Views on the use of the word faggot

I dont care, usually people use it as a joke. When they try to use it as an insult, I just say "yes, I am '2. a bundle of sticks or twigs bound together as fuel.' and walk away. that's probably just me though

 

It's a word I don't care to hear or speak. In high school, I spent a lot of my time questioning my sexuality while hearing accusations of kids (almost always guys) being faggots, which lumped them in with burnouts, degenerates, and every other negative group in the school. Even after I admitted to myself that I was at least bi-curious and got into a relationship with a good male friend, I still used faggot as a catch-all slur, simply because that's how pervasive that homophobic culture was.
I get the idea of people saying it to reclaim the word, but I would honestly just prefer it goes away altogether.

 

With all words, it's how you use it. I say it with friends all the time, but if I don't know someone I won't use more extreme language and I expect they won't either. But any word can be offensive if used in that way. You can call someone a fudge brownie but if the context and tone is cruel, it can be aweful.

 

Depends if someone means cigarettes or not.

 

I have to agree with that last part, it's how you use it. My friend used 'chicken nugget' as an insult before. I guess it is also if you let it bother you, so I guess it really just depends on the situation.