Friday 2 February 2007
Who Owns the F-Word?
Paula Zahn gets things 'Out in the Open' in a discussion on CNN about the word "faggot." Talking with writer/activist Keith Boykin, HRC president Joe Solmonese, attorney Lauren Lake and radio talk show host Steve Malzberg, the panelists discuss what makes the F-word the ultimate gay slur -- or not.
Do you use "fag" when talking gay-to-gay? Who else is allowed to say it? Sharon Stone uses it freely, she says, and thinks everyone needs to get over it: “Please, I call all my gay friends 'big fags'."
Thoughts? Leave a comment.
Watch 'Out in the Open' on the F-Word:
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9 comments:
The "F-word", the "N-word"...I agree that we all need to get our tolerance on, but Good Grief! If Sharon Stone called me a "big fag", I'd likely swoon at her feet (completely disregarding her most recent unfortunate eye-lift).
We are the luckiest people in the modern world, to live here in the US. It's as
f-*cked up as a Football Bat, but it's OUR Football Bat! The Constitution guarantees us the right to free speech, and unfortunately, that includes racial slurs. I don't like it, but if we start banning this word and that one, whole sentences are soon to follow. I know this because I live in the Deep South...we have a long-standing nasty habit of banning and burning that goes ALL the way back!
Good Post. Thanks! :)
Andi
The way people are throwing it around, looks like they all seem to "own" it. Paris Hilton, idol to some gay men threw it out, along with a choice racial slur,and no backlash and nary a peep from the gay web sites.
Only when all hateful words are called out and the person who says them made to look like the hateful bigots they are will it end. Until then, it will continue to flow freely IMO. can't pick and chose who is the bigger bigot.
There tends to be an alliterative tendency to use the phrase fucking faggot. It is as if it is the f word squared. Even the epithet fucking nigger does not conjure up an active visual image. However, fucking faggots does this. Also, the only version of this word I have ever heard used is to call something hyper effeminate- faggy. This term is also used as a put down. Something faggy is never something nice even by the gays that use it.
And I am so sick and tired of snotty little straight kids using gay as a synonym for stupid or awful.
They should be so lucky to be so stupid or awful.
While I have no problem with Ms. Stone using the word fag with her gay friends, heck I met her, she clearly loves the gays and I do agree, to me it is just a word..
However negligible it is to me, or her, there are those who weild it like a knife and mean it in such a hateful way that it does hurt others.
The few times that has happened to me have laughed in those peoples faces because, as stated it is just a word, but not everyone is as thick skinned....
In these cases the big picture must be considered not just the individual opinion.
That being said "Get over it" once gay people do the word will have lost it's impact.....that is my opinion of it personally : )
"Sticks and Stones....". Words are dangerous only to those who put too much meaning into them. I've seen people react negatively to 'cute' and 'babe' but it all comes down to a personal level between individuals and what they WANT OR NEED to communicate to each other. All's-a-sais....Take in consideration Mob Mentality when speaking in public, it might lead to 'counseling.'...
Ravel
I am a gay male of color in my forties. I equate the f-word on the same level as the n-word. I do not tolerate anyone using the n-word and I do nto tolerate anyone using the f-word. No one owns either word and why would anyone want to own these words? You can not change the meaning or tone of a word. The f-word and the n-word said in jest is nothing more that the same word being said in hate, just sophmorically sugar coated. It still is what it was before the sugar.
Wow. Ok yea. BAN WORDS?
Like that will go through.
You cant tell me what not to say.
You cant tell anyone what not to say.
It wont work.
Everyones allowed to say it. Cause everyone says it.
Paula Zahn, Love you, but you, and your quest never get to the root of the problem with a lot of issues you discuss. With anything if you ban something you only make it more attractive to the mind, and no one ever considers the real issues which is if awareness is present. A word, or anything has no power if you are simply aware of the root causes of any social disease or conditioning. A word is just a word, a finger is just a finger only to the person who is aware. Only to the person who has dropped all kinds of conditioning that has been given to that person by others. The real question should be how to be aware, then you immediately stop searching for ways to changing persons behavior then root causes become meaningful. It is systemic in this society that we try to solve problems, or try to understand something when our own educational, religious, and all other conditions teach us behavioral modifications. Just have a good laugh at the F-word, because this repressive society's agenda's is to keep people ignorant.
The use of the word really determines wether or not it is an insult or not, essentialy. For example, calling someone fat is usually considered offensive. However, I am somewhat fat myself, and a few of my friends call me fat a lot. But it isn't an insult, it isn't meant to be hurtful. It is kind of another way of just joking around. So, calling someone a fag could be either an insult, or just a friendly greeting. It all depends on the infliction and tone.
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