You know, right now in New York, there is a pending hate crimes trial that hinges on the fact that "nigga" isn't an offensive term, in fact that it is a sign of fraternity.
And now the BBC Board of Governors has ruled that "gay" as a negative is not an insult...depending on who says it.
Now, I'll give Auntie some minor credit for at least admitting that it could cause offense, but by the same token aren't they condoning usage of it as a pejorative by dismissing the complaint? I don't believe myself to be a tinhat, but it really is a slippery slope back towards socially sanctioned (if not legal) discrimination by allowing things like this to fly. The attitude the Beeb takes suggests that just because it is collaquially used in some manner by someone who does not (at least publicly) intend it to be homophobic.
Well, I say it still is homophobic.
See this is the thing. People get all up in arms about not wanting to be politically correct, when really all they want is an excuse to say bigoted thoughts without wanting to actually think about what they say. No adult of sound mind and any sort of inkling of etymologies would choose the word with baggage if they didn't mean it. (Seriously Chris, "naff," look it up in a dictionary.)
Weren't we all thought in elementary school to think before we speak? I reckon that respect for others--especially when one is in the media--is the cornerstone of most modern societies: you don't have to like me privately, but you can at least treat me as your equal.
The governors may have lightly defended their decision by saying that "gay" also means "carefree," but let's be honest here: that was not what Moyles meant and both he and the public-at-large knew it.
3 comments:
Word. The fuck. Up. I read the same article after hearing some pretty nasty andself-rigteous audio commnetary on it, and was of the same mind. Offense can on;y be determined by a true dialogue the offended, not by committee, and I'm offended.
Nice post. I'm thinking, who died and made them God?
People should think twice about what they say, especially in public, because you don't know who might get hurt. We don't live in a rainbow brite world, everything is so black and white, from racism to Aids, I wish people weren't so ignorant.
I'm white and straight and can be offended by both terms in these cases when they are used offensively. How can they be considered inoffensive when they were Obviously offensive. If they weren't offensive, there would have been no law suit in the first place. It's not anyone else's place to dictate what does or does not offend someone else. Words have power and to allow one group to choose what power a word has and to disregard another group's opinion on it is ... unconscionable. I'm dealing with something similar in my own life right now so this isn't terribly eloquent or well thought out or erudite and for that I apologize. I try not to let my passions rule my writing ~ even in comments on friends' blogs ~ but this is outrageous and I'm not editing myself well this evening.
Somebody better kick some bigoted, close-minded, priviledged ass over this one.
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