Gay!

[Lenus Altair]

Stop expecting people to do something special for you when they are doing nothing against you in the first place.

We've come full circle yes. I would just like end on the note the from my point of view I do not ask for something special by telling them to stop using the word. I ask them to stop from doing something I see harm others.

 

[CrayonWarrior]

we've gone full circle, so this argument is kinda pointless now D:
well that ends that.

 

[Krystedez]

Sure Crayon, I don't take any offense, I just wanted to let you know the problem with referencing the Bible in such a way. Unless you are specially educated in the Bible and have experience dealing with this particular issue yourself, it's hard to have people take you serious especially when you assume their religion and then attempt to use that an argument against them.

Sorry if I sounded a bit curt. Just a bit of fair advice before I get back to my homework.

 

[CrayonWarrior]

Sure Crayon, I don't take any offense, I just wanted to let you know the problem with referencing the Bible in such a way. Unless you are specially educated in the Bible and have experience dealing with this particular issue yourself, it's hard to have people take you serious especially when you assume their religion and then attempt to use that an argument against them.

Sorry if I sounded a bit curt. Just a bit of fair advice before I get back to my homework.

Point taken.

 

[Zankoku]

We've come full circle yes. I would just like end on the note the from my point of view I do not ask for something special by telling them to stop using the word. I ask them to stop from doing something I see harm others.

You're speaking for others without actually knowing how everyone feels? I can't see that coming close to being fair.

 

[MechaWave]

lol Lenus you're a funny individual. I like you.

I find it annoying when people say "gay" in a derogatory way. The Ad Council even recently created an advertisement to say something more meaningful than "gay."

HOWEVER, people nowadays are the shadows of the peoples a few decades ago. They will not come to reason, and I have coped with the fact that no one will change their horrendous vocabulary.

 

[!Peligro!]

First, I'm a Melee player, but noticed the thread title and was interested. In spite of all the tangents in this thread I think this is something that is relevant to the community at large. A few people have called out Lenus for saying he "knows how everyone feels," but a few people have already said it bothers them and I'll include myself in that group.

If I identify myself as gay and someone says "That's so gay!" in an obviously negative way it does impact me negatively. As has been mentioned in the thread, there is a long history and multiple meanings for the word, but the main problem comes down to "I identify as gay and this person is insinuating that gay is bad." The person who makes the comment might not even realize what they've done, but it can still be painful or annoying.

We are a community based on video games and our primary purposes are to meet other players, friendly competition, and to have fun. It only makes sense that we should try and make sure people feel welcome and non-threatened. Every time I go to tournaments and hear people yelling "gay", "******", "****", etc. across the venue I realize how unwelcoming of an environment that language is creating, both for players and passersby (depending on where the venue is). I don't typically address players individually about this because there are so many speaking in this way that I'd end up spending more time talking than playing.

I think as a community we want to be as accepting and respectful of each other as possible. I understand that some people might accept gay people and still use "gay" in a negative way when talking with their friends, but in a public space where you might not know everyone that well it can really ruin what is supposed to be a fun experience. There are really good players out there that I'd like to play more, but I get so frustrated with the way they speak that I lose a lot of respect for them. I don't think it's too much to ask that people try and be more mindful of the things they say. In general at tournaments I avoid saying "gay", "******", "****", "queer", "******", "*****", and general cussing (though that does slip), because you never know who you might be offending. It's not that difficult and I think it sets a better tone.

 

[Ralph Cecil]

o-o Kind of lazy, so i'm jumping in without reading all of the comments. It kind of seems like this whole issue is just made from people reading way too much or not enough into how people are using the word gay, & not accepting that it is used in a different context entirely. Also I think using the origin for the slang of gay as an argument for how the word is negative is kinda wrong. Mainly because being homosexual wasn't even the original definition for it, so obviously there can be multiple definitions for a word.

