Thats soooo gay

[Kacey]

Several years ago, my reading class read "The Secret Garden", which was written in 1911, when gay meant "happy and carefree" - which is how the word is used in the novel. I gave my students this definition before we started reading... and had to show them a dictionary to prove it, as they thought I was kidding. Every time we reached the word "gay" in the text, I had to ask "now, do they mean that Mary (the main character) has a girlfriend?" - because if I didn't, they'd start snickering amongst themselves. On the other hand, by the end of the book, they had a much better understanding of alternative definitions and how words changed over time, and started bringing in words that their parents used differently than they did and asking about them.

The key, as a teacher, is to use such moments to teach, not preach, and not to blow such situations out of proportion, as seems to have happened here - especially when the students' interpretation is different than your own, a valuable lesson for them to learn.

 

[MA-Caver]

Several years ago, my reading class read "The Secret Garden", which was written in 1911, when gay meant "happy and carefree" - which is how the word is used in the novel. I gave my students this definition before we started reading... and had to show them a dictionary to prove it, as they thought I was kidding. Every time we reached the word "gay" in the text, I had to ask "now, do they mean that Mary (the main character) has a girlfriend?" - because if I didn't, they'd start snickering amongst themselves. On the other hand, by the end of the book, they had a much better understanding of alternative definitions and how words changed over time, and started bringing in words that their parents used differently than they did and asking about them.

The key, as a teacher, is to use such moments to teach, not preach, and not to blow such situations out of proportion, as seems to have happened here - especially when the students' interpretation is different than your own, a valuable lesson for them to learn.

:asian: in a big way m'lady. Brilliant!

 

[Ceicei]

I love the final paragraph of the article:

"Reasonable people should say, `Let's put a stop to this kind of search-and-destroy mission by school officials for everything that is politically incorrect,'" he said.

Yes, zero tolerance needs to be booted. Reason and common sense needs to be brought back.

- Ceicei

 

[MA-Caver]

I love the final paragraph of the article:



Yes, zero tolerance needs to be booted. Reason and common sense needs to be brought back.

- Ceicei

Absolutely agree here... sooo, who's gonna start doing it??

 

[Ceicei]

Absolutely agree here... sooo, who's gonna start doing it??

How can we, as a society, do this? I suppose each of us should make a stand within our community, and hopefully with time, collectively, be able to eradicate this. Problem is, there are a lot of people out there, that will say all of this (retaining the politically incorrect view) is necessary and should stay, claiming "think of the children". We need less government to regulate, not more. If more people can define (rather than government) what is acceptable and what is not, and resolve on a case by case situation, life would be much better.

- Ceicei

 

[bydand]

Yes, zero tolerance needs to be booted. Reason and common sense needs to be brought back.

- Ceicei

New war cry: "Zero Tolerance for zero tolerance!"

Worst part is, I can see people thinking it makes perfect sense and pushing for a new written policy somewhere spelling it out.

 

[Cryozombie]

The problem with this kind of stuff IMO, is that Groups like the Homosexuals accept the terminology applied to them like GAY or QUEER, and then think anyone using it in any other context is slamming them.

GAY does NOT mean homosexual. At least... it didn't before it was co-opted.

QUEER does NOT mean homosexual. At least... it didn't before it was co-opted.

This doesn't by the way, only occur with Homosexuals, it occurs with various races, groups, etc...

Can any group just co-opt a term, and then its offensive when someone else uses it?


​

 

[bydand]

The problem with this kind of stuff IMO, is that Groups like the Homosexuals accept the terminology applied to them like GAY or QUEER, and then think anyone using it in any other context is slamming them.

GAY does NOT mean homosexual. At least... it didn't before it was co-opted.

QUEER does NOT mean homosexual. At least... it didn't before it was co-opted.

Can any group just co-opt a term, and then its offensive when someone else uses it?


