Is Queer a derogatory term?

[allisolm]

I love how terms become derogatory but they never come back on the market as non-offensive.

Well, we did have "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and I don't think it was considered offensive.

 

[SandEagle]

I go banned from atot for a week for calling Mike Gayner this word

lol. personally i find the term gayner offensive. i think i will coin this as a new derogotory word in AT.

you: how do you like this pink shirt?
me: that is soooooo gayner.

 

[Jeeebus]

I go banned from atot for a week for calling Mike Gayner this word

That's queer.

 

[AreaCode707]

Queer was the most common slang term for a homosexual before gay was, but it was never "not necessarily offensive for awhile" and neither, fer crissakes, was n!gger.

Both were always meant in a highly derogatory fashion, from the start!

I'll still debate you on that by drawing a line between offensive and derogatory.
Offensive words are words we cannot use in polite company, words that arouse strong emotional response, words that are intended to hurt.
Derogatory words are words that, intentional or not, marginalize the population to which they are applied.

I would argue that, for a while, both queer and the n-word were non-offensive language. They were used in polite company, both the majority and minority community used them, advocates for both communities even used them. See the writings of Mark Twain or Harriet Beecher Stowe or other period pieces for examples regarding the n-word; it was common parlance in situations where the speakers had no intent to offend and where the word was not taken with offense.

Now was it derogatory? Yes! And over time it became appropriately recognized as an offensive word as well.

 

[effowe]

While a lot of younger people are open to this word, for older people, the word still is coupled with the hate and intolerance of the 50s and 60s. Understandably its a lot tougher to remove the stigmata tied to that word. Somehow I think I should mention the South Park episode "The F Word" here.

?

 

[MJinZ]

I'll still debate you on that by drawing a line between offensive and derogatory.
Offensive words are words we cannot use in polite company, words that arouse strong emotional response, words that are intended to hurt.
Derogatory words are words that, intentional or not, marginalize the population to which they are applied.

I would argue that, for a while, both queer and the n-word were non-offensive language. They were used in polite company, both the majority and minority community used them, advocates for both communities even used them. See the writings of Mark Twain or Harriet Beecher Stowe or other period pieces for examples regarding the n-word; it was common parlance in situations where the speakers had no intent to offend and where the word was not taken with offense.

Now was it derogatory? Yes! And over time it became appropriately recognized as an offensive word as well.

Wat.

Offensiveness is based on use and audience.

N Word is only offensive to Black people if someone not Black uses it. N Word is not offensive if black uses it with black.

N Word is offensive to almost all other educated people who hears it in almost all contexts. Crackers and KKK notwithstanding.

A term that is not derogatory will never generally offend someone.

 

[Platypus]

It's all in how you use it in my opinion, just like every other hot-button word.

Words themselves aren't offensive, it's the intent of the user that matters.

 

[MJinZ]

It's all in how you use it in my opinion, just like every other hot-button word.

Words themselves aren't offensive, it's the intent of the user that matters.

Since Queer is inherently a socially derogatory term as it means deviant, anomalous or aberrant.

However, not everyone wants to be the same, so saying someone is different or behaves abnormally may be a compliment, so this depends on the audience and the user.

Used as a whole, Queer is indeed inherently a derogatory term because it literally is socially-aberrant. Used in context, like someone who clearly is a gay-supporter jokingly using it to someone who clearly likes being different - there is no offense.

Which brings up the next point - some generally derogatory terms can be used in non-offensive ways.

 

[AreaCode707]

Wat.

Offensiveness is based on use and audience.

Agreed. However, words change over time. Something that is non-offensive can become offensive and vice versa.

N Word is only offensive to Black people if someone not Black uses it. N Word is not offensive if black uses it with black.

N Word is offensive to almost all other educated people who hears it in almost all contexts. Crackers and KKK notwithstanding.

Absolutely true in modern day. However, that has not always been the case.
http://www.online-literature.com/twain/huckleberry_finn/1/
We find the word offensive now but that wasn't always how it was treated by society, even though it was always derogatory. Stowe's work actually went a long way in defining the term as offensive.

A term that is not derogatory will never generally offend someone.

Yes. But sometimes derogatory terms are not considered offensive.

Retard is a good example. For years it's been employed in casual conversation and generally people did not instantly react as offended on behalf of the maligned population. It's clearly derogatory though. Only recently have people been recognizing that using this word as slang IS offensive.

I should be absolutely clear. I find the n-word absolutely offensive and I have told people to STFU when I've heard them use it in the past, including my grandmother. I'm just pointing out that there was a time when the word was commonly used and, while it was not a respectful way of talking about people, it was not a shocking term to employ as it is today.

 

[MJinZ]

Agreed. However, words change over time. Something that is non-offensive can become offensive and vice versa.

Absolutely true in modern day. However, that has not always been the case.
http://www.online-literature.com/twain/huckleberry_finn/1/
We find the word offensive now but that wasn't always how it was treated by society, even though it was always derogatory. Stowe's work actually went a long way in defining the term as offensive.

Yes. But sometimes derogatory terms are not considered offensive.

Retard is a good example. For years it's been employed in casual conversation and generally people did not instantly react as offended on behalf of the maligned population. It's clearly derogatory though. Only recently have people been recognizing that using this word as slang IS offensive.

I should be absolutely clear. I find the n-word absolutely offensive and I have told people to STFU when I've heard them use it in the past, including my grandmother. I'm just pointing out that there was a time when the word was commonly used and, while it was not a respectful way of talking about people, it was not a shocking term to employ as it is today.

So again, it depends on your use and your audience.

If everyone still had Black slaves and the whites talked to each other about their slaves using the N word, obviously they would have no audience to offend (this is assuming everyone approves of slavery).

