Better alternative ...
 

[Closed] Better alternative to describing something as 'gay'.

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Pupils get an earful in my class if I hear them using the word 'gay' to mean 'rubbish' (largely because it would be horrible for any gay kids on the class to have that always in the background).

Today I overheard some kids getting around this:

'Dude, stop being such a [b][i]vegan[/b][/i]'

'Oh man, I have maths next. That is sooo [b][i]vegan[/b][/i]'

Much better, no?


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:34 pm
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Well, strictly speaking veganism is a lifestyle choice, being gay isn't so in that regard it's not in the same league for offensiveness 😉


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:36 pm
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What about describing something naff as a bit [i]Catholic[/i] or a smidgin [i]Jewish[/i]

Just a thought, mind.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:37 pm
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Sorry to break it to you, but that started out as 'What a vegana' a somewhat phonetic pronunciation.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:39 pm
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veganism is a lifestyle choice, being gay isn't

Oh right, this one again 🙄 so


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:40 pm
 timc
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from memory, teachers are gay 😈


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:41 pm
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Do you teach in the USA??

If not, i'd be more upset/annoyed about them saying 'Dude' & 'Oh Man'.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:41 pm
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'tarded?
pants?
soil?

used all these @school...


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:42 pm
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from memory, teachers are gay

not all of them, but probably the ones that bummed you.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:43 pm
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The restaurant is rubbish because it's vegan.

The restaurant is vegan because it's rubbish.

Hmmmm... I think the kids are right.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:45 pm
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Homo and spaz served me well at school. Oh and mongie.

To be honest "gay" sounds a bit, well, [i]gay[/i].


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:46 pm
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current trends in nursery world courtesy of the boy are:

"ya witness"
"ya mister"
"daddy's a girl"
"you're not coming to my samauri power ranger party"

all pretty harsh, but then it's a cruel world out there


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:46 pm
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I seem to remember that "spastic" was an often-used insult that got chucked around when I were a nipper (long, long time ago).

Different era, different hate word.

Kids are evil little b'stards though, aren't they?

Lord of the Flies, anyone?


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:46 pm
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bumder


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:47 pm
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how about 'roadie' thats a real insult


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:48 pm
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Different era, different hate word.

**** off, spaz wasn't a hate word - you could call your mate a spaz, didn't mean you hated him.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:49 pm
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Gary_C - the pupil's don't really speak like that. Was exaggerating that part for (as they might say) 'teh megaLULZ'.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:52 pm
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Joey. Best derogatory term ever. Fact.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:52 pm
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Out with a "real gay" on Friday night, I'll ask him!


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:55 pm
 devs
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Sorry but the word that homosexuals stole has been stolen back. My kids and their pals don't even use the word in reference to homosexuals now. Gay = rubbish, pants, naff. I've had to let that one go now as it's in too common usage. Just like when something bad happens it's a bit of a bummer, but I don't hear anyone getting up in arms about that.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:55 pm
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What about "SCAB", that word will be used a lot in the near future.Especially by the union reps.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:58 pm
 deus
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"pish"


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:59 pm
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Just like when something bad happens it's a bit of a bummer

That's 'cos its etymology is American, different root from our bummer


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:59 pm
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'Joey'.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 9:59 pm
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what about 'pants'?? as in 'look at that bike, its well pants' 😉


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:04 pm
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Caught a lad using jewgle.com today


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:10 pm
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We had joeys too (as above) and the 'remi' - short for remedial (as in remedial classes for the slow of thinking).


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:11 pm
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Spazzy or mongy were two I remember from my schooldays, hadn't heard the term gay especially to describe Homosexuals, they were known mainly as ginger or irons and homos

The last one confused me when I first heard it a a nipper, wondered what it had to do with washing powder (didn't pronounce the H and the powder was called Omo)


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:11 pm
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Joey. Best derogatory term ever. Fact.

I believe it refers to Barton these days.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:13 pm
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Bummer is related to being 'bummed' which has nothing to do with anal sex in the US.

'Man, I'm really bummed about that' is not as explicit as it would be here.

To be fair, kids don't use the words knowingly. They just like the sound of them.

What about describing something naff as a bit Catholic or a smidgin Jewish

Some people in our school used the word 'Jew' as an insult. It was a pretty meaningless term to them I think.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:13 pm
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We used "Simps and dumbers" for the slower kids at college.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:15 pm
 ton
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i just use 'shyte'.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:17 pm
 hh45
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Homo and spaz served me well at school. Oh and mongie.

