Using the word "gay" and other derogatory language

[KidBeano]

Ugh, this thread is so straight. Seriously :/

(What? If straight people can call things gay, give me a reason I and other gay people can't call things straight. Precisely the same principle.)

In all seriousness, I'm glad it hasn't been banned completely - I don't see a need for that. And I'm also glad that you've made it the users that police it, in a way. Mods warning someone using it in a thread where no-one reading cares if they use it or not seems a little harsh, so what you've announced definitely seems the right thing

 

[Buzz]

When people say that you need to "lighten up", they have to consider that the reason people struggle with their sexuality is because the word for being homosexual has been commonly used as the word for being bad, stupid, or just plain wrong. Obviously the making of the latter definition was no coincidence so simply not using it in that way would show that the people of Bulbagarden are at least tolerant of homosexuality, rather than homophobic and bringing people down with their own interpretation of what "gay" means and why it's okay to use it.

 

[Rin-chan]

I'm glad this was made an announcement, but it is sad to see you have to go this far to make it stop.

 

[Joshawott]

I agree 100% with this. In fact, I had a bit of a spat with someone over their use of "tard" (short form of "retard" for those who don't know), which I find equally offensive when misused; so I'd be grateful if similar offensive-yet-misused terms are added into one policy.

 

[Oswin]

I agree 100% with this. In fact, I had a bit of a spat with someone over their use of "tard" (short form of "retard" for those who don't know), which I find equally offensive when misused; so I'd be grateful if similar offensive-yet-misused terms are added into one policy.

How can Retard or Tard be "Misused?" To me it's the same as using Gay to describe something bad, it's just plain offensive.

 

[Bikini Miltank]

I seem to quote this a lot, but it really is the most eloquent argument I've read on the matter.

Those people jump on the same tired old bandwagon, claiming that the word means gay as in dumb/silly/dorky/uncool, not gay as in homosexual. Gawd, why don’t people grow a sense of humor?

And the answer is this: kids are still dying, because they’re gay. Sadistic bastards in New York think it’s funny to kidnap a man, hold him hostage, and sodomize him with household cleaning supplies, because he’s gay. Catholic schools expel kids, because their mothers are lesbian. People are still not allowed (pending the final outcome of currently-argued court decisions) to serve openly in the military, because they’re gay. I can’t get married in Kansas, because I’m a lesbian. Kids are still tormented because other kids think they act “gay,” even if everyone knows they’re as straight as a T-square.

It’s all a form of violent social policing that is only reinforced every time someone says, “Electric cars are gay.” Words matter. No one outside a Klan hood would ever think of using the N-word in that way. People with their heads outside their colons know not to complain about a meeting being “retarded.” We all know that words have meanings, and using words has consequences.

Today, when kids who are tormented by racists for being Asian, Latino, or African-American go home in anger, shock, or tears, their parents understand and can provide some help to the kids in dealing with the problem.

So many people think that we are claiming victim status when we decry the casual use of the word “gay” as a random epithet. But gay kids don’t usually have any support at all. They’re left hanging in the breeze, and so many of them go home to parents they can’t talk to, who don’t understand what it’s like to grow up different in that particular way, or worse, who state openly that gay people go to hell. For kids who are gay, having to hear who and what they are constantly used as a putdown is exhausting and soul-extinguishing.

These kids are at the mercy of the outside world, but home is not a refuge for them either. No wonder they attempt suicide at such a high rate. How can we expect them to understand that the whole world is not like high school?

 

[Julum]

That's... depressing. Didn't expect to see such an announcement; hopefully that dies down once people read this.

I think think exact same thing as you. I didn't even know people were using the word "gay" so much. Hopefully people will stop.

 

[Joshawott]

How can Retard or Tard be "Misused?" To me it's the same as using Gay to describe something bad, it's just plain offensive.

Tard and Retard are often used to describe someone who just said something extremely stupid, or as you said, something bad. When in fact the actual meaning is more in line with mental retardation, and to call someone it is pretty darn offensive.

 

[Oswin]

Tard and Retard are often used to describe someone who just said something extremely stupid, or as you said, something bad. When in fact the actual meaning is more in line with mental retardation, and to call someone it is pretty darn offensive.

No, I mean using the word "Retard" is extremely offensive, whether the person has mental disability or not.

Btw sorry if it came of that I was having a go at you I was just curious

Yet more censorship. Do you get inspiration from Mao's China, Stalin's Russia, or Hitler's Germany?

It's not exactly censorship, they are asking you to be considerate of other peoples feelings :s

 

[The Puppetmaster]

And then using force to back up their own beliefs. Are there any straight, non liberal members of staff, or have the gays and their followers completely taken over?

The staff isn't banning the use of the word. They're just allowing members who do feel uncomfortable when the term "gay" is used in a negative way to ask the person saying it to stop. It's just being fair.

 

[Monbrey]

Interesting fact: The word "gay" actually had a meaning pre-dating its definition as happiness, which was pretty much the opposite of its current meaning. It used to be used to describe heterosexuals who had a lot of sex/sexual partners. More commonly referred to today as a slut. So I guess.... nah, happiness is still pretty damn accurate in both cases.

 

[Kutomba]

Cheeses, we had that here too? Well, at least it looks like I won't have to deal with it now, anyway.

 

[pokemoll]

Good thing this has stopped here. Now I just wish everywhere else would put up some sort of rule like this.

Calling someone or something "gay" is truly an insult.

 

[Oswin]

All they are asking is that you refrain from using the word "Gay" to describe something negative. I can see your point, about "growing a pair", because society is way to overly touchy about things now, race, sexuality, ect.

But, if I was homosexual, I wouldn't like people saying things are gay when they don't like something, because you are comparing homosexuality with negativity.

 

[Iteru]

so lets say I have a gay friend on bmgf(i dont.) and I talk to him about something, but I just happen to use the word gay. does that mean that i'm breaking the rules? c'mon! that's just stupid.

Nope it wouldn't be breaking any rules, because you wouldn't be associating the word "gay" with something bad in that scenario.

 

[Kamex]

I would like to thank the staff for introducing this guideline. It's always saddened me when people use the word "gay" as a pejorative, to describe something bad, wrong or stupid. I've always tried to encourage people not to use certain words, the word "gay" being one of them, in a derogatory manner, because I feel it's unfair to do so. Do we want gay people to relate themselves to a word, used in such a way? A tolerant community certainly shouldn't be approving of that.

Thank you in the name of every gay person and the people who support them.

 

[Melon Collie]

It's sad how that word became an insult.

 

[pokemoll]

Any word, such as Gay, shouldn't even be said to anyones face, whether it be here or in real life. Its just disrespectfull! Its..wrong!

This rules genius, and the guys arguing with it aren't even giving valid exuses.

I'm 11 and I understand that. -_-;

 

[Fig]

Why was I told that "policing" this behavior would be unfeasible and a waste of time when I brought it up when I was staff?

Because it took us a long while to figure out a solution that was more-or-less acceptable to both people who didn't want us banning language, and those who wanted us banning misuse of gay.

 

[Still Probably Modio]

This is a good idea, next best thing to actually banning it.
The bisexuals and homosexuals here are just as much people as hetrosexuals.