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Reclaiming the "F" word

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Beware Of You, Jul 21, 2013.

  1. Beware Of You

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    One thing I have noticed is that a number of LGBT people are using the word fag to talk about themselves, Dublin has a LGBT night called FAG now. It kinda like how black people have been reclaiming the N word .

    I am not sure if I like it, probably because it also means cigarette over here which will probably confuse people
     
  2. George

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    I don't see anything wrong with it. I think it's great that the word "queer" has been reclaimed, and I see nothing wrong with "fag." Reclaiming these words sends a message to the homophobic bigots that we aren't hurt by them. It takes away their ammo and leaves them with not much left to attack us with. However, I do understand that many may have emotional scars from being called "fag" when they were growing up. So perhaps for some the word will always be understandably sensitive.
     
  3. BryanM

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    It would be nice of we reclaimed those words, but even if we do I will never use them. Just me I guess :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  4. Rakkaus

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    I like to use the word "faggot"....after being called it all their lives, I think gay guys have earned the right to decide for themselves whether they want to use it or not. (A similar phenomenon has gone on with lesbians reclaiming "dyke")
     
  5. BornInTexas

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    Nope, I'm in that boat. I would never use the f word.
     
  6. Jinkies

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    If that's true, that's really interesting. It's kind of like "Yankee Doodle" being a well-known American song that was written as a mockery of the USA by the UK.
     
  7. Holly

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    I agree with this completely. A few guys in one of my classes were calling each other faggots (even though they're both straight) and it did hurt me a bit because it was used in a derogatory way...

    Honestly, I'd say go for it. Take the 'F' word back:slight_smile:
     
  8. TheEdend

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    Reclaiming words is a bit of a tricky buisness.

    For a whole community to reclaim a word there most be a purpose other than just reclaiming the word. For example, queer has been started to be reclaimed for various reasons such a finding a "catch-it-all" word people people who aren't straight and because queer theory is getting more and more known.

    In the other hand, fagg doesn't have much of a reason to be reclaimed. Not saying that some people shouldn't try, but in the community there isn't a need as of yet for it to be reclaimed for the majority of people.

    Also, remember that fagg is now used more to insult a gender expression rather than sexuality. So a lot of gay people will say things like "I'm gay, but I'm not a fagg like them" to mean "I'm not feminine". This type of self-hatred and sexism core to the word make it harder to reclaim.

    Also, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the N-word has not been really "reclaimed" at all. That word can still be used to demean and oppress people and it has way too much history for it to be completely reclaimed right now. The mere instance that you say the n-word and not the whole word means that the word is not reclaimed.
     
  9. PurpleRain

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    I think it happens naturally. Once people insult you with a word long enough, it starts to become a compliment as a way of shutting down the people using it. It works. :slight_smile:

    However I would never use it, or any other slurs for that matter.
     
  10. I'm over that word
     
  11. ForgottenRose

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    I use it all the timexD
     
  12. Rakkaus

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    The n-word can still be used to demean and oppress if used by a white person toward a black person. But black people use it with each other without demeaning or oppressing. It has been reclaimed within the black community. (And believe me, I have never heard the n-word so many times in my life as when I started going to my local LGBT center last year, which is about 95% black)

    Similarly, I think it is always inappropriate for a straight person to use "faggot", even an LGBT ally (and some of them really need to get the memo that it's not okay for them to use it), but gay people can use it with each other without being demeaning or oppressing.

    You have to look at a word in context. The hurtfulness comes from the intent, the meaning, and the power behind the word, not just the syllables. A flaming homo in a gay bar saying there are so many pretty faggots around is a big difference from some gang on the street beating up a gay kid and telling him he's a worthless faggot who should die.
     
  13. HuskyPup

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    I don't use it, except to refer to cigarettes.
     
  14. kageshiro

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    I prefer not to use it personally out of respect for innocent lives that word has scorched and burned out with pure hatred. I'd generally agree that a word is a word and the feelings behind it are what give it meaning. But I've found that I'm not comfortable using it myself despite that. Don't see how or why I'd bring myself to make a joke out of a word that's caused kids just like me (my age or even younger) emotional and/or physical pain so severe they'd actually kill themselves, you know?
     