 

[Krystedez]

It'd be better if everyone just shaped up and got a better vocabulary. Your vocabulary is nearly more precise and accurate of your actual personality and upbringing, and people WILL judge you by that. If you don't care, then so be it, but realize that it not only hurts yourself but it hurts others around you.

I curse generally calling stuff BS and whatnot on occasion but usually I'm just chatting with fellow brawlers and having fun. But when it comes to commentary, ranting and raving, and generally being silly when it comes to what comes out of your mouth, it should be done with that awareness in mind at the very least.

 

[camerino1]

When someone uses the word "gay", homosexuallity is the first thing that comes to mind, not "A man that has never had a long-term relationship into his 40's", is it? So, with this everyone knows that context of the word, but not the older ones, did you before-hand (other then "happy").

I know what you are doing with this in describing the change of words, but come on, who on this thread honestly knew that... I take pride in educating myself to the fullest extent in history and didn't know that... so I find that that's a bad point in argument, because everyone knows that it means "homosexual"

 

[Savon]

Words are all about the meaning and intent of the way the person speaking it uses it. The same applies to the N-word, C-Word, and many other slurs. I am not saying that it is totally fine that I refer to so many things as gay, but I DO know that I am a firm supporter of gay rights and no matter how often I use the word gay to describe something annoying, I know what my personal intent in the use of the word is.

 

[Ralph Cecil]

^^^^^Agreed =D

 

[Lenus Altair]

You're speaking for others without actually knowing how everyone feels? I can't see that coming close to being fair.

You're putting words into my mouth. That hardly seems fair.

 

[Xyless]

We'll have a gaaaay ooooold tiiiiiime

 

[Tenodera]

As much as I would enjoy it if people were less obnoxious with their wording (Personally, "****" is especially insensitive), I think it's time we accept the fact that we'll hear certain things and when we can't avoid them, we ignore them.

 

[KRDsonic]

This thread is gay.


Nah seriously though, I don't see the point of whining. We all speak English here. It should be obvious that tons of words in our language have different meanings. If you buy a ruler and you take terms to be literal and only look at every word as having 1 definition then you would be confused and would most-likely wonder why someone bought someone who rules countries. If you call someone a fox you could be either calling them sly or someone who mains Fox. If you call something gay you could be calling them happy, homosexual, or someone who abuses tactics in Brawl for easy wins.

This is the English language, words are supposed to have meanings in it based on what the speaker intends them to mean, not what you want to them mean just because you want a reason to be offended.

And just something else. If you really care about how the gay community is viewed, why waste time criticizing people over the use of a word when most of these people are saying they aren't using it with the same meaning that you're assuming they're using it in when you could be, ya know, trying to show people that gay people are normal and not whiny or something? Cause pretty much what this thread is doing is giving homosexual people a negative stereotype of being whiny.

I'ma still continue to call Dedede a gay character.

This thread is lulzy.

 

[Big Moose]

The word means happy.
If homosexuals were alloowed to change the definition to fit their sexual orientation we can change it to mean stupid.
It doesn't matter really.

 

[Kholdstare]

I prefer to call people ******* since most ******** people can't play video games correctly, so it's actually a pretty accurate name.

 

[Zankoku]

You're putting words into my mouth. That hardly seems fair.

You're speaking for others without actually knowing how everyone feels? I can't see that coming close to being fair.

We've come full circle yes. I would just like end on the note the from my point of view I do not ask for something special by telling them to stop using the word. I ask them to stop from doing something I see harm others.

What's unfair is your attempts at mocking-cynical wordplay to highlight the tone of your posts. I suppose it's an improvement, though, that you've finally used "you're" in that part of a sentence rather than "your."

You're speaking for others, plain and simple. Whether those others are the majority or the minority is hard to tell, and whether the reason to take offense is legitimate is, itself, under debate.

 

[J00sh]

Okay let me put it this way. Regardless of what you mean and what you claim to believe in, when you say gay and refer to something in a negative way, you are being offensive.

You can't claim ignorance or meaning something else because you know now, when you say gay in a negative context, it is mean and offensive.

