Term "Thta's so Gay" derogatory?

Question

Wondering your thoughts about the term. Child is suing because she was made fun of for using it, scetchy but I was wondering what u thought of this term

Answer 1

Welllll...I have used that term before, as a lot of people have. When I say it I really don't think of it in a sense of a heterosexual, I think of it in a way of something being stupid, it i just like when people say the word retarded. I know it can hurt people's feelings, but anyone it is said to to prove the point that something is stupid should know it wasn't meant to make fun of anyone who has a disability. Yes, maybe these terms shouldn't be used so freely, but then again, how many cuss words are there? If someone sued everytime they got offended by a word, then the whole world would be in court! :P

Also I read above about not having a vocabulary or that it is gay bashing...well I don't have a thing in the world against gay people, and I can say words that no one has even heard of. It doesn't mean those things, and the fact that it is said, shows that people do misinterpret the meaning of alot of things....to clear it up, I'm sure I'm still going to say it, and people are still going say bad things about races, and sexes, and everything else, so consider me immature for saying it, and consider anyone who takes offense immature for wasting time on a lost cause.

Answer 2

Yes it's derogatory by the historical usage of it and known consequences.

We all have minds and are able - as well as do - think before we speak. If someone is offended, it's time to stop doing the thing that offends, it's that simple. It doesn't hold that because someone or other is gay and isn't offended, that this then means that it's ok to use. Just as racist, anti-disabled comments etc. are potentially likely to offend, then so should they not be used likewise.

The argument 'it just comes out of my mouth' never held in law, we're still fully in control of ourselves and our bahaviour. I'm not politically correct, just mindful of others and offer my respect to them.

Don't know the case, so can't comment on that.

Good luck! Rob

Answer 3

I am gay and don't find it particularly derogatory - but then it is usually only children that use such a silly phrase anyway.

As for the poster who commented that the word gay was being hi-jacked again, at the risk of spoiling his whole day:-

The ORIGINAL use of the word Gay is ancient - ancient Greece in fact and was the term given to the homosexual men who tended to wear extremely bright / gaudy clothing at the time - especially when attending court etc (not the legal type).

A "gay man" was a brightly clad homosexual fellow - that is the ORIGINAL use of the word "Gay"

The term "gay" was then hi-jacked in MUCH more recent times to mean ANYTHING that was bright / cheery.

Mark

Answer 4

It is derogatory. It's a form of gay bashing. By saying that something is "so gay" people are both indicating that gays are bad and that whatever they call "so gay" is really uncool like the gays themselves (in the eyes of the person who uses the term). It's kind of like a double insult.

Answer 5

Let me see if I can understand this ... a "child" is suing because someone made fun of her for using the phrase "That's so gay". If anything sounds messed up, this is it. The child cannot sue because the child is not of legal age, so it must be the parents are suing because THEY are messed up.

I do not understand how people can stoop to magnify such utter trivialities into massive proportions, and i hope the court throws them out on their butts for making a big deal out of nothing. Making fun of someone seems hardly grounds for suing anybody. They should get a life.

Anyone who says this is 'gay bashing' is out of their minds. 'Gay bashing would be smashing someone over the head with a baseball bat, in which case it would be assault. Simply saying 'that's so gay' is just words that mean nothing really and anyone who thinks they can make something out of it is a hypocritical PC idiot.

Answer 6

It's very derogatory since when the term is used, it's used as a slur

Answer 7

I do think it's derogatory, but I'm waiting for the next bunch of slang to come about, which should be a couple years to replace this one.

But every time I hear it, it cuts, like a knife.

Answer 8

i have always said that you are so gay now i take responsibility and know that you simply cannot say things like that. at the time i didn't know that i was being rude but i was watching Rosie O'Donnell on the view and she clearly took offense to it so from that day i stopped saying it knowing that it did indeed offend people. which if i had known before i would not have said it. please know that education gets you everywhere and you are very wise to ask such a question. thank you

Answer 9

I have four kids and two of them say that, they have picked it up from some other stupid a*s kids, I keep telling them over and over not to say it, that saying it is like saying all of the other racist words, and that being Gay/Lesbian is not wrong, you like who you like, but they still wont stop, I think it is wrong, if anyone has any suggestions on how to get my kids to chill with it, will you let me know! I keep reminding them that they have a lesbian cousin and a gay uncle whom is not living anymore, but to think about how they feel when someone call's them names and so on.

Answer 10

the to person who think that bashing is a baseball bat to the head of gay person:

Gay bashing is an expression used to designate verbal confrontation with, denigration of, or physical violence against people thought to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) because of their apparent sexual orientation or gender identity.

So please don't say that this isn't gay bashing. It's a verbal issuance that denigrates gay people, as it is used only to describe things that are stupid, silly, etc.