This is where we differ: I don’t think that thougthlessly using a slur you’ve heard everywhere – school, TV, work, family etc – strongly defines your worldview or impact on others.
It is not harmless, and you well within your rights to be offended. Often times it is q sign of deep seated homophobia. Sometimes it’s not IMO, and I prefer to not jump to conclusions.
In my generation at least almost everyone said gay as a synonym for lame or whatever, but didn’t really connect the dots between the word and gay as in homosexual. Almost everyone I know that used to use it/still use it, if they learn someone around them is gay they’re like “he’s gay? k” and they aren’t homophobic in the least. It just turned into such a common thing that it got somewhat disconnected from the orientation meaning. I just stopped using it because I saw actual hateful people using it and didn’t want to be mistaken for them.
yeah I definitely saw that and as soon as I realized I stopped saying it. It’s pretty disheartening to hear it now because now it’s from people who really should know how hurtful it is :/
This is where we differ: I don’t think that thougthlessly using a slur you’ve heard everywhere – school, TV, work, family etc – strongly defines your worldview or impact on others.
It is not harmless, and you well within your rights to be offended. Often times it is q sign of deep seated homophobia. Sometimes it’s not IMO, and I prefer to not jump to conclusions.
In my generation at least almost everyone said gay as a synonym for lame or whatever, but didn’t really connect the dots between the word and gay as in homosexual. Almost everyone I know that used to use it/still use it, if they learn someone around them is gay they’re like “he’s gay? k” and they aren’t homophobic in the least. It just turned into such a common thing that it got somewhat disconnected from the orientation meaning. I just stopped using it because I saw actual hateful people using it and didn’t want to be mistaken for them.
I’m from that generation, and let me tell you it fucking sucked and still does hearing your identity be used as an insult.
And trust me, a lot of them are homophobic even if you didn’t see it.
yeah I definitely saw that and as soon as I realized I stopped saying it. It’s pretty disheartening to hear it now because now it’s from people who really should know how hurtful it is :/