That's Gay!
The new season of television programming has begun! And I am excited to report, it's okay to say GAY!!!
For the longest time, from it's inception to perhaps, I don't know for sure, the 60's? Before? Gay meant "happy" or "joyous." Then it became a derogatory for homosexuals. Then they embraced it, saying Gay Pride, Gay Rights...whathaveyou. I'm a firm supporter of gay rights, mind you. But since the mid to late 90's, "gay" took a new meeting, as words often do. I and many friends began using the word "gay" to refer to something as stupid. Now, homosexual friends and colleagues, this may have began as a derogatory endeavor, I'm not sure, but it became part of the lexicon. When I say "that's gay," I don't mean it as "homosexual," but as "absurd" or "silly." When I use the phrase, there isn't the slightest negative impulse, as though calling something gay infers or questions its sexuality. I don't care where you put what...so long as there is consent on both parties and a modicum of love and/or respect, a mutual understanding if you will. I'm all for it. But just like the word "fuck" can be used in such a delicious plethora of context, gay has it's many derivations as well. And gladly, the public at large seems to have finally come to terms with that.
Community, SNL, and Family Guy all began new this week, and all three at least once referred to something stupid as "gay." I laughed my ass off.
Watching the evolution of a word is amazing, and I can say that "gay" is one of those words I've seen change. The N-word, which I'm not particularly fond of out of context, is another. These words once had completely innocuous meanings, then became insults, then grew into words of pride among a demographic, and then re-entered public consumption wholly changed.
I know I can't speak for everyone, but taking the exclusivity off of a word also removes its power, and seeing comedy latch onto this proves that we as a species can grow up a little by maybe dumbing down just a smidge.
For the longest time, from it's inception to perhaps, I don't know for sure, the 60's? Before? Gay meant "happy" or "joyous." Then it became a derogatory for homosexuals. Then they embraced it, saying Gay Pride, Gay Rights...whathaveyou. I'm a firm supporter of gay rights, mind you. But since the mid to late 90's, "gay" took a new meeting, as words often do. I and many friends began using the word "gay" to refer to something as stupid. Now, homosexual friends and colleagues, this may have began as a derogatory endeavor, I'm not sure, but it became part of the lexicon. When I say "that's gay," I don't mean it as "homosexual," but as "absurd" or "silly." When I use the phrase, there isn't the slightest negative impulse, as though calling something gay infers or questions its sexuality. I don't care where you put what...so long as there is consent on both parties and a modicum of love and/or respect, a mutual understanding if you will. I'm all for it. But just like the word "fuck" can be used in such a delicious plethora of context, gay has it's many derivations as well. And gladly, the public at large seems to have finally come to terms with that.
Community, SNL, and Family Guy all began new this week, and all three at least once referred to something stupid as "gay." I laughed my ass off.
Watching the evolution of a word is amazing, and I can say that "gay" is one of those words I've seen change. The N-word, which I'm not particularly fond of out of context, is another. These words once had completely innocuous meanings, then became insults, then grew into words of pride among a demographic, and then re-entered public consumption wholly changed.
I know I can't speak for everyone, but taking the exclusivity off of a word also removes its power, and seeing comedy latch onto this proves that we as a species can grow up a little by maybe dumbing down just a smidge.
Dude...sometimes stuff is just gay. How else are you going to describe a dude wearing a hot pink fanny pack?
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