Dyke- Isn';t it derogratory?!

Om I dono, never actually knew dyke was a bad word, least to say. For some reason I always picture an lesbian biker gang...for some reason. Fag is like the F-word to me you can mean it in a * good * way and in a mean way.

 

I thought it was just slang... Like "yeah that chick is a dyke" dunno. =/

 

Hmm... I thought it was derogatory as well. That seems odd.

 

A word is only offensive as long as people let themselves be offended by it.

The lesbians/dykes are apparently trying to reclaim the word for themselves like male homos did with "Gay".

 

every name depends how you look at it. people could call me an emo fag and i'm gay and emo. i don't like being called a fag, but i don't take emo as bad. i call myself it. but it could be used in a bad way because the streorotype emos are crybaby wrist slitters. with i'm not anymore. so like... you take teh name and be proud of it taking away it's badness. a friend of mine's parents were never married and we both knew that and one day he was like 'i'm a bastered, haha, like really!" he didn't care if he was called it cause he like literally is. i'm a lesbian. i call myself butch but i don't use the word dyke. it's just not that popular around here when people talk. they call lesbians fags or lezbos, or lezzies. the only word i don't like is fag. i don't mind lezzie, but lesbo is sort of rude.. it's all how YOU take it. some people don't mind. i think i'm going to tell my friend to stop calling me a fag though when i make fun of other people. i know she calls even striaght people fags but i do not like gay being misused.

 

I don't think dyke is necessarily a bad word. It all depends on who is using the word and the context in which it is used. But, it should not be considered interchangable with the word lesbian.

 

I think its all in how you look at it and how the word dyke or fag is used. if a person calls someone a dyke or fag and they mean it to be offensive then it is but if someone playfully calls someone one of those names then its not bad. of course it really is how you take it if you don't like it then you don't.

 

It's generally derogatory, and it's a word I do not use or like to hear used. I take it on the same level as faggot.

 

sorry I have something to add. one of my friends constantly calls me a dyke and while I know she means it in a playful way it actually does bother me when she does that. I have had other people call me a dyke like that but it really doesn't bother me when they do it but when my friend does (like I said before) it just does bother me for some reason. One thing that does bother me though is when people say "that is so gay" now that really does make me mad.

 

I always thought it was a derogatory term.
I mean, in Rat Race, Randy (Jon Lovitz) wouldn't have gotten maced/whipped by the woman in the bikie gang if the word dyke was a compliment.. not that TV and movies have all the answers :icon_wink

 

It's how you take the word really. For me, I call myself a fag, but I hate the word "poofter".

Why? Probably just because I never use/get called "poofter". It sounds derogatory because I'm not used to it, or I've only ever used it in a derogatory context.

Where as I always call myself a fag - so don't see it as such a bad word.

/shrug

 

Thats strange cos im totally against the word fag in any context and i dont particularly like dyke either, but thats prob just cos i never use them...Im not so offended by poofter...but as most people have said its all to do with how it is said...I mean if someone yelled oout poofter to me in the street im obviously gunna get offended....That said im still offended if one of my friends calls me a fag

 

I don't really like using any of those words. At least offensively... I think dyke kinda falls under the same idea as fag. I don't like hearing it being used, but it's sort of a personal taste... as long as it's not offensive. I don't like people saying, "that's so gay" either.

 

To me it seems offensive, but I've never actually been called a dyke. The only context I've ever heard it in was when someone was saying to be offensive. Well that and I hear it in my civil engineering classes, but thats a little different.

Generally I'd prefer if someone not call me a dyke, but if they do, oh well. Then again, I'm in the military so most offensive things don't bother me.

 

Yes, like fag, it is meant to be insulting. But more recently a lot of people have claimed these words. I no myself, and a lot of other people get like a sense of pride when someone calls them a dyke or a fag. My response is always "u say that like it's a bad thing " I never get offended to name calling, I actually feel proud to agree...yes i am a dyke..whats ur point?

 

I like that. I like that a lot. I think I'm going to steal that for my own personal use.

 

I consider Dyke Derogatory... but I don't consider being called a fag or gay offensive... but if someone's like "You F***ing Faggot" or start really being serious about it.. then I draw the line

 

its kinda like the word fag...its okay for us to say it to each other, but when other ppl use it i may get offensive depending on your views.

 

Dyke = female version of "fag". If one's offensive than so is the other.