Homophobic Bullying - Page 4

Here's a crazy idea; have (general) you ever considered not using a label for someone's sexuality as your byword for all things negative?

It seems like an extremely minor bit of creativity could prevent a whole lot of confusion and hurt, for example, on the part of a young teenager who's been hearing 'gay' as a negative word all his life, and suddenly realises that it applies to him. Considering that young gay (and trans) people have a higher rate of suicide than the average population, it seems selfish not to make that tiny effort to make life easier.

quote Traydor

quote KR_1250

First off, i use the term "gay" as a derogitory word meaning "crap" or "rubbish" like many others do. Its ashame that homosexual people are offended by this, but it is not the intented meaning. Colloquealisms come and go and words adopt and shed meanings. Unfortunately its just part of life.

You're describing it like it's just something you were born with, instead of a behaviour you knowingly choose to engage in and propagate.

It seems like such a massive example of ignorant, self-centred, privilege, that so many cissexual people in this thread are stating that they should be able to use whatever language they like, regardless of whom the words insult, and other people should just get over it because they don't mean the words they say.

For god's sake, take some responsibility for what the words you use mean.

LOL, well, im not gonna degrade this into name calling and personal insults based on assumptions.

Some others are posting balanced and well thought out posts detailing the issue, i would direct you to those responses. Or you could post again once you calm down and we could continue.

Whatever you do, have a good one.

quote Traydor

I'm aware that no one can insist and enforce that everyone stop using a certain word. That's no reason not to put out in the sense in not using it to some people, in the hope that they'll get it and pass it on.

KR_1250 - I am calm. I apologise if I didn't seem so. I certainly didn't call anyone names or make any personal insults, so I'm not sure what you're referring to there.

If you would like me to rephrase then; it is incredibly easy to say that the words you use are not insulting when they don't apply to you.

They dont apply to you either. Unless your crap, or a bit rubbish.

EDIT: In which case, they do actually apply to me iv just realised.

You know, on second thought, I definitely could have expressed myself better earlier. My bad, KR_1250. Bro-fist?

dyeriuss - in that case, did you consider Loungin'? I think that might be geared more for the kind of anecdote-only responses you were expecting, though, that said, I think the majority of posters are cis, and there's a slightly less mature tone expected, so it could all go horribly wrong.:/

To get back on-topic; now I'm an adult, a lot of my friends are very liberal. Many of them are gay, and I've tended to disassociate with people who've disapproved of my other friends, so, happily, I'm in a pretty good place right now. There are silly things, like a new coworker laughing at the idea of a man wearing nail polish, not realising he was in the presence of two men who do. We just shrugged and went "yeah, it's pretty common", and he got the hint. He wasn't being mean, he was just a bit surprised.

I don't think any guys were openly out at school, and I don't remember any actual bullying, though there was thoughtless use of language, like the kind we've been discussing. As for girls, I think a handful identified as bi-curious or bisexual, and at least one has since come out as lesbian, though I'm not sure if she actually was out at school, and it just wasn't something that came up. I know she had a boyfriend early on. As for the other girls, some still identify as bi, some identify as lesbian, and a few others identify as cis. At least one guy from school has come out as bi since then, but, to be honest, I mostly hung out with girls.

Anyway, yeah, my school was actually a pretty nice place. Not much bullying. The only person who ever was a bully, that I know of, apologised to me when we were twenty. I'd actually forgotten about it, but I did appreciate the thought. That wasn't homophobic though, that was just the regular kind.;p

dyeriuss, everyone knows you created the thread and it's receiving great activity. However, you can not try and control the thread or the direction in which discussion goes. I agree that the original post did not have a lot of solid discussion value and the thread has evolved into something more. You should appreciate where the thread is now and join the debate as opposed to trying to steer it back to something less thought provoking.

I believe these are growing pains that this forum will have as it tries to find its place between TL and Loungin'.

:/ why is it that people seem to think im a whore when im holding hands with a girl ive been dating for a year?
i was walking out of english class today and i went to my locker and i opened it and TONS of sticky notes poured out every single one of them saying "lesbian whore"

Guy wearing a skirt? Damn. What type of skirt? Hopefully it's a long one so you can't see his legs.




On topic, I don't care if people are gay, straight, bi or whatever else. It has nothing to do with me, so more power to them.