Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulS
Accusing someone of being with a prostitute whether gay or heterosexual is an insult. That is the insult the Republicans threw around. If it wasn't meant to be an insult why did the Republicans all use the word gay?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device
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I'm old enough to remember when homosexuals were called homosexuals. It was a purely, biologically, psychologically, sociologically, descriptive word, but those who are called "gays" now objected then to being called homosexual because it somehow connoted an abnormal, devious, condition. So they chose to call themselves "gay" which used to be a word that denoted happiness, joy, good stuff, even better than just being normal such as heterosexuals supposedly were.
I'll never forget an incident when I was working behind the reference desk in our downtown library, a man asked for information on the subject. This was when "gay" had barely begun to make any headway at all as a term of use. So I gave him the file that was labeled homosexuality as a starter to peruse before finding him various books about it. He blew up in my face, and excoriated the library system for filing information under that title. He took it very personally as a homo--, er, "gay" person, claiming it was a derogatory word that painted a negative image of "gays." And went on and on about what bigots we were. I didn't engage in whatever debate he may have wanted to have or in whatever diatribe he wished to deliver. Just went about my business of getting him some more information. I doubted that any of it would use the label "gay" at that time. Hoped he wouldn't come back and call me out for discrimination and insensitivity for giving him such inflammatory literature--its all we had. The word "gay" in the manner he wanted to use it had not even begun to be the preferred term, (or the seemingly mandated term of today). One hardly ever, if ever, uses the word "gay" now to mean anything other than what used to be called homosexual. Just one of the many changes in the meanings of words that have "helped" to change our culture into becoming inclusive--and "nice."
Apparently, re Paul's post, even "gay" has reverted to being as insulting as "homosexual." Gotta keep changing these key words until we remake society into the "inclusion diversity and equity" model that will make us all happy. Though, if really nice and happy words, like "gay" used to be, still ain't good enough, one wonders even if we keep extending that peculiar sexual section of our vocabulary from homosexual, to gay, to perhaps "nice people," that will still be an insult for some reason or other.
Maybe homosexual is still homosexual, no matter what abuse we put language through. I don't consider homosexual to be derogatory. Why should it be, if its just a harmless matter of sexual choice?