What's with the sexism and homophobia lately?

[GSZX1337]

I work in construction and i wear gloves! lol I am probably the furthest thing from faggy you can be but, i get made fun of all the time for it.

You haven't seen this have you?

[Pulsar_t]

It's still cool to bash metrosexuals though?

I've been called gay behind my back plenty of times. But what bugs is why are people so obsessed with each others' sexual orientations (or lack thereof). We wouldn't want to sleep with most people we know at any rate Oh and for old times' sake

[fuctfuct]

I work in construction and i wear gloves! lol I am probably the furthest thing from faggy you can be but, i get made fun of all the time for it.

You haven't seen this have you?

lol

[Octopod]

Personally I do not understand why sexual preference is such a big deal. Who people choose to have sex with is such a small part of life yet it is a defining factor in how to label someone. *shrug*

[Kebo]

Knowing it's offensive to some people, why keep it as part of casual diction? What purpose? Is there any reason? I would say no, it's just a habit, which I understand as I once myself was part of it. But you should reconsider its use, especially in a place where you don't know all the people.

The thing is that pretty much anything can be taken as offensive by anyone. So by that logic nobody should really say anything. I'm more offended (offended isn't really the right word) by small talk and bullshit like "sure is hot out today huh?" but i don't go off on a rampage when people say stuff like that around me. Also, saying things that you know might be offensive to people publicly doesn't make you a crude juvenile person. Especially if you think they are complete morons for finding it offensive. If someone has a problem with something someone says, it is their problem. They should take a hard look at themselves and try to figure out why they don't have the confidence or inner strength to not let it bother them.

You made my point for me, "offended isn't really the right word", so that argument really need not be addressed. Now if I went around saying "nigger", would you be completely ok with that? There is a level of common sense and judgment we use in our day to day communication. So while someone may be offended by saying "good lord" or some other mostly innocent phrase, we don't simply assume that someone will be offended by that. And if we know they are, why not be courteous and respectful around them? Is courtesy seriously such an alien concept to our entitled, Generation Me, brat demographic that it's all about what we want and not about another person's feelings? I'm uncomfortable with the notion that may be true. I try to conduct myself with respect and courtesy around others, and sadly I see more and more young people acting contrary to this way of life.

We can be assured there are many people offended by the word fag, or gay, when used as insults, as they both have well known connotations and are virtually always used as an insult. If I just started using "nigger" for a general insult for that which is bad or stupid (like gay and fag are), are you truly going to offer no objection, and see it no more offensive than some small trivial phrase only a very select, rare, often socially isolated people may find offensive? I think if we're not going to use common sense here then there's no point in arguing. Say anything you wish, including insulting people's family, religion, race, and so on, as apparently there is no degree of offensiveness or no ability to judge the context of a word. The point of your argument must have eluded me.

[pepharytheworm]

What have you started dsheinem? I didn't notice the over use of those words and more sexism untill this thread.

[newt42]

I vote for making it part of the forum rules. Sexist/homophobic remarks arent any different than racism.

[dsheinem]

I try to conduct myself with respect and courtesy around others, and sadly I see more and more young people acting contrary to this way of life.

As a group, "young people" have always acted this way, it's part of being young. Hell, too many people give up too much of that rebellious spirit as they age and mellow - so I can understand why so many people here are vehemently defending their right to be immature. I don't want to deny them that right, but I do think that we should call attention to it when it potentially makes the rest of us look bad (again - community censuring, not moderator censoring).

Anyway, this thread has certainly devolved into what I feared it might (a circular argument on the back and forth on the contextual appropriateness of various offensive terms). I'm not going to say any more on the matter - if the thread results in some people thinking twice about what they say/post, then I have accomplished my purpose.

[Weekend_Warrior]

I don't believe in censorship on the internet.

[AmishSamurai]

There's a difference between censoring and saying "be tasteful, jeeze."