Kids using gay as an insult

VestanPance

Using 'gay' as a term for something they think is rubbish/lame is pretty common these days with kids and teenagers.

It's an Americanism. That use of 'gay' to describe something think don't like is as common as muck in the States with teenagers. By any chance do any of these lads play online games? If so they'll hear 'that's so gay' about a billion times a second if an American teenager is on their game!

As playground rules go one kid starts using it and the rest pick it up.

Person_one

VestanPance wrote: »

It's an Americanism. That use of 'gay' to describe something think don't like is as common as muck in the States with teenagers. By any chance do any of these lads play online games? If so they'll hear 'that's so gay' about a billion times a second if an American teenager is on their game!

Then I'm sure its absolutely fine, because we all know what a healthy attitude America has to same sex relationships!

tiger_eyes

fluffnutter wrote: »

What? All of them? You're completely correct of course. But part of me can't help but think that you're just a bit more PC than most (not that that's a crime of course). Your comment above leads me to that conclusion, I'm afraid. Why not just say 'I'm gay' or 'I'm lesbian' or 'I'm bisexual' or 'I'm transgender'? Why the need for these right-on euphemisms? You sound like a badly-worded questionnaire.

It's not a euphemism - it's a specific and useful term, and covers a broader spectrum than just the options you give. But I could use another word if it really matters to you. And I'll take the term "politically correct" as a compliment.

VestanPance

Person_one wrote: »

Then I'm sure its absolutely fine, because we all know what a healthy attitude America has to same sex relationships!

Well they can legally marry in several States over there unlike here, so on that front the UK really can't talk.

Person_one

VestanPance wrote: »

Well they can legally marry in several States over there unlike here, so on that front the UK really can't talk.

Apparently we also have otherwise sensible adults who think its fine for children to call each other 'gay' as a playground insult, so I take your point.

VestanPance

Person_one wrote: »

Apparently we also have otherwise sensible adults who think its fine for children to call each other 'gay' as a playground insult, so I take your point.

Personally I'd discourage it, but I wouldn't automatically assume that their use of it was homophobic. Tell the parents, no. Talk with the kids to tell them it's possible they could offend someone by using the term, yes.

As much as the word gay was hijacked to be used to describe homosexual. It some areas it's been hijacked again to mean lame. The word is unimportant. The context is very important.

Person_one

VestanPance wrote: »

Personally I'd discourage it, but I wouldn't automatically assume that their use of it was homophobic. Tell the parents, no. Talk with the kids to tell them it's possible they could offend someone by using the term, yes.

As much as the word gay was hijacked to be used to describe homosexual. It some areas it's been hijacked again to mean lame. The word is unimportant, the context is very important.

Its not unimportant, it is used as an insult because of what it means!

loracan1

Person_one wrote: »

Its not unimportant, it is used as an insult because of what it means!

It isn't though!

Person_one

loracan1 wrote: »

It isn't though!

Sorry, but it is.

VestanPance

Person_one wrote: »

Its not unimportant, it is used as an insult because of what it means!

But the word already had more than one meaning. It still means happy just as much as it does homosexual. It's all in the context.

Personally this use of the word is another Americanism in our language that I dislike, but to presume it's use is homophobic I feel is incorrect.

For instance is the kids say "Stevis is a gay *@$%^" that would be homophobic. If they say 'the school dinner was gay' that's a juvenile critic of the food provided by the education establishment.