To be honest "gay" sounds a bit, well, gay.

+ 1


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:18 pm
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We called people 'Divs' for some reason.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:23 pm
 emsz
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Did write a massive thing, deleted it.

it's not nice, doesn't bother me massively (I know it's not aimed at me) just isn't nice.

😕


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:26 pm
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Yeah, Div / Divvy is a strange one, never sure of the origins of that


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:26 pm
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I know a guy who is gay, who uses gay as an insult.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:30 pm
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http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=GB#/watch?v=in9SiDtJLaU

Aussie comedian Steve Hughes does a brilliant skit about the 'gayness' of straight men, link above


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 10:57 pm
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I should point out that I think using something that you have no control over (sexuality, disability) as an insult is poor form and a bit witless. It's 2011 for flips sake.

However, vegans just plain deserve it.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 11:02 pm
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Advise your pupils to use the word '****' instead.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 11:02 pm
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Joey, so very good and heard in playgrounds all over the country the day after Blue peter got their pet crip on telly. unfortunately it only applies to a certain age range that remembers such things


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 11:07 pm
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I'm going bald at the back and have terrible eyesight.

Neither are lifestyle choices.

Tell your pupils they are massively welcome to use the term 'Slaphead' or 'speccy four eyes' to describe something that is rubbish, pants or just plain not their scene. I won't care.


 
Posted : 28/06/2011 11:18 pm
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As a vegetarian, I'm deeply offended.

Ah, no, wait, I forgot, I have a sense of humour and some perspective. As such, I applaud their creativity. MuddyDwarf nailed it in the second post.

I'd like to thank whoever just reminded me of "rem" btw, and by schoolboy logic its truncating and subsequent embiggening back to "rembrant." I must drop that in conversation for old times' sake at some point.

Does anyone else remember "powsy" to mean flimsy, crap and generally 'gay' or was that just terribly local?


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 12:35 am
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Glad I'm not a kid anymore.. heartless barstewards! When you look back you almost feel ashamed :S

I am pretty sure most of these terms were not coined in a deliberate antisemitic or homophobic way, infact our parents probably have a lot to answer for in terms of what we pick up on as children and mould into our own terms.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 8:03 am
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'Ya Deacon!' was also popular when I were a lad


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 8:13 am
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Gay really means 'nice'. So as bad = good then gay = rubbish. Im sure Run DMC will agree.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 8:16 am
 DrP
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I got stick from a long lost relative in oz because I made a comment on facebook ' gears are for queers'. she went on about how her brother was gay etc... I apologised, but in reality the language changes so much that it want even remotely related to being a homosexual (as the original use of queer wasn't either).
Its like the word 'lame' - no one means an injured or disabled person do they?

DrP

Ps - I didn't ask if the brother actually had gears, but would have strengthened my case.....


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 8:25 am
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What about "SCAB", that word will be used a lot in the near future.Especially by the union reps.

The 'S' word has been considered non-pc amongst Union leaders ever since that incident where the hemophiliac tried to cross a picket line, was hit by a brick and bled to death while the surrounded strikers chanted 'SCAB SCAB SCAB'

Having a hereditary blood clotting defect [i]isn't[/i] a lifestyle choice


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 8:34 am
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It seems a little uneasy to use the term "ghey" in this social environment. Kids have yet to define the social acceptance regulations humans use to get on with each other and using terms like this simply pushes their own acceptance of social boundaries. It’s the norm.
But by adding the "h" into the word makes it differentiate itself from it's origins of "gay". As we know the word "gay" (minus the h) was derived from happiness (either sex) and as Man became more aware of his sexuality and the social aspects of “coming out” and being accepted by the majority of the human race by way of his sexuality. By adding the “h” the term became less derogatory, and became a word used where once it wouldn't have been acceptable to do such. But there are two words, ghey and gay, each has it's own definition..
I'd get them to make sure they use the correct word appropriate for the sentence and meaning, explain each definition to them so they understand the implications of using inappropriate words to describe something/someone. If the word ghey is used, make sure they pronounce the "h".


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 9:31 am
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Its like the word 'lame' - no one means an injured or disabled person do they?

That's because lame actually means poor and useless. That's why we don't call disabled people 'lame'.

