:moose:

Interesting historical side point: Gay was being used to mean homosexual as early as the 1920s and possibly even the 1890s... it was derived from the word gaycat, which was hobo slang for a boy who kept lookout while an older tramp would commit illegal activities; a sexual relationship was implied. In the 19th century it was used to refer to promiscuity in general. http://www.wordorigins.org/wordorg.htm

Groovy, harlequinnx. I did not know that.

Now, back to the original point of the complaint. I think if you are "subscribed" to the request thread, then you will always be in tune with is being requested without needing to search through many pages.
And simply searching on the forum should bring up whatever items that had been formerly requested and completed.

On this issue-- one recommendation for those that fulfill requests-- always post a message on the request thread itself that you made that item. Then all who are following the requests will be up-to-date with what has been made or not.

Yeah... I've asked on the site wishlist for an easier method of keeping track of which wishes have been "taken" already. But I don't know if such a thing exists.

RG

Care wrote:*And I am sorry to say they use that word alot. I do not allow it, but it does slip out of them from time to time. but if your listening to their refernce to the word they do not mean it to be a derogatory remark against gay people. I think it's just a dirty word kids use instead of something more awful and rude.*

Well, there you have the root cause of the problem brewing in another misinformed and uncontrolled generation.

Care if you did not allow the word, out of their respect for you as a parent, do you think they would still use it? What example do you set as a parent? When you hear them use inappropriate words or words inappropriately with reference to other *minorities* do you try to educate them in their proper use and misuse?

Prejudice stems from lack of education and underdstanding. No one is born with a specific gene assigned to prejucide. Prejudice is learned from the environment, home, school and others but, first and foremost, it is learned at HOME. It is up to the parent to set the ultimate example. If a child is properly taught it would take a lot of external influences for him or her to easily accept prejudice as the norm from others.

When you say: *I think it's just a dirty word kids use instead of something more awful and rude,* somehow I just have touble seeing that the proper example has ever been set for them in the first place.

OK, OK, let's stop short of telling others how to raise their kids. Let's just wait till their kids grow up and pound their faces in.

No, really, that's a joke!

RG

The fact that it also means happy is pretty irrelevent, consider that's clearly not how the original poster was using it.

I dont consider the word "gay" derogatory... I'm gay, and I describe myself as gay. But when someone uses it in place of stupid it becomes insulting.

If someone said "chinese/black/female/etc" in place of stupid, would people be saying lighten up? I doubt it.

RG so funny! I love your sense of humor and style.

Ginderella. right on!

hello all,

as a high school teacher (well I was) I had to hear this term pretty much every day. Having dear friends who ARE gay, this was difficult for me to take. My first year of teaching I spent half of my time sending kids to the office whenever they would use the word in a dergoatory manner. I'd like to think I made a difference. Then I have to see this word (used once again in this manner) pop up on one of my favorite sites. It's very, very sad that people equate one's personal choice of sexuality with something WRONG. On the flip side, it's nice to see the administrators of the site take action to comments like that. Some people might not see that word in this particular usage as "offensive". I'm glad the administrators of this website don't see it that way. That's just another reason why I respect this website so much. It's not just about the nifty hacks and downloads, but there are such (generally) great people here too. That's all. Have a good day!

I'm right with glnderella here. What if people stared saying 'that's so nigger' for something they don't like? There'd be hell to pay.
And don't blame your upbringing. I actually have friends who were mil-brats but rose above it.

Yup, that's it exactly.

maxxie - I actually had an aquaintance at college who like to say "that's so jewish" for things he didn't like. I was rightfully appalled.

But no one here reacts when people equal the word blond/blonde with stupidity. I've seen numerous posts on this board referring to blondes as being dumb.

-
kent2, blond and blue-eyed but not stupid.

Yes, and considering how often blond(e)s have been on the receiving end of physical violence and socio-religiously motivated legal discrimination on account of their hair colour, it's really quite surprising they don't get annoyed at a generation of children using "That's so Blond(e)" to mean "That's so stupid and crappy"


Would you really wish me to comment, at this point?

Considering how blonde the rest of your post was, no thanks.

Ah, well I'm sure that if you were a redhead, or possibly a brunet, you would have understood the point. But none of us can help how we're made.

What you're saying is that certain words are not OK while others are as a substitute for stupid or whatever. Jews, gays and blacks are protected but others are not.

And that is, with your own preferred term, blonde.

Well, I wouldn't say that... if blondes of the world decide that this is in fact offensive and stop using the term about themselves to mean "stupid" (ie "I just had a blonde moment") then we all should follow suit.

I have never, otoh, hear a gay person say "I just had a gay moment" meaning they did something stupid or wrong.

RG

Ok guys, the original question of this thread has been answered and the original poster has been set straight on other things.

This thread has degenerated into something quite different, plus the sniping will only get worse. If it's so earthshatteringly important to argue, take it elsewhere.

Thread closed.
- E