Gay or straight, I want your opinion on this one

[promisemewings]

Because of a comment I made at customers_suck (and BTW, I removed myself from the group, not participating over there anymore; if you want to read any of my work-related bitching, go check out grocerygal)....

How do you feel about the use of the word "fag"? Is it a slur? Hateful? Or should homosexuals be allowed to call each other this as much as they like?

Comments

[promisemewings]

Yeah, I kind of think that when gay people use the term "fag" between them, it's kind of the same double standard as how black people can call each other "nigger" and when white people use the term, it's a racial slur and God help us white people if we ever use the term. Not like I ever would. But the point I tried to make was that for as hard as homosexuals strive for equality and tolerance, when they throw around a hateful term like "fag" between themselves and think nothing of it but then raise a big stink when a straight person uses the term (I'm looking at Isaiah Washington, for example, or even when Perez Hilton called will.i.am a fag), it's JUST as bad as the word "nigger" and kind of brings down their efforts for being treated as equals and makes them look just as bad. Then some asshole over at c_s shot me down for my "straight white privilege" and "I should feel bad for even MAKING a comment like that" and "I don't have the right to tell gay people what they can and can't call each other."

You know what? I don't feel

[stormer1_1]

Hateful as a motherfucker, but I'm not gonna go up to a couple of gay men and ask them to stop. If they want to "reclaim" that slur, it's their business, not mine. But if someone called me a dyke (I'm bi), or worse, a fake dyke, they'd be in for the worst ass-whoopin' they ever got. Srs.

[trewesterre]

I don't see why people can't use it if they don't mean it in a derogatory way. Hell, Dan Savage used to have people address letters to him with "Hey faggot".
Are we going to stop using "gay" because a lot of people use it as synonymous with "lame" or "stupid"?

[trewesterre]

Yes... but perhaps in reclaiming the word "fag" the gay community can get it to have neutral/positive connotations.

I mean, I probably wouldn't use the word to describe someone because some people don't like it, but if gay people want to use it to describe other gay people or themselves, all power to them.

[jadore_histoire]

I think it's a slur; I've heard people use homo and fag as slurs when talking about gay people. And like therealycats said, I've never heard anyone, no matter the sexual orientation, use that as anything but an insult. I do see your point about the double standard though

[promisemewings]

OMG, who does that?!