Lies, Damn Lies

Gaaaaayyy

I, as you might have noticed thus far, have a problem with language. It is impossible to force people to say what you want them to, of course, but it might be possible to dissuade them from saying something.

So, of course, my aim is the use of, "gay" in a derogatory fashion. This is, frankly, an awful thing to do, yet a surprising amount of people actually use it all the time- it's even in popular media, with the bbc quite a while back thinking it was ok for Chris Moyles to use it because it was popular. If we were to use racial slurs to indicate something in a derogatory fashion, there would be outrage, and quite rightly (although disturbingly I have noticed some people using the word "Jewish" to mean something's bad), so why not with this word? I think it's partially because we simply don't get used to homosexuals at a young age. When we are younger we are taught all about people from other backgrounds, and their struggle for equal rights. We read about Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks (although oddly I cannot think of campaigners for equality in the UK, who must have existed), we also read about suffragettes, and while certain gender stereotypes are reinforced, we are at least taught about how it is wrong to discriminate against women.

But homosexuality? Barely a mention, rarely even in sexual education as well. The problem here is a misguided notion of protecting children- so they do not have to learn about sex early, I should imagine. But I am sure one can teach about homosexuality without the need to mention sex- after all as children we all understood that our parents loved each other- why can't we just go further and say that some men like some men (or women like some women) more than anyone else? There are, sadly, outcries about this kind of thing whenever it is introduced in schools, and I'm not sure why. I really don't think homophobia should be accepted in this day and age, especially as something which you are allowed to impress upon your children.

I used to use gay in a negative fashion, but realised that it was a hurtful expression, and stopped myself from doing it. I truly believe we need to stop using that language, and soon, to help bring widespread acceptance to homosexuals, as they deserve as human beings with the same rights as all of us have.

posted by Mr K @ 10:08 am