That s so gay !!

lumbingmi

lumbingmi

Active Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2006
Messages
4,370
Reaction score
6
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - When a few classmates razzed Rebekah Rice about her Mormon upbringing with questions such as, "Do you have 10 moms?" she shot back: "That's so gay."

Those three words landed the high school freshman in the principal's office and resulted in a lawsuit that raises this question: When do playground insults used every day all over America cross the line into hate speech that must be stamped out?

After Rice got a warning and a notation in her file, her parents sued, claiming officials at Santa Rosa's Maria Carillo High violated their daughter's First Amendment rights when they disciplined her for uttering a phrase "which enjoys widespread currency in youth culture," according to court documents.

Story continues below ↓
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Testifying last week about the 2002 incident, Rice, now 18, said that when she uttered those words, she was not referring to anyone's sexual orientation. She said the phrase meant: "That's so stupid, that's so silly, that's so dumb."

But school officials say they took a strict stand against the putdown after two boys were paid to beat up a gay student the year before.

"The district has a statutory duty to protect gay students from harassment," the district's lawyers argued in a legal brief. "In furtherance of this goal, prohibition of the phrase 'That's so gay' ... was a reasonable regulation."

Superior Court Judge Elaine Rushing plans to issue a ruling in the non-jury trial after final written arguments are submitted in April. Her gag order prevents the two sides from discussing the case.

A confusing set of terms
Derogatory terms for homosexuality have long been used as insults. But the landscape has become confusing in recent years as minority groups have tried to reclaim terms like "queer," "ghetto" and the n-word.

In recent years, gay rights advocates and educators have tried teaching students that it is hurtful to use the word "gay" as an all-purpose term for something disagreeable. At Berkeley High School, a gay student club passed out buttons with the words "That's so gay" crossed out to get their classmates to stop using them.

Rick Ayers, a retired teacher who helped compile and publish the "Berkeley High School Slang Dictionary," a compendium of trendy teen talk circa 2001, said educating students about offensive language is preferable to policing their speech.
Click to expand...

'That's so gay' prompts student lawsuit - U.S. Life - MSNBC.com
 
I read that article on MSN earlier today. While I agree that it does pose and/or initiate a potential flamewar (like myself as being bi, yet out only to a selected, trusted few friends), I have to admit that it's a tad funny just hearing those words "That's so gay!", though. Maybe it's just me.

Now please don't start anything with me. I'd rather hang at the beach than in the office (it's a metaphor - comparing peace/quietness and boisterous squabbling with the beach and the office, respectively). Thanks.
 
Wow, that's going a bit too far.

When I hear people say, "That's so gay..." it's because they're saying "That's so stupid..."

I've never heard it used in a homosexual way.
 
VamPyroX said:
Wow, that's going a bit too far.

When I hear people say, "That's so gay..." it's because they're saying "That's so stupid..."

I've never heard it used in a homosexual way.
Click to expand...

That's why it's offensive, to some gay people. Gay = stupid? Derogatory is as derogatory does.

Personally, I find it annoying (when used by kids/teenagers) and insensitive (when used by adults who should know better)... but I think the situation described in this article was overkill. There are a lot of battles to fight in the struggle for equality, and in my opinion, that's just not one worth fighting. But hey, that's me.
 
InTheGenes said:
That's why it's offensive, to some gay people. Gay = stupid? Derogatory is as derogatory does.

Personally, I find it annoying (when used by kids/teenagers) and insensitive (when used by adults who should know better)... but I think the situation described in this article was overkill. There are a lot of battles to fight in the struggle for equality, and in my opinion, that's just not one worth fighting. But hey, that's me.
Click to expand...

I agree with u on both statements. I am sure the kid wasnt really thinking when she said that. Teenagers usually will use whatever words to insult each other without thinking of the ramfications of their comments.
 
I have to admit that it's a tad funny just hearing those words "That's so gay!",
Click to expand...
My friend Rose always goes " Really? Isn't that a GOOD thing?"
I always go "Really? I thought it was LESBIAN!!!!!"
 
Wow that is where I am from in Santa Rosa, Ca. I havent read that.
 
Back
Top