Honestly, I don't care if it's used jokingly. Even some of my straight friends use it jokingly with me and I really don't care.
I guess it totally depends on how someone wants to take the term "faggot" or "fag". Initially, it meant a 'bundle of sticks' that was used to start a fire - thus conjuring images of immolations such as people being 'burned at the stake' for heresy by the Catholic Church and the burning of witches in early colonial America. In that respect, the word seems quite offensive. But again, I would say that it totally depends on the way that an individual reacts upon hearing the word. Given that it has definitely been used as a pejorative for almost a century, it's use is probably inappropriate overall and the use of the term (albeit jokingly) by gay guys, as Chip said, would only seem to continue to promote the use of an artificial, ultimately negative, descriptive term/word that should just die out from the lexicon. My 2cents.
Hey Andrew99, I would just ask why you don't find the term "fag" offensive since it separates you and those of like/similar to you from the 'rest' of society. And it's not a positive term, from a societal standpoint.
Black people using and so called 'reclaiming' that word is still just as bad. To me, other definitions aside, 'faggot' will always be a vitriolic term. Bronski Beat - 'Smalltown Boy' comes to mind. ---------- Post added 4th Apr 2017 at 03:02 AM ---------- It kind of still is used that way in England. Over there, they call cigarettes 'fags'. Actually, I think the original meaning was 'a pile of sticks used for burning'.
Yeah, I thought that too. Personally, that specific word doesn't get used much in my group but other slurs, like dyke, are sometimes used. My straight friends refer to me as a dyke now and then, not in a derogatory manner or anything. However when it comes to my non-straight friends, we don't tend to use slurs when talking to each other.
It doesn't bother me if it obviously is not used as an insult. I agree with the statement that words only have as much power as you give them. However, I do think that we should absolutely discourage using words like faggot or dyke as slurs, because I believe that it only feeds homophobia. And the more homophobia there is, the more likely we are to be attacked on the streets for being affectionate among other things.
Definitely not if it is used to offend someone. But if it's between friends it can be funny sometimes. Have a friends who calls himself a faggot. I laugh and tell him not to say it...because YES, it does have that offensive connotation that has been given to it... So I don't think it should become a word used all the time.
I say "faggot" allot i guess but mostly as a joke, I use the same excuse that since i am not straight i have a right to say it.
Nope, not okay with using it or hearing it. A friend of mine has had bad experiences with being called a faggot and being told to go to hell. Just not into it. :/
I don't like it at all. For me, it represents the community of hate that can really surround the LGBT community. I get offended if anyone uses it, even my friends, but I just choose not to make a big deal of it because it's not worth my time.
It's rarely used in the UK and the abbreviated word "fag" is slang terminology for cigarettes over here. I guess the equivalent word in the UK is "poof". I don't like either word.
I have absolutely no problem with it. In fact, I have no problem with my straight friends calling me a faggot. It doesn't offend me at all. In fact, it's almost funny.
I like being separated from the 'rest' of society. And that's okay because I've already accepted myself so deeply that I'm very thick skinned and no one can hurt my feeling over being gay. I just expect you to understand that.
As bad as calling someone a weeb or weaboo unless they want to see if there is an afterlife I'd suggest NO ONE use the word weaboo, weeb, FAGGOT, or queer AT ALL. Cause I'll test out the theory of heaven and god on such a person. NO JOKE.