No Homo . . . That's Gay

by Dick Mac

I have been unable to embrace the slang exclamation "that's gay!"

Younger people, rappers, and their adult apologists, insist it's not a slur against homosexuals. Sort of like how a black guy says "nigger." Except, it's not young homosexuals that use the expression "that's gay," it is young people who do not identify themselves as GLBT; so, instead of comparing it to a young black guy using "nigger" it would be more accurately comparable to a young member of the KKK using the word "nigger." Like, a guy wearing a civil war cap, with a confederate flag tattoo approaching a friend who is wearing a new shirt and saying, "Man, that shirt is so nigger." Doesn't really feel right does it?

Now the conversation is a lot more uncomfortable.

How about this: a young white suburban Catholic boy walks into the schoolyard, sees a friend's new gadget and says: that's so "jew!"

It really doesn't work, does it?

You know why it doesn't work? Because it is a pejorative use of the word. It's not camaraderie, the way two black guys call each other "nigger" or two gay guys call each other "Mary"; the two people don't share Jewishness and it is folly to presume it is meant as a compliment.

If it is not meant as a compliment, then it is not rocket-science to conclude that it is meant as an insult.

The use of the word "gay" to denigrate somebody may sound more polite than using the word "faggot," but it means the same thing; and it means the same as nigger, spic, kike, cunt, wop, kraut, bitch, and every other racial, ethnic, or sexual pejorative.

I know I am not very good at articulating this point, so the folks at current.com have produced a video that explains it all to you.



The use of the word gay in this context is not acceptable.

Or is it?