That's so gay!

One: "That's so gay" is synonymous with "that's so stupid," "that sucks," "that's weird," "that's lame," etc. Nothing positive at all.

Two: All the people who use that phrase around where I live don't mean it to get people down, as far as I know. I think that it's just become one of those phrases that people say without think about it, unfortunately. I get really pissed off when people use it, and I'll usually say something like "watch your mouth" or simply "don't say that," and people usually understand and correct themselves.

I doubt that people would say it just to provoke you, but then again I don't know the people you're talking about.

 

I am gay and i use that expression...I've always thought of it as meaning something i stupid. I never really thought of that as offensive...but where i live there are barely any gay people, so its accepted and we can say it and it doesnt mean anything...idk about the whole thing though...

 

1. Like ampthejazz said, when people say it derogatorily, they mean that something/someone is stupid, lame, dumb. People quite often use other derogatory terms that may also offend others like "retarded" or "jewish" as well to mean the same thing.

2. I don't think people use to to get someone to come out. Especially because I think that people are completely oblivious when using that term. I don't think people realize that it may actually offend someone.

I for one, notice every time someone says it. I usually don't say anything to the person unless I am out to him/her. But usually people I am out to will not use gay in a derogatory way, at least when I'm around. And when they do say it when I'm around, they usually catch themselves and apologize quickly afterwards.

I don't really think it's right that we use that word derogatorily. Especially us as gays. First of all, by using it in place of another word that correlates to "bad", it in part, says that being gay is bad. Second of all, if gay people are saying it, it gives others the indication that it's okay to say it.

 

No offense but i think that whole post was a total, total display of thickheadedness.

Step1-That's so stupid.
Step2-That's so <insert substitute here>
Step3-That's so gay.

By this phrase the EXACT defintion of gay (again, by this phrase) is
Gay: to be stupid, weird, or wrong

---

How you can support that, being a gay man yourself....digusts me.

I'm usually not ever mean, but this saying and the fact that you, of all people say it without remorse infuriates me to no end. I'm sorry, but i can't be anything but honest, espicially now.

 

if i remember correctly i said "I dont know about the whole thing though"...o wait!...its on the post itself...i never said i supported it...i said that where i come from its accepted...its just normal from where i am and its just like swearing...you get so use to it that you dont even know that ur saying it...i'm sorry that i offended you...but dont take it out on me...you dont even know me and where i come from.....


As i said before, I just dont know about the whole situation...

 

The phrase bugs me alot personally.. for the same reason as you all. But what bugs me more is my straight friends are accepting of me being gay and yet dont see anything wrong with the phrase. My sister's worked with mentally retarded back in highschool so using "retarded" same way bothers my family as well.. Idk wut could be done bout it though cuz i've tried to educate and fix it round my parts...my towns jus plain ignorant and I hate it..

 

Like others I don't like this phrase because it basically means "That is stupid" and thus equates gay with being inferior. Not exactly what you want when you're looking for "acceptance". I have a couple friends that say it frequently and it kind of annoys me. But I'm guilty of saying "that's retarded", which is basically just as bad.

I haven't seen it used to try and get people out. I don't even know how that would work. If anything it would make people more defensive. You'd have better luck with "So what do you think of gay marriage?"

Now, if someone uses it to describe something that *is* gay, and its not intended as a put down, or in a derogatory manner, I don't really see anything wrong with that.

 

I don't think people use it as a method of forcing people out. Indeed, it makes you seem homophobic. If people say it infront of me, I will tell them it offends me or it I will correct them subtly. (Agreeing, but saying yeah, that is STUPID with the emphasis on stupid.) The thing I hate more is faggot because that seems to be synonymous with idiot or moron or weak. I don't tolerate it.
It's kind of, if we said, "Wow, that's so n--ggerish" or "Wow, what a Jew." or "Don't be a chink" people would be up in arms. I know my school gives out suspensions for hateful slurs against blacks, latinos, Italians, Jews, Muslims, etc, but people can use gay and faggot in those terms and no one says anything. They also suspend you if you're white and say the nword- black people can say it all they want. So I guess the whole thing is racist. Blah.

 

You say you don't support it, but you say it. Explain to me how two of these statments can both be accurate.

