Using the word "gay" in the sense of "lame"

I usually challenge someone who says something is "gay". I ask them why they think "such and such" has anything to do with homosexuality, or why they think that something which is "gay" is wrong. If the reply is along the lines of "being gay is wrong", I point out that more people are born gay than red-headed, so being gay is no more abnormal than having a different hair color. If they follow up with gay being a choice, then I ask them why they think anyone would choose to join a minority that gets discriminated against legally and socially by people "like you", if they think something is "wrong" about being gay. Trying little by little to give them something to think about, if they are capable of rational thought; some aren't; they let their peers or preachers do their thinking for them.

 

I'm bisexual and I still can't stand it, main reason being is I was an ally for the longest time. There was actually a PSA for it where I am.

 

My thoughts exactly. Every word.

 

Any time I hear someone say it or I see it on the Internet, meaning lame or bad or "that sucks," I wanna slug them right in the nose. Lame is a bad thing, but gay is not, so homophobes shouldn't be turning it derogatory.

 

Ok, you're from Europe...

Consider: what if Americans (or non-Europeans generally) started using "European" to describe lame events and stupid people (or if this is too general for you, replace "European" with a reference to your specific country):

A: I missed the bus and had to wait two hours for the next one.
B: Aww, man, that's pretty European.

A: Joey was drunk last night and was acting like a total asshole...took his shirt off and waved it around, shouting insults at everyone.
B: Oh, I know, that dickhead is so European, he makes me sick.

Might that not sound the tiniest bit insulting to Europeans? Or hey, isn't "European", y'know...just a word? I mean, it at least sounds a bit stupid, right? Because Europeans aren't any more likely to wait for buses, or to act like assholes when drunk than anyone else. Neither are homosexuals.

Bottom line: If you think it's bad to be gay, or that gay people are stupid or lame, then by all means use "gay" as an insult or to mean "stupid" or "lame"; but if you want to be an ally to LGBT causes, stop using "gay" to mean "stupid".

If you care about not sounding like an idiot, stop using *any* word to mean something you don't think it actually means.

 

Why are so many people offended? ;-;

 

For me personally, it's because now the word gay is used to signify something that's not cool, not acceptable. Now because of it, people will think that "gay" is a bad thing, which it's not at all. Like, gay shouldn't have that definition attached to it. And also, why do we have to use a word that *most commonly* refers to a male loving another male, for something that means that it's stupid, bad, unacceptable? Get the picture? Use another word please...

 

It bothers the fuck out of me that my identity is used as a term for second-rate, so yes I rather detest its use - especially from dumbass straight teen guys - in that context.

However I hail from Tumblr so I use gay as an endearing term to my close LGBT/MOGAT friends just because I find it cute. "You big gay" sounds not only amusing but also carries a much more positive connotation, in my opinion.

 

for me it depends who saying it (a friend saying it in a joking way,etc) reading it online is annoying though. what really pissed me off is that term "no homo" that i see used often if someone says something that 'might sound gay'

 

This annoys the sh*t out of me i have a really close friend that i haven't come out to that uses it all the time. I'm getting ready to yell at him and tell him that I'm gay next time I see him.

 

*winks back* I think those people explain themselves perfectly well...why don't you read some of the responses?