When I was first figuring out my sexuality, I decided to read a bunch of books with gay main characters. One book that I read about lesbians threw around the term 'dyke' quite a bit and it was used in a neutral way, like one might say 'gay' or 'lezbo.' I assumed it wasn't derogatory, but many people on this site seem to take offence to it. Is it actually a derogatory word for one to use, or does it depend on the person? I'd like to know so I don't offend anyone by using it.
I dont think it was intended to be used as a derogitory term however people have used it in a negative way so much that it has stuck. Its the same as Faggot, A Faggot is a wierd English food made from all the undesirable parts of an animal coated in bread crumbs. Now its just another way to tear at the very nature of a person.
I don't like it personally. My stepmom has said it to me with the goal of trying to offend me. So that's probably lessened my liking to the word.
I am no LGBT etymologist, so correct me if I am wrong... ...but I assume that the offensiveness of the word "dyke" comes from the fact that this word is typically attached to the "very butch" stereotype of a lesbian in a way that condemns the person for being too "masculine" or "unladylike," as though a female being masculine were worthy of insult; it insinuates that the person (and, on a broader scale, all lesbians) are worth "less" than their more feminine female counterparts because of their perceived "butchness." I think.
I honestly don't like any terms like that at all.. I just see it in a negative way and if someone was to say it in front of me, I cringe cause it just doesn't sound appropriate to say.
I guess I don't particularly mind it when gay women use it--and they sometimes do--when straight people and gay men use it I do take offense. And in my experience when the latter two groups use it it seems that offense is often meant. "Dyke" is actually the only word I have recently had the occasion to actually ask someone not to use in my presence.
I read the same on an article, with a few comments stating the same. A comment on urbandictionary states that its considered to be rude to use the word unless you self-identify as one.
It is like many terms, especially in the LGBTQ community, it was deemed offensive, so many started to use it in a "kinder" way to reclaim it. I know in some parts the same is going on with fag/faggot. I don't like it, mostly due to the fact that it sounds vulgar and rhymes with my surname, lol.