Gay is specifically derived from homophobia I think, even though its meaning has long shifted. We used to call people gaybos when I was about 10.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 9:49 am
 Spin
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Vegans?

Bloody Houmousexuals


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 9:53 am
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The 'S' word has been considered non-pc amongst Union leaders

*applause*

Bloody Houmousexuals

*more applause*


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 9:58 am
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We used to call people gaybos when I was about 10.

That's a point. Whatever happened to "gaylord"?

Kids of today, no creativity.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 9:59 am
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It's interesting how the meaning of words change.

Gay used to mean gay, then it meant gay, and now it means gay.

Depending on what generation you're from you 'know' what it means. But it doesn't.

Give it another 20 years and we'll all accept what gay means. But we'll know it doesn't.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 10:09 am
 DezB
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This thread made me discover this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_words_not_widely_used_in_the_United_States

I am happy.

(Coincidently, David Watts was on my iPod this morning - "he is so gay and fancy free.."


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 10:11 am
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Posted : 29/06/2011 10:13 am
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TBH as a vegan I am not sure what calling something vegan actualy means or exactly why my moral stance to animal welfare/eating is somehow used as an insult. Can anyone enlighten me ? Dons flame proof suit [ we dont all do trail quests].I am not offended by the use of the word vegan in that sentence but I am curious as to why it would be used. Best answer wins some Tofu 😉
There would be little point having insults if they were not insulting/derogatory. Kids are far worse than adults and thankfully most adults [ and even some on STW] grow out of using these insults as they mature.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 10:24 am
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How about "Fud"


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 10:38 am
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Can anyone enlighten me

Many playground insults seem to stem from "you're different and that's bad." Gay, fat, black, handcapped, etc etc. "Cretin" was popular at my school, and that's a thyroid disease if memory serves. Anyway. Not hard to see why "vegan" wouldn't slip in there.

Perhaps you wouldn't be so sensitive if you ate properly. Etc.

(-:


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 10:46 am
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DrP - Member
I got stick from a long lost relative in oz because I made a comment on facebook ' gears are for queers'. she went on about how her brother was gay etc... I apologised, but in reality the language changes so much that it want even remotely related to being a homosexual (as the original use of queer wasn't either).
Its like the word 'lame' - no one means an injured or disabled person do they?

DrP

Posted 2 hours ago # Report-Post

I think youll find that the gay comunity now use the word queer to show a more anarchist type of gay person, as in Peter Tatchell, etc, theres also a pub in Manchester called Queer.It shows how you can manipulate a word of derision to mean something positive for a minority .

There was also the C4 series a few years ago called Queer as ****, that C4 wouldnt allow so it got called Queer as Folk.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 10:54 am
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Gayaids was popular at my school. 'Are you wearing Lynx Musk? Bcoz It stinks like gayaids'

Everything back then was (or had) gayaids. If you had one of those WH Smith pencil cases that had times tables on the back and maths symbols on the front you instantly had gayaids and the same went if your football boots didn't have screw in studs. Immature and cruel. Rem was popular too.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 11:14 am
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There was also the C4 series a few years ago called Queer as ****, that C4 wouldnt allow so it got called Queer as Folk

Are you sure? I mean "queear as folks2 is part of a well known phrase, the other, less so


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 11:16 am
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Flod is the best insult. It's a combination of the insults 'flid' and 'spod'. Both of which were winners for starters.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 11:17 am
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Are you sure? I mean "queear as folks2 is part of a well known phrase, the other, less so

Comes from "there's nowt so queer as folk" shirley?


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 11:20 am
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i fought so


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 11:23 am
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Cougar - Member

Are you sure? I mean "queear as folks2 is part of a well known phrase, the other, less so

Comes from "there's nowt so queer as folk" shirley?

Posted 10 minutes ago # Report-Post

from wikipedia.

Queer as Folk was produced by the Red Production Company for Channel 4. The title of the programme comes from a dialect expression from some parts of Northern England, "there's nowt so queer as folk", meaning "there's nothing as strange as people"; which plays on the modern day English synonym of "queer", meaning homosexual. Davies had originally titled the series this, although at the suggestion of Channel 4 executives for a period during its development and pre-production it was known as Queer as ****, before it reverted to the former name.[1]


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 11:35 am
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Hurray, everyone's right! *group hug*

I wonder if the 'working title' was just a running gag on the set.


 
Posted : 29/06/2011 11:37 am