We’ll Have a Gay Old Time

8 Comments

1. 

   polyanarch September 2, 2008 at 17:36

   I’d have liked something between the first 2 answers. It’s just a word, but often it can be extremely offensive. It depends on the setting and the way it is used. It does show some hidden (sometimes not so hidden) bias and hatred/distaste towards homosexuality as a whole.

   I’ll only rarely say it, but when I do I MEAN it. This is SO GAY! and it’s a good thing (or at least neutral) 😉

   ’cause some things really are “pretty gay.”

2. 

   ex_greymaide85 September 2, 2008 at 18:05

   I do find this insulting when it is used in a homophobic manner by sophomoric american males. On the other hand, I will use it myself in an ironic sense, as a mockery of the speech patterns of those previously described sophomoric males. This may, again, be one of those things that is only funny to me, and others may think it is a normal part of my speech pattern. I sure hope not.

3. 

   tymergnath September 2, 2008 at 18:24

   Seriously?

   The original usage of the word gay was another way to say; merry; gleeful; blithe; airy; lively; sprightly, sportive; light-hearted; frolicsome; jolly; jovial; joyous; joyful; glad; showy; splendid; vivacious….

   The modern usage referring to sexual preference is a distortion of its original meaning.
   The terms above are meant to describe the homosexual stereotype.

   Now, we have another distortion of the original meaning.
   The new distortion describes things that are silly, pointless, frivolous, substandard, etc…

   Going to a club with great atmosphere and music is cool.
   Going to a club with a tiny dance floor and polka music is gay.
   Gay = something you might think was cool if you were a 4 year old …or a twit.

4. 

   lordtumnus September 2, 2008 at 19:13

   I don’t know, I find it a rather queer question myself…

5. 

   tricstmr September 2, 2008 at 22:35

   See…

   I wanted something between extremely offended and don’t use it myself.

   I don’t think “gay” is on the same level as say “cunt” or “nigger” or such things.. but I do think it is bad as a perjorative and I teach our kids not to say it…

6. 

   sagaloo September 3, 2008 at 15:06

   I don’t feel that all possible answers were covered in the choices given, so I can’t participate in the poll. There is nothing close to my personal view. What is my personal view? Well, given that once upon a time “gay” used to mean “happy”, and “care-free” I wonder if someone who felt gay back in the day might have been offended by someone who was a homosexual being referred to as “gay” just because they were homosexual. I mean, why should a homosexual have exclusive rights to a word that means “happy”? (I’m just old enough to remember the word being use to mean “happy”.)

7. 

   black_chamber September 3, 2008 at 16:49

   I felt the last answer was funniest, but inaccurate. I’d say I felt something between 1 and 2, but the misuse of the word bothers me in general, not as anything offensive to homosexuals. I feel it is almost as annoying as the misuse of the word “anymore” when people mean “still”. *sigh*

   I guess I’m just a crotchety old man now.

8. 

   princeps1978 September 3, 2008 at 22:50

   Being gay, yes I do find the colloquialism offensive. To me, it almost implies that homos are responsible for any and everything that goes wrong in the world.

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