Do homosexuals find the word 'queer' describing them offensive?

[dug777]

i mean i some times smell a 'queer' smell when i forget to take the bin out for a few days...i suppose it has become a slur? In which case is it ok to call straight people or inanimate objects queer?

as in 'there's nought as queer as folk'

Anyway, whats the general consensus OT?

 

[Philippine Mango]

it depends..

 

[bradruth]

Not at all. When my garbage stinks I usually say "Christ! That smells like a drunken Mick!"

 

[Mrvile]

What about us Chinese when someone uses "chlnk" as a sound effect or referring to a small wedge of wood? What about black people when the word negro is used? Or French people when Americans speak at all? Many questions to be answered, my young padawan.

 

[Rastus]

They use the word all the time to describe themselves, but an "outsider" using the word is offensive to them, regardless of the context or intentions of the user.

 

[Gurck]

DV is just a whiny little girl who loves pointing his finger, namecalling and displaying a depressing lack of intelligence. In other words, he's vying for Elite and should receive it shortly

Seeing as how many gays refer to themselves as queer and a show which portrays the lifestyle in a good light (queer eye for the straight guy) is on TV, I'd have to say that no, it's not deemed offensive by most.

 

[So]

Basically, if you refer to anyone in a negative light, naming that group is declared a slur, even if the word you chose is used in a positive light by the group itself.

:roll:

The world today makes me sad. We really need to start a moon colony filled with non assholes only.

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: So
We really need to start a moon colony filled with non assholes only.

And clowns

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: So
The world today makes me sad. We really need to start a moon colony filled with non assholes only.

With central A/C of course...

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: So
We really need to start a moon colony filled with non assholes only.

And clowns

No clowns!

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: So
The world today makes me sad. We really need to start a moon colony filled with non assholes only.

With central A/C of course...

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: So
We really need to start a moon colony filled with non assholes only.

And hot a$$ strippers

Fixed

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Rastus
They use the word all the time to describe themselves, but an "outsider" using the word is offensive to them, regardless of the context or intentions of the user.

this is about right. altho many older gay people find the use of the word "queer" (to describe gay people) to be offensive even when used by gay people. they remember a time before queer was "reclaimed" by gays and was primarily used as an insult.

 

[JoeKing]

Originally posted by: dug777
i mean i some times smell a 'queer' smell when i forget to take the bin out for a few days...i suppose it has become a slur? In which case is it ok to call straight people or inanimate objects queer?

as in 'there's nought as queer as folk'

Anyway, whats the general consensus OT?

well let's see now...

Hey dug777 "Ya Queer!"

did you find that offensive?

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Gurck
Seeing as how many gays refer to themselves as queer and a show which portrays the lifestyle in a good light (queer eye for the straight guy) is on TV, I'd have to say that no, it's not deemed offensive by most.

Um, black people call themselves "n1gger" when they are joking around. Would it therefore be appropriate for you (a white person) to begin referring to n1gger this and n1gger that? I doubt it.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: Gurck
Seeing as how many gays refer to themselves as queer and a show which portrays the lifestyle in a good light (queer eye for the straight guy) is on TV, I'd have to say that no, it's not deemed offensive by most.

Um, black people call themselves "n1gger" when they are joking around. Would it therefore be appropriate for you (a white person) to begin referring to n1gger this and n1gger that? I doubt it.

Personally, I think it inappropriate when whites or blacks use the word...but that's just my stupid opinion...

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: Gurck
Seeing as how many gays refer to themselves as queer and a show which portrays the lifestyle in a good light (queer eye for the straight guy) is on TV, I'd have to say that no, it's not deemed offensive by most.

Um, black people call themselves "n1gger" when they are joking around. Would it therefore be appropriate for you (a white person) to begin referring to n1gger this and n1gger that? I doubt it.

Good partial point, but there're no TV shows with the N-word as a part of their name either.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: Gurck
Seeing as how many gays refer to themselves as queer and a show which portrays the lifestyle in a good light (queer eye for the straight guy) is on TV, I'd have to say that no, it's not deemed offensive by most.

Um, black people call themselves "n1gger" when they are joking around. Would it therefore be appropriate for you (a white person) to begin referring to n1gger this and n1gger that? I doubt it.

Personally, I think it inappropriate when whites or blacks use the word...but that's just my stupid opinion...

I think EVERYONE should be allowed to say that word, so long as it is considered a swear like any other (i.e. not appropriate for business). It should be like all other racial slurs, which can be said by anyone in a joking or academic fashion without fear of reprisals.

We have become so afraid to offend anyone that we are selling out human dignity, and pretending that certain groups are incapable of dealing with the past like rational beings. IMO, that's akin to the ideas that southerners had about blacks being less intelligent up to midcentury.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Gurck

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: Gurck
Seeing as how many gays refer to themselves as queer and a show which portrays the lifestyle in a good light (queer eye for the straight guy) is on TV, I'd have to say that no, it's not deemed offensive by most.

Um, black people call themselves "n1gger" when they are joking around. Would it therefore be appropriate for you (a white person) to begin referring to n1gger this and n1gger that? I doubt it.

Good partial point, but there're no TV shows with the N-word as a part of their name either.

Queer is used as an adjective in that show title, not as a noun, and furthermore it is being used by gays (or their promoters). the word queer has a derogatory conotation when used by heterosexuals in the noun for gay people, imo.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: So
We have become so afraid to offend anyone that we are selling out human dignity

I think it's more to do with commom courtesy. It's just not polite to refer to black people as 'n1ggers'.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: So
We have become so afraid to offend anyone that we are selling out human dignity

I think it's more to do with commom courtesy. It's just not polite to refer to black people as 'n1ggers'.

So why can blacks do it?

 

[JoeKing]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: So
We have become so afraid to offend anyone that we are selling out human dignity

I think it's more to do with commom courtesy. It's just not polite to refer to black people as 'n1ggers'.

So why can blacks do it?

by my understanding it's because they took a perviously derogatory term used against them and made it their own thereby defeating it in the process.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: So
We have become so afraid to offend anyone that we are selling out human dignity

I think it's more to do with commom courtesy. It's just not polite to refer to black people as 'n1ggers'.

So why can blacks do it?

isn't the political context entirely changed, in that situation?

edit: wouldn't you agree that the emotion associated with the word "n1gger" is totally different in the two following situations:

1. a black person is relaxing with a black friend, and affectionately refers to that friend as "n1gger"

2. a white person shouts "n1gger" at a black person as s/he zooms by in a car

 

[RossMAN]

context

 

[Rastus]

Al Sharpton can use the "N-word" all he wants to. I cannot use it in any context without offending him, even if I didn't mean harm by it.

However, he does not have any problems calling me a "cracker", even in a mean spirited way. Being called a cracker by Al Sharpton does not offend me because

Al Sharpton has no moral authority and his words are meaningless.