It is the same here, people use it as the common vocab, although the intent of the word is not as strong as "faggot" or "dyke" it still encourages others to use it. Widespread small forms of discrimination are just as potent and hurtful as contained large forms of discrimination.

And even though you don't know you're saying it, you act like that justifies it. As GuitarGirl said, adding my twist, if someone walked around saying "Thats so black", it has the exact same intention as "Thats so gay" but yet is far more controversial. Why.

When it comes to discrimination, you could be in Asia for all i care, if discrimination exists. It has to be stopped. Period.

I have no intent of "taking it out on you" emotionally or physically in any way. I might be iron-tongued but the moment i offend someone and am asked, kindly, to hold it, i will do so willingly.

 

Back in the day I used to throw around "that's so gay", but I'm very careful in my word choice for EVERYTHING these days due to my slight OCD on grammar, so that phrase goes on out the window usually at the same time. I usually don't take note on it when people say it, because it's just so common here.

The word faggot is just awful. I hate it. In fact, I openly speak out against it when people say it, not exactly on the terms of why I really hate it, but I usually use the argument that it degrades that person's intelligence to use it. Generally people stop after that, because they don't like to look stupid.

 

It's degrading to use any of those words.
And the reason people would be so angry if the word was jew or chink or nigger is because those aren't acceptable prejudices. It's more widely accepted to hate gays. It's the same thing as the civil rights in the 1950's and 60's. Back then everyone hated blacks and considered them second class citizens. Fifty years later, you can be jailed on a hate crime for making it known that you don't like black people. It's a complete double standard and it's one of the many things that disgusts me about today's society. We're all a bunch of hypocrites. Not to say everyone is a hypocrite, just society as a whole.

 

Personally, I'm not a fan of society. But that's a whole different issue.

About the "that's so gay!" phrase, I currently try to ignore it. It does irk me a little bit when I hear people say it.

I haven't gotten to the point where I feel comfortable correcting people, but a while ago when I was at home, my sister called our computer "gay."

Let's see.... The computer is gay. I'm gay. I'm being put on the same level as an inanimate object?! :eusa_eh:

Yeah, I don't like being compared to "things"... :dry:

 

hmmm well I have to admit I use the "that's just gay" or "that's so gay" myself... just to point out that something's rubbish, unfair, etc. But in truth it's pretty meaningless in its use, it's not used to rile people or to stir up offence. It's simply used to get across an opinion. I personally don't find it offensive and i'm not aware of anyone in my locality that does.

Then again this will stem back to the queer, fag, etc words to identify homosexuals too and some people find problem with them and other well don't. Me personally being the latter. Of course out of courtesy if i know someone has a problem with the phrases i'll try and steer clear of them, but when i'm around friends there's nothing wrong with me using the words... even if it does objectify sexuality.

 

Jamie-
I don't know how you can be gay and not be offended by using and hearing it. It's putting yourself down on the level with stupid and all that, everything that's been rehashed in this thread. Can you explain maybe why you're okay with being objectified? (Your words- not mine)

 

purely because the words stem from a while back when homosexuality was something that was looked down up on. Today we're much more accepted in to society and words are used only due to habbit. and not with mallace

 

In my health class our teacher, who is gay herself, would tell us not to say "that's so gay". She would explain how its offensive to gay people and what it's basically saying. Surprisingly it has seemed to work and I rarely hear it around school. If someone does say there are instantly a few people telling them not to say it.

 

So merely because it's a bad habit, you can't get rid of it? I could say nigger all the time and just excuse myself as with, "Sorry it's just a bad habit. It's okay though, since it doesn't really mean anything anymore because blacks are more accepted in society now."

 

Me and GuitarGirl are basically on the same wavelength here. It's digusting when heterosexuals use it and it's infuriating when homosexuals use it. I speak openly against it, it's just as offensive as faggot, despite it's innoncent intent. It's a wolf in sheep's clothing.

 

lol, well i'm sorry if I annoy you all, but I personally just don't find it offensive. I think it's the meaning and the way it is said that makes me decide whether to be annoyed or not. If somebody said it in a demeaning tone then I probably would be a little p***ed but then again, if it's said completely without mallace, without hatred then excuse me for not being offended by something that wasn't meant to offend.