  15. Idek1204

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    I haven't noticed this happening at all but I kinda like the idea of reclaiming it!
     
  16. LiquidSwords

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    Whether something is offensive or not depends entirely on context. Just because some black guys (none of the black kids I know btw) refer to other black people as niggers doesn't mean the word isn't any less offensive or powerful when used in another context.

    So gay kids can start calling each other fags if they want but the word will still be pretty hurtful when used in a more sinister homophobic context and they probably won't be able to change that.

    The word almost always makes me feel pretty uncomfortable whenever I hear it and I'm not going to start using it any time soon, except to refer to cigarettes.
     
  17. resu

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    I would not use it. Similar to what TheEdend said, I think this "reclaiming" business is a double-edged sword. It can invite bigots to think it's okay for them to use it since other people are using it (I've definitely heard non-black people say that about nigger). Honestly, I think they are right to be frustrated that some words are free to be used by one group and not another solely based on their ethnicity (or sexual identity in this case). That is a double standard, IMO.

    At least for queer, I only take it to mean "weird/abnormal," though this may just be semantics. Not every derogatory slur must be reclaimed. It would be strange if people who have mental disabilities started calling themselves retards.

    Then again, I also don't curse or use swear words; even without them I can have as sharp a tongue as anyone.
     
  18. Rakkaus

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    Um, if they're bigots, they're not really concerned about whether it is "okay" to call someone a certain word in the first place. They want to be offensive, after all.

    Non-black people who say "I can use the n-word because black people use it" don't really believe that, they're just bigots being deliberately disingenuous; they would be using the word anyway.

    And the 'double standard' in this case is totally justified. Context matters, intent matters, and who is saying the word matters. Black people can say the n-word without being offensive; white people cannot. Gay people can say 'faggot' without being offensive; straight people cannot. That's the way it is, we should not even entertain the bigots who whine that they aren't allowed to use derogatory words. Why the hell would they want to use them other than to offend?

    They'll just have to get over it; if not being allowed to use the n-word or "faggot" is the worst discrimination they've ever faced because of who they were born to be (white and/or straight), then they should consider themselves very lucky.

    Each individual interprets words in their own way. Some LGBTQ people are offended by "queer" or "faggot", while others are happy to use them. In my case I don't mind those words, but I find the word "homosexual" to be dehumanizing and hurtful when used by a straight person, like they are describing me as a different species.
     
  19. Randy

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    I would not use it at all. I mean I pretty much get irritated when blacks use the word nigger but they get all up in a white person's face when they use it. It's a horrible double standard that society has and I...I just can't.

    Same with 'faggot' or 'fag', I just can't stand that word being uttered at all. Can't stand it when a person who is flamboyantly gay uses it or a person who is straight uses it. It's again a horrible double standard that society thinks it's alright to use those because they're using words that describe them.

    Point is: Words are words no matter what group of people uses them. If you don't want to be greeted as such, don't use them. Setting a horrible example for society.
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    I'm gonna use resu's example of people with mental disabilities calling themselves retard.

    I'm not gonna go up to one person and be like "Hey dude, what's up? I'm a retard." Now they'll be like "Oh this dude called himself a retard, I'm going to do it to because he called himself a retard. And then I get all up in the person's face because I called myself a retard. Like no, if I don't want people to think I'm a retard...then you sure as hell can expect that I myself won't use the word retard.

    Same with "nigger", "faggot", etc.

    tl;dr: If you don't want to hear those words, then don't utter them yourselves.
     
  20. blueberrymuffin

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    I'm really not a fan of this. You'll invariably offend or piss someone off and for what purpose, to demonstrate a seriously limited means of expressing yourself? I think there's a reason no one here talks like that, because it is in fact offensive and sounds like a 3rd grader. As with calling everything you don't like 'retarded' or everything you like 'swag,' it's just not impressive at all.