<p>I either a) ignore it or b) just say “I don’t like the use of that word” in a calm tone.</p>
<p>I don’t think any of that is too much.</p>
<p>My teacher got all upset with me over these “offensive terms” so the next day I tried to use gay and ■■■■■■■■ to mean good. She got upset again.</p>
<p>^That’s just you being an *******… :</p>
<p>I thought for sure she would be amused by me calling the prospect of free cupcakes “as gay as Haroon’s Christmas sweater.”</p>
<p>^You are not funny. It’s better to learn that now rather than thinking that you are.</p>
<p>Actually, you’re too sensitive. It’s better to learn that now than going around thinking everyone around you is a jerk.</p>
<p>^Yeah, because I clearly said I that everyone is a jerk…Reread it if you have trouble interpreting language. I never even said THIS guy was a jerk–I just think his actions were jerk-like, but I’m the LAST person to hold a grudge or to write someone else off…so I don’t even think he is a jerk. There are few people I really think are…I am probably more nice and less willing to label someone a jerk than most people I know; I like to give everyone chances. </p>
<p>Anyways…you should not resort to just calling someone “sensitive” because they have feelings and opinions. How pathetic.</p>
<p>I disagree everyone who thinks theyre so right for yelling at people who “wrongly” use words like gay and ■■■. You have to realize that language is a living creature; it changes, grows, and morphs with time. Today, words mean things that they didn’t previously mean. Words like “gay” and “■■■” have changing meanings. No matter how much you disagree with it, you can’t stop the alteration of a language. It’s a movement bigger than you’ll ever be. So accept the fact that these words are changing.</p>
<p>@christiansoldier: If you’re going to have a name like that, think you ought to act a little more Christian?</p>
<p>Why is it okay to say “don’t be a ■■■” because “■■■” has changed, but it wouldn’t be okay to say “don’t be a ■■■■■■■■ I, for one, don’t think linguistics evolve that quickly. Maybe in 30 or 40 years.</p>
<p>OMG! I DID NOT YELL AT ANYONE. I was pretty darn calm.</p>
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<p>First of all, language has undergone changes and will continue…so it obviously happens and can and will.</p>
<p>Second of all, I was asking ONE person (not millions) to stop…that’s a lot easier.</p>
<p>^^^ Who ever said that “■■■/■■■■■■” is acceptable these days? That word still ****es me off and I’m not even gay.</p>
<p>^I’m not gay either…and I think I’ve made it obvious that it bothers me.</p>
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Linguistic evolution is measured by societal acceptance, not time. If “■■■” is accepted by society as a general synonym for “obnoxious” and ■■■■■■■■ isn’t, that’s the difference.</p>
<p>^I agree. But who says it is accepted by society?</p>
<p>The reason why people use words like ■■■ is just because they ARE offensive and controversial so they carry more weight. It’s the same reason why people swear.</p>
<p>I don’t say the word ■■■ myself, but I think a good amount of people who say ■■■ regularly actually don’t have anything against gays. I know this girl (she’s kinda obnoxious) and she calls people fags all the time in front of her gay best friend, and he doesn’t mind at all.</p>
<p>So I don’t think people should get too offended, unless the offender is actually homophobic.</p>
<p>^I mean, I know people who do get offended, so it’s cool that your friend doesn’t, but other people do.</p>
<p>I would rather have someone swear at me than say “■■■,” “gay,” or “■■■■■■■■.”</p>
<p>Also, it kind of just annoys me as someone who likes the English language when words are used in the completely wrong way.</p>
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<p>I hate this argument, because people are trying so hard to ignore what’s clearly there. Do you really think it’s a coincidence that both “gay” and “■■■” came to have general negative connotations at the same time? It’s obvious that the use of these words as insults stems from homophobia. I hear these words applied most often when a guy does something considered feminine.</p>
<p>If overnight everyone decided to call gay people ‘xyz’ people, I bet it wouldn’t take too long for “that’s so gay” to be replaced by “that’s so xyz”. And a lot of you would probably still cling to the argument that languages evolve. Do you really deny that people who use the word “■■■■■■■■” as an insult make the association with the mentally challenged? Some of you are doing just that. And that denial makes it more obvious to me what this “words change” business is about. People get caught up saying these words, make a habit of them, and then are called out on demeaning a group of people. Stuck in a habit (ever notice that people who use “■■■■■■■■” or “■■■” do so about every ten minutes?) but not wanting to be viewed as a bigot, they say “words change,” and go on using the words and perpetuating the stigma that brought them into existence.</p>
<p>Kids claim they don’t have gay people in mind when they call each other ‘fags.’ South Park fabricates a situation where ‘■■■’ is only used against Harley bikers. And that’s supposed to convince us that the word isn’t derogatory anymore? Look up any gay-bashing incident, and you’ll see the word ‘■■■’ written up multiple times in a witness’ retelling. The word obviously isn’t changing, it’s just being disappointingly used by more and more people who are above the use of slurs. When people aren’t murdered of denied the right to marry or serve in the military because of their sexual orientation, call me and try convince me again. When prejudicial practices change, maybe the words associated with them can change too. But certainly not before.</p>