Kids using gay as an insult

quietheart

marisco wrote: »

If these comments are being made out of school then I would not recommend 'telling off' other peoples children. I think it would be more effective to let the parents know what is going on and letting them deal with it. I would appreciate another parent making me aware if my sons were doing this. They are 7 and 10 and understand the meaning of the word and that it should not be used disrespectfully.

It was at my house. The parents are also homophobic so there is little point in speaking to them. I've talked to them before and they laughed.
'Telling off' was a broad term, I just said we don't use gay as an insult as we like to try and treat everyone equally.

Carpi09

quietheart wrote: »

It does actually. My son was called gay for getting changed in the same room as his friend. And the child involved is homophobic, he says he hates gay people and they'll burn in hell. :eek:

fluffnutter wrote: »

He's just repeating what he's heard. I'd say his parents are probably homophobic - he's too young to be labelled in this way. He doesn't know what he thinks yet.

Is my response.

quietheart

fluffnutter wrote: »

He's just repeating what he's heard. I'd say his parents are probably homophobic - he's too young to be labelled in this way. He doesn't know what he thinks yet.

you are right there. child involved is 12 so I feel he does know what he thinks.

Gloomendoom

fluffnutter wrote: »

It was !!!!!! in my day.

In my experience 'gay' is not used in the same way as '!!!!!!' or 'spaz' was. Those words were predominately used as a form of personal insult whereas gay is used in the same way that some people use the word 'cräp'.

SUESMITH_2

i work in a school and yes, gay is just now used as a general insult - no longer in a homophobic way. this has happened over the last few years.

fluffnutter

Gloomendoom wrote: »

In my experience 'gay' is not used in the same way as '!!!!!!' or 'spaz' was. Those words were predominately used as a form of personal insult whereas gay is used in the same way that some people use the word 'cräp'.

Yeah, that's true. You hear things described as 'that's so gay', not just people. 'Gay' to me just means a bit wishy-washy, not ballsy, a bit effeminate, a bit naff. I doubt very much that the homosexual community is feeling particularly indignant about it being used in this way.

marisco_2

I can understand why you disliked what was said. I doubt you would get anywhere with the parents from what you describe of them. Behaviour like this in children is often learnt unfortunately. It never fails to amaze me how some parents fail their kids in the way they conduct themselves and the opinions they air. Can your child distance himself from this kid a bit?

fluffnutter

quietheart wrote: »

you are right there. child involved is 12 so I feel he does know what he thinks.

I didn't know what I thought about most things until I was about 30! Still don't really 12 is still too young to really understand about prejudice, IMO. It's not too young to be taught that it's wrong to be prejudiced of course, but to say that someone of 12 has fully formed opinions about anything is giving 12 year olds too much credit, I think.

pinkshoes

Google "urban dictionary" and look it up.

It used to mean 'happy', then it meant 'homosexual' and for the last 3 or so years it's meant 'naff/rubbish/lame/pathetic'.

As a trainee teacher, I'd say most using the word are not using it in reference to being homosexual.

fluffnutter

I feel a confession coming on here... I use the word 'gay' as a pejorative term about naff stuff. I even say 'you're so gay' to my gay mates when they do something 'gay'