I assume the blacks at the same time, if they heard the same conversation with the N-word, would find it very offensive.

So yea, at the time it was not an offensive term was because there was no peers to offend at the time.

Now, blacks are free and whites do not (generally) approve of slavery... so, there are plenty of people to offend.

 

[AreaCode707]

So again, it depends on your use and your audience.

If everyone still had Black slaves and the whites talked to each other about their slaves using the N word, obviously they would have no audience to offend (this is assuming everyone approves of slavery).

I assume the blacks at the same time, if they heard the same conversation with the N-word, would find it very offensive.

So yea, at the time it was not an offensive term was because there was no peers to offend at the time.

Now, blacks are free and whites do not (generally) approve of slavery... so, there are plenty of people to offend.

Ah, we have a discrepancy in understanding of history.

During slavery times blacks would use the n-word in conversation with each other too, referring to themselves, and not in a "hey bro!" type way. It was just part and parcel of the language. If you asked them if they were offended, most would be bewildered why they should be. At one point in time it was just a normal word.

The n-word NEEDED to be recognized as offensive but it was a process getting there. An incredibly successful process it seems, since it seems most people nowadays don't even know how the word evolved and changed in meaning.

 

[MJinZ]

Ah, we have a discrepancy in understanding of history.

During slavery times blacks would use the n-word in conversation with each other too, referring to themselves, and not in a "hey bro!" type way. It was just part and parcel of the language. If you asked them if they were offended, most would be bewildered why they should be. At one point in time it was just a normal word.

The n-word NEEDED to be recognized as offensive but it was a process getting there. An incredibly successful process it seems, since it seems most people nowadays don't even know how the word evolved and changed in meaning.

Source?

My memory of US History is poor.

 

[thegimp03]

I remember playing a game called smear the queer in grade school. Anyone who had the ball got tackled, aka "smeared".

 

[AreaCode707]

Source?

My memory of US History is poor.

I linked to a literary work where the word is used, by children in the presence of a black main character the child considers a friend, in front of the parent, and there is no correction or offensive connotation.

Link
(Forum filter may replace the key word in the link.)

The word originated as a term used in a neutral context to refer to black people, as a variation of the Spanish/Portuguese noun negro, a descendant of the Latin adjective niger, meaning the color "black".[1][2][3][4]

I'll let you follow the reference links. I'm already expecting a call from HR after having some of this in my browser history.

 

[skace]

While queer may be a word being 'taken back', I'd never call someone queer. I'd say "Oh you're gay?" before I'd say "Oh you're queer?" It just sounds terribly stuck up.

 

[purbeast0]

Retard is a good example. For years it's been employed in casual conversation and generally people did not instantly react as offended on behalf of the maligned population. It's clearly derogatory though. Only recently have people been recognizing that using this word as slang IS offensive.

um what?

 

[gorcorps]

No.
But lovely human jew beautiful being might be.

I rofled :awe:

 

[gorcorps]

um what?

What he means is that people have recently begun to get mad when people use the term 'retarded' when they just mean 'stupid'. For some reason they think it's no bueno to use a term such as retarded in a negative fashion, and should only be used to describe those with a mental handicap. I don't know, the whole thing is fucking queer and retarded... queer-tarded if you will.

 

[BoomerD]

What he means is that people have recently begun to get mad when people use the term 'retarded' when they just mean 'stupid'. For some reason they think it's no bueno to use a term such as retarded in a negative fashion, and should only be used to describe those with a mental handicap. I don't know, the whole thing is fucking queer and retarded... queer-tarded if you will.

What a queer sort of reply. I prefer my timing slightly retarded. (depending on the appropriate engine specs...and tyres inflated to sidewall pressure)
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/ignition-system1.htm

 

[BurnItDwn]

I use the term queer. It has better flow than homosexual, and I find the hijacking of the word gay mildly irritating.

So you hijack the word queer to avoid hijacking the word gay?

 

[DayLaPaul]

Seeing as how Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was on network TV for 5 seasons, I don't think that word can is that offensive. There should have been some sort of backlash if it were, you would think.

 

[lxskllr]

So you hijack the word queer to avoid hijacking the word gay?

It has a longer history of use. I don't think gay came in to use until the late 60s.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

Like all words for the LBGT community they can all be used offensively.

Anytime a word is being used to decribe something as bad offends me. Like someone saying "stop acting like such a queer" is just as bad to me as someone saying "stop acting like such a i love you."

The person using the words in a negative fashion might not think anything of it, when in actuality it's a gross display of homophobia as it is now 2010 and we are long past the days of someones character and worth being defined by their sexuality.

On a lighter note, many people are choosing to compare the word to the n-word, but to bring it to a lighter note, it's also the same as the word slut or whore. Whereas a group of women might laugh around and call each other sluts, but if a man were to call a woman a slut he'd (hopefully) get a slap in the face.

 

[JS80]

I don't think anyone is going to get butt hurt over it.

 

[MJinZ]

Like all words for the LBGT community they can all be used offensively.

Anytime a word is being used to decribe something as bad offends me. Like someone saying "stop acting like such a queer" is just as bad to me as someone saying "stop acting like such a i love you."

The person using the words in a negative fashion might not think anything of it, when in actuality it's a gross display of homophobia as it is now 2010 and we are long past the days of someones character and worth being defined by their sexuality.

On a lighter note, many people are choosing to compare the word to the n-word, but to bring it to a lighter note, it's also the same as the word slut or whore. Whereas a group of women might laugh around and call each other sluts, but if a man were to call a woman a slut he'd (hopefully) get a slap in the face.

Well, what if the woman actually is a proud slut?