do not mistake muted for not-as-annoyed (just very tired)

[kaigou]

Yes, I'm amused by the reports of those generous souls who took it upon themselves to suffer through the movie release for that sparkly-vampire story. All quite amusing. What is far from amusing is this tendency on the part of several reviewers to identify the sparkly-emo-vampire as gay.

Gay is not synonymous with 'stupid' or with 'lame'. This character is emo, stalkerish, and cardboard, but not homosexual. Anyone with two verbs and a noun to string together could at least put out the effort to find a more appropriate -- let alone colorful -- adjective to throw in the pot.

First off, the character is obsessed with a chick, so even if he shows latent homosexual tendencies (beats me, haven't read the book nor will I ever, ever see the movie), he's still obsessed-with-chick. It's probably a reasonable conclusion to say that he's at least predominantly heterosexual.

But more importantly, gay means the noun described likes the same gender. It does not mean the noun is strange, lame, freakish, twisted, stupid, or dresses up in bad 80s new-wave and smears its lipstick. Or even that it sparkles.

I have real trouble giving anyone the benefit of the doubt who complains about a story's typecasting women, and in the process of doing so, typecasts some other minority instead. Doesn't make it right, and it sure doesn't make it funny, and it sure as hell doesn't impress me.

Word choice, people. Learn it, live it, and get on with it.

Comments

[clowe.livejournal.com]

If it's my post from a few days ago that you're referring to, I didn't mean to insinuate in any way that any of the characters were gay. I was bemoaning the distinctly unoriginal approach to feminine males in vampire novels and movies as well as other horror genres.

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

Well, if you think it applies... but no, I wasn't even aware you'd discussed it. I've been kinda busy being an ostrich this week. Sigh.

[ldragoon.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU.

My sister keeps using the word "gay" in that manner (to identify something as "lame" or whatnot) and it drives me crazy! I've tried to get her to wean it from her vocab but she keeps using it. *head-desk*

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

I know a few who throw it around; the defense from one is that being bi, she can use the term. I say, it still doesn't change the fact that "gay" does not mean "lame" and who you sleep with is not good enough rationalization for a word choice.

In comparison, my sister doesn't even use the word "straight" when giving directions (even if she, personally, is). She picked up a phrase from a (gay) friend of mine years ago, who'd always say, "never go straight, always go crooked," and now K3's been known to say, "okay, then go crooked for a mile until you come to the light." Sometimes she varies it with, "go sideways for a mile..."

[christeos-pir.livejournal.com]

PS: Spelling it "ghey" doesn't make it any better.

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

I only find that spelling acceptable when a person is speaking of homosexuality but is referring to the stereotyped or hollywood version, like that chick who had the cry of using "the ghey card".

I guess that would be like using spelling to indicate that you're talking about something that's only barely resembling the real thing. Like a sort of verbal-visual sarcasm.

I wonder if I can use that concept to amuse myself anytime someone spells 'women' with a y or a double-m. Hm, it does seem to apply, although unintentionally on the speakers' parts...

[christeos-pir.livejournal.com]

Obla-di, Obla-da...

[annotated_em]

*standing ovation*

*would like to declare a moratorium on using "retarded" and "lame" for similar reasons*

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

I actually don't have a problem with the word 'lame', since (as pertains to humans) it's mostly fallen out of everyday use, in terms of its original classic meaning. (Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time someone used the word 'lame' to describe someone using crutches; the only fits-definition use I can think of it when people describe a horse as lame.)

Retarded, yes, I agree with you -- and I'd add in the expression "crippleware" from the software world. I get the intention, but I hate the connotations. There's got to be some better way to put it.

[annotated_em]

Well, insofar as 'lame' goes, I've heard disability rights activists say that they would prefer it if people didn't use it, so I try to respect their wishes. It's more difficult for me to remember, since generally it's not something I think to apply to humans. *shrugs*

Crippleware? Seriously. *boggles*

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the 'not referring to humans' part, so it would probably take someone around me reminding me regularly to make me aware, consciously. Although now that I consider it, it's not really a word I use much in the first place. There are just too many other good words out there that often fit better.

Like weak, feeble, rickety, derelict, spineless, wonky. Or I might call something inane, asinine, idiotic, ludicrous, witless, imbecilic, with the fun ones being harebrained, loony, whacked, screwy, and tetched.

Then again, I didn't like it when I heard 'gimpy' used in the same manner -- to describe someone as stupid, slow-witted, or useless.

(I do get annoyed when people think I'm being derogatory when I use the word 'niggardly', sheesh. Buy a freaking dictionary, people.)

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

Here's one that caught me out when I realized the origin: saying that you got gypped, or that somebody gypped you, or "what a gyp."

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

Yeah. One reason I prefer to use 'conned' or 'scammed' -- although in some ways 'gyp' is now so far removed from its sources... I guess in some ways, if a word -- like lame, or gyp -- has reached a point of being entirely disassociated from its origins to a great extent, then the words (in my view) has transmogrified into an independent concept.

However, until this language comes up with a label less mouthful-ly than 'homosexual', I hereby declare that 'gay' has not yet travelled far enough from its origins to be generally understood to mean 'lame' or 'stupid'.

[aulus-poliutos.livejournal.com]

Now that's really turning a word full spin. In it's original meaning, before it was used to describe homosexuals, gay meant merry, funny, colourful. Definitely not lame and emo. :)

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

In which case (at least in english) you'll see it as "cheerful and gay" to indicate it's for the older/original meaning. It's not that common in the US