​

As a straight white male I vote as a group we adopt the term "Mileage" to refer to ourselves and then whenever somebody other than a straight white male makes the statement "your milage may vary" or any other type of usage, we sue them for damages to our fragile egos. :lfao:

 

[MA-Caver]

How can we, as a society, do this? I suppose each of us should make a stand within our community, and hopefully with time, collectively, be able to eradicate this. Problem is, there are a lot of people out there, that will say all of this (retaining the politically incorrect view) is necessary and should stay, claiming "think of the children". We need less government to regulate, not more. If more people can define (rather than government) what is acceptable and what is not, and resolve on a case by case situation, life would be much better.

- Ceicei

Well yeah true... in an ideal world... but since it's not (nods to the ones whining about word definitions and suing everyone that even THINKS of the word in a bad context...) it probably will (and should) begin where it always has mattered.... in the home. At least the next generation will be a little more tolerant and the ones after that and so on...

I work in a place where there is a nice racial diversity. Compared to 20 + years ago there's no racial tension at all that I can see/sense ... maybe we ARE growing up. A couple of my managers are "G" (don't want to offend anyone here) but it's not ever mentioned or whatever... is it because it's not PC or not even appropriate... or how about... it doesn't even fricken MATTER! We all get along and do our jobs and go on with our lives during our respective days off.

Our societies... across the world have still got a long way to go.

 

[tellner]

Looking a little deeper, I find English and French references to "gay" back at least to the seventeenth century used interchangably for prostitutes and male and female homosexuals. It's not the original meaning of the word, but it certainly has a long pre-Stonewall history.

 

[Empty Hands]

GAY does NOT mean homosexual. At least... it didn't before it was co-opted.

QUEER does NOT mean homosexual. At least... it didn't before it was co-opted.​

Both those terms were used as insults prior to being co-opted for use in the "in" group. Homophobes changed the meaning of "gay" and "queer", not the gays and queers.

Can any group just co-opt a term, and then its offensive when someone else uses it?

If the term was previously used as an insult against that group, why the hell not? You're not going to be one of those obnoxious (presumably) white people who whines how they don't get to call people "******s" anymore, are you?
​

 

[Ping898]

I just remember that Brendan Fraiser movie Blast from the Past wherehe is underground in a fallout shelter for like 30 years then comes out to the real world and one of the other characters tells Brendan he is gay and Brendan replies that he is glad the other character is happy...

I am also reminded of the NFL policy of not allowing GAY to be put on the custom NFL jerseys even though there actually was a player with the last name GAY. Eventually after a lot of complaints (apparently GAY was a good player) they changed the policy...

 

[Xue Sheng]

That's so gay.

Sorry but a bizarre double post thing just occurred, please pretend this post does not exist and just move on to the next one

Move along..there is nothing to see here

 

[Xue Sheng]

That's so gay.

I would sue you for that but then I would have to spend the rest of my life watching cats very very closely... so I won't

 

[Cryozombie]

Both those terms were used as insults prior to being co-opted for use in the "in" group. Homophobes changed the meaning of "gay" and "queer", not the gays and queers.

This may be the case, but If I say to somone who is happy, "My you are quite Gay today" or to the English girl who trains with us "lemme have a pull of your fag" should I be punshied for "hating homosexuals?" There is a line, between using a word, and using "Hate Speech" and the WORD doesn't dertermine it, unless that word was specifically developed to be hateful.

If the term was previously used as an insult against that group, why the hell not? You're not going to be one of those obnoxious (presumably) white people who whines how they don't get to call people "ni gg ers" anymore, are you?
[/left]

Are you presuming I am obnoxious, or white?

 

[Andy Moynihan]

I would sue you for that but then I would have to spend the rest of my life watching cats very very closely... so I won't

Buttons....END HIM.

 

[Carol]

Buttons....END HIM.

Hey now, he said he would NOT sue. Keep Buttons standing guard

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Hey now, he said he would NOT sue. Keep Buttons standing guard

Oh fine.

Buttons, stand down and keep to THREATCON Charlie, maintain patrol of sector 18 Bravo.

 

[Carol]

Oh fine.

Buttons, stand down and keep to THREATCON Charlie, maintain patrol of sector 18 Bravo.

Is that the sector with the most amount of trees? :rofl:

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Is that the sector with the most amount of trees? :rofl:

That's classified