I use the word “Fag”. I say “That’s so Gay”. I say “No Homo”. I say “Bitch”. I say “Man Up”. I say “don’t be a pussy”. I say “Cocksucker”. I say “retard”.
I have been told by many people not to say these things, including the “You Don’t Say” campaign. They say they are offensive which they are. I use those words to offend people. Not groups of people. Not gays. Not women. Not any group of people. Only the person I’m telling it to.
People don’t understand the true meanings of words. People take everything so literally. They want to believe that I am trying to offend some group. I use these words because of the connotative meaning. For the emotions and experiences behind that word. No word in the world has the same connotative meaning as another word.
When I call somebody a retard, I am not calling them a mentally handicapped person. I don’t call mentally handicapped people retards because they aren’t retards. A retard is a person who just did something completely idiotic and moronic.
When I call someone a fag. I don’t think they are a homosexual who I want to beat to death because of their sexuality. A fag is someone who is annoying. It can be used in a negative way or a joking way. People of my generation don’t really use it as a hate speech against gay people. Critics of this says that the word was and still is used against gay people. It’s a valid position, but that position does nothing .
That position does nothing to stop the usage of the word. All it does is keep the old, hateful meaning with the word. It keeps the stigma associated with the word. All languages and words have changed meaning over the years. Nobody’s has ever stopped it.
It is good these hateful words are being used more. It takes away the old even more hateful meaning. We the younger generations are giving them a new meaning. A word that we can joke around with. In 50 years the old meaning may be forgotten. My kids may never know the old meanings of fag or retard or that’s so gay. Wouldn’t that be wonderful for these old meaning to disappear?
We shouldn’t stop the use of these words. We should encourage this wonderful change. Because trying to stop this change will only keep these hateful meaning around for many more years.
Now many people use the n-word as an example that some words can never be used in a different meaning. But the n-word does have a different meaning now. It just has a slightly different spelling. Almost every rap song has the word nigga in it. When rappers use that word, are they talking about thousand of years of oppression or friends? The NAACP may be against the use of nigga, but I’m for it. It takes away the hateful meaning.
I’m amazed what my generation has done. We took hateful words that the older generations used and changed the meaning into things we can use while joking with friends.
You can disagree with me, and do everything in your power to stop the use of these words and have absolutely no effect on stopping society from using. Or you can embrace it.
Now you can decide not to use these words because you think the connotative meaning are rude. These are generally rude words. I completely understand and respect that position. These words are mostly used as insults. But insults that are usually in a joking manner to friends.
Just remember the next time you hear somebody say you’re so gay or fag or pussy. Think to yourself. Is that person calling him/her a homosexual or about to commit a hate crime or saying that women are lesser. Or is that person calling him/her stupid or annoying or afraid.
All words change meanings. Are you ready for it?
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