If you still continue to use the word gay in a negative context meaning cheap/unfair/bad, you can't claim to be pro-homosexuality and completely accepting of them. It's like me claiming that I have no problem with people of dark skin but then going around saying the N-word (yes this is a completely valid comparison)

So either stop using the word in this context, or stop pretending that you don't harbour animosity towards gays.

 

[Linkforce]

This is such a smash player thread...

(...What? I wasn't targeting anyone as a smash player personally, just where I come from we're used to referring to things like this as stuff smash players would do. Not that they're dumb or anything. I mean, people used to think they were dumb and their game sucked but I don't personally, its just something I got used to saying. Just lighten up. God.).

 

[Zankoku]

Okay let me put it this way. Regardless of what you mean and what you claim to believe in, when you say gay and refer to something in a negative way, you are being offensive.

You can't claim ignorance or meaning something else because you know now, when you say gay in a negative context, it is mean and offensive.

If you still continue to use the word gay in a negative context meaning cheap/unfair/bad, you can't claim to be pro-homosexuality and completely accepting of them. It's like me claiming that I have no problem with people of dark skin but then going around saying the N-word (yes this is a completely valid comparison)

So either stop using the word in this context, or stop pretending that you don't harbour animosity towards gays.

I personally have never used the term in such a way, as my vocabulary is far too littered with more common expletives to need more euphemistic, less censored terms instead. I'm not sure if that's actually a good thing. However, thanks for telling me what I am and am not.

The only animosity I harbor is toward people who put issues I find relatively trivial on a pedestal, and people who have trouble with English's homonyms, but I try to at least keep that in check.

 

[KRDsonic]

If you still continue to use the word gay in a negative context meaning cheap/unfair/bad, you can't claim to be pro-homosexuality and completely accepting of them.

Says who?

Does this mean I can't eat meat yet like animals too?

 

[Lenus Altair]

What's unfair is your attempts at mocking-cynical wordplay to highlight the tone of your posts. I suppose it's an improvement, though, that you've finally used "you're" in that part of a sentence rather than "your."

You're speaking for others, plain and simple. Whether those others are the majority or the minority is hard to tell, and whether the reason to take offense is legitimate is, itself, under debate.

Yes I am speaking for some others, that is true. I don't't claim to know everyones feelings. I've claimed that it offends a number of people (more then just myself) for one reson or another and would like to see it stop. As you admit and I agree, how many is hard to tell.

Also grammar mistakes on my part don't invalidate my points.

The word means happy.
If homosexuals were alloowed to change the definition to fit their sexual orientation we can change it to mean stupid.
It doesn't matter really.

Homosexuals changed nothing of the sort. Before you make a post like this, learn the history.

 

[Zankoku]

Speaking of history, here's a more recent bit of it.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article671972.ece

 

[Gea]

Check yo link, Ankoku

 

[The Good Doctor]

I didn't read this whole thread so this may have been already brought up, but wasn't the origin of the word "gay" slang to homosexual. I know it meant happy before obviously.

I know homosexuals that use the word "gay" in this way. You are over reacting to the extreme kid..

 

[Kholdstare]

...What? I wasn't targeting anyone as a smash player personally, just where I come from we're used to referring to things like this as stuff smash players would do. Not that they're dumb or anything. I mean, people used to think they were dumb and their game sucked but I don't personally, its just something I got used to saying. Just lighten up. God.).

This guy is WINNING.

 

[The Good Doctor]

Also grammar mistakes on my part don't invalidate my points.

No, but it does invalidate your intelligence.
=D
Just kidding.

 

[RATED]

I don't find it wrong to use the word gay in that way, don't get me wrong I respect Gay people( one of my best friends is gay) at least in English "gay" since english allows to use words for a different meaning.

In spanish saying "pato" (gay) sounds offensive as hell and only you can use it if you are a REAL close friend of the person you tell that. The same with "****" in spanish is "violacion" which sounds horrible lol.

 

[The Good Doctor]

I don't find it wrong to use the word gay in that way, don't get me wrong I respect Gay people( one of my best friends is gay) at least in English "gay" since english allows to use words for a different meaning.

In spanish saying "pato" (gay) sounds offensive as hell and only you can use it if you are a REAL close friend of the person you tell that. The same with "****" in spanish is "violacion" which sounds horrible lol.

Same here but I have a friend that always retorts "I don't think it has a sexual preference."
It really upsets me because I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT LIKE THAT. It's also my opinion that no one should, unless the context is actually about homosexuals

I think it's comparable to white kids using the "N word" as slang. They aren't being racist, if anything they wish they were African American.

 

[Lenus Altair]

I know homosexuals that use the word "gay" in this way. You are over reacting to the extreme kid..

If you're calling me a kid then I have to wonder your age. Also if you think a thread and signature is overacting I'd go meet a real extremist.

Honestly I have been doing my best to listen and understand the other point of view, and I won't deny that some of there ideas seem to have validity. At the same time I feel there are still some of my and others points that have not be refuted either.

No, but it does invalidate your intelligence.
=D
Just kidding.

Ha. Well considering how many others have made grammar mistakes and went back after the fact to edit them out, you'd better be.

I don't care about making sure I used the correct "there" or "your" all the time when writing a post on a site like this.

 

[The Good Doctor]

You have to understand that what you and j00t have been saying I've taken as insults. You have no right to tell me what I do and do not believe. You and others can take me saying something is gay all you want, but there is no valid reason to do so. Words can have alternate meanings, and it just so happens the word gay has quite a few.

When I say something is gay, the last thing I'm thinking about is extreme guy on guy action.

 

[Lenus Altair]

You have to understand that what you and j00t have been saying I've taken as insults.

Alright... but I haven't been trying to insult anyone.

Isn't that one of the common arguments supporting the use of the word gay as you all have?

You have no right to tell me what I do and do not believe.

I don't recall doing that.

You and others can take me saying something is gay all you want, but there is no valid reason to do so.

Obviously I disagree.

Words can have alternate meanings, and it just so happens the word gay has quite a few.

Yes it does but...

When I say something is gay, the last thing I'm thinking about is extreme guy on guy action.

^^^This is not on point. The core argument I have stood by is that using the word gay a synonym for wrong still evokes the connection that being gay is wrong despite intent otherwise. The connection is still there because the use of the word gay as a general negative adjective and to specifically say homosexuality is wrong are both still in common use today and the slang use to label something as wrong arose from it labeling homosexuality as wrong.

 

[The Good Doctor]

Are you kidding me?
Like, honestly?

You have been saying that since people use the word gay in that way we are saying homosexuality is wrong. If that isn't trying to put words in our mouths and telling us what we believe in I don't know what is.

Times have obviously changed, and with it interpretation has also. That is what you are not understanding. The "N word" had some pretty rough beginnings, but now it's used in African American culture very often. Do you wish to call them racist while you're at it?

 

[Zankoku]

Ha. Well considering how many others have made grammar mistakes and went back after the fact to edit them out, you'd better be.

I don't care about making sure I used the correct "there" or "your" all the time when writing a post on a site like this.

Yeah, and considering how many people use the word "gay" in such an "incorrect" way, you'd think things would have changed by now. You may not find it important, but it's particularly grating for me to read **** like "their not really you're problem."

 

[Ganonsburg]

How come this is still going? We've already had two separate sources linked in here explaining that the word "gay" as an offensive word not related to homosexuality has been used since before "gay" was used to mean homosexual. IMO that ends the debate.

 

[EmperorB-rad2kj]

Just how long is this gonna last. Im kinda getting tired of seeing people go back and forth only to get nowhere. It always end up leading back to the same argument each and every time.

 

[A Pimp Named Slickback]

honestly OP, you're ****ing gay

and nobody cares what you think

 

[EmperorB-rad2kj]

honestly OP, you're ****ing gay

and nobody cares what you think

I lol at this fail