or something like it) is a homophobic idiot or not.

Relatedly, why are there so many homophobic statements made on this board?  Are law students as a group more homophobic than others, or are secretly gay-curious law students more likely than other groups to try to cover it up by gay-bashing?

Thanks!

[jacy85]

Hi everyone--
I have a question, which I'm sure will rile up the less-than-friendly folks on this board, but I am truly curious.  I might be out of the loop because I'm older than the traditional law student.

When people say stuff like "stop being gay" on these message boards, do they mean:
a) stop being dumb (or something similar), as I've heard "gay" no longer necessarily means homosexual in this context, or
b) stop being homosexual, as if the person said something stupid because s/he is actually gay and must therefore be stupid?

Although some statements I've read on this board are clearly meant to be anti-gay, it seems like the above one might not actually be intended to be anti-gay.  I want to know if I should think the person who wrote that (or something like it) is a homophobic idiot or not.

Relatedly, why are there so many homophobic statements made on this board?  Are law students as a group more homophobic than others, or are secretly gay-curious law students more likely than other groups to try to cover it up by gay-bashing?

Thanks!

I have no idea exactly why people use "gay" like that; the whole origin of the insult was obviously your option 2.  I highly doubt that the use of the word "gay" has changed at all, so I'm not sure where you're hearing that.

AS for the homophobic statements, ignore 99% of them.  A huge number of the posts on this board were made by trolls coming over from xoxohth.com, but that seems to have died down a bit lately.  Those people make those posts for the purpose of being inflammatory, although I don't doubt that some of them are just as racist and bigoted as they seem.

[clee750]

This post is gay.

Some people think that it is stupid to be gay.
Therefore "gay" became another word for "stupid" or "dumb"
You can use "gay" to mean "dumb" without thinking that it is dumb to be gay.
Or you can use it that way because you think it is dumb to be gay.

Either way, stop being gay.

[Guinness]

This post is gay.

Some people think that it is stupid to be gay.
Therefore "gay" became another word for "stupid" or "dumb"
You can use "gay" to mean "dumb" without thinking that it is dumb to be gay.
Or you can use it that way because you think it is dumb to be gay.

Either way, stop being gay.

slow clap for the biggot

It's offensive either way. You shouldn't connote something that you find negative, annoying, repulsive etc.. with being gay and that is exactly what you do when you substitute the word "gay" for one of those terms.

If you can't see how that's problematic ....think about how offensive it would be if instead you wrote/said

"Ew, that's so black"
"Stop being Jewish"
"You're so Asian"

..because "some people think it's stupid to be black, Jewish or Asian"

It's just unnecessary.

[clee750]

Yeah, I use those also. If someone is being cheap, you can say stop being jewish. Each race and lifestyle choice has their stereotypes. It is ok to say something in a joking manner and not really mean it. Lets all just stop being offended at everything. If you dont agree with being gay you should be able to say so. Everyone is so uptight. Relax and get over yourself. Now if someone is honestly racist I have a problem with that. Just learn to laugh at yourself and the funny parts of your culture.

[Guinness]

Yeah, I use those also. If someone is being cheap, you can say stop being jewish. Each race and lifestyle choice has their stereotypes. It is ok to say something in a joking manner and not really mean it. Lets all just stop being offended at everything. If you dont agree with being gay you should be able to say so. Everyone is so uptight. Relax and get over yourself. Now if someone is honestly racist I have a problem with that. Just learn to laugh at yourself and the funny parts of your culture.

The "funny parts" of the gay culture are not "being stupid"

Just like if you think blacks are an inferior race it's ok to say that, right? While you may think it's "ok" to say being gay is stupid, that still doesn't mean it's not an offensive statement.

And most people who use the term gay as synonymous with stupid, annoying etc... don't really believe "being gay is stupid." When it's pointed out to them, however, that they are connoting being gay with being stupd, they usually recognize how and are more concious not to use the word "gay" in that way.

[james]

Yeah, I use those also. If someone is being cheap, you can say stop being jewish. Each race and lifestyle choice has their stereotypes. It is ok to say something in a joking manner and not really mean it. Lets all just stop being offended at everything. If you dont agree with being gay you should be able to say so. Everyone is so uptight. Relax and get over yourself. Now if someone is honestly racist I have a problem with that. Just learn to laugh at yourself and the funny parts of your culture.

LOL!!! Thank you. Please post more often (This thread has great potential).

[clee750]

Like I said if someone is racist I have a problem with that. If they are just making a joke about one aspect of the culture then learn to laugh about it. Yes it is offensive to say certain things but it is only offensive if someone is offended. Everyone is so afraid of hurting someones feelings. People need to learn not to be offended about the little things. There are some racial statements that should never be made but there are others that are just funny and should be taken that way. Learn to laugh at yourself. There is so must racial tension around because people take themselves so seriously. Black culture has funny aspects, white culture has funny aspects. However it is not ok to make fun of someone for being white or black because we do not choose to be white or black.

However we do choose to be gay or straight so it is ok to make fun of someone for being gay. If you want to be gay thats fine it is your choice, but it is also my choice to say that I think it is stupid. We say that someone has the right to be gay, well do we not also have the right to make fun of someone for being gay. I mean if someone chooses to be a child molester then I am gonna make fun of them and say that they are wrong and awful. If someone chooses to have sex with animals I am definitely going to make fun of them. And if some dude chooses to throw it in some guys back door, he has that right but I have the right to say that is sick and that being gay is stupid.

Lets celebrate our freedom. The freedom to do a dude and the freedom to make fun of him. Lets all stop being so "gay".

[Budlaw]

Stop being such a fag about this.

Lighten up. What are you? A woman?

In all seriousness, everyone needs to stop being so PC. This is a message board. If you are offended by a comment, then you're not just gay, but you're pathetic. I'd also advise you to seriously consider a profession other than the law.  (and by the way..."stop being gay" generally means "stop being stupid/dumb")

In any event, ever heard of a little something I like to call the 1st Amendment?

[james]

Stop being such a fag about this.

Lighten up. What are you? A woman?

In all seriousness, everyone needs to stop being so PC. This is a message board. If you are offended by a comment, then you're not just gay, but you're pathetic. I'd also advise you to seriously consider a profession other than the law.  (and by the way..."stop being gay" generally means "stop being stupid/dumb")

In any event, ever heard of a little something I like to call the 1st Amendment?

Excellent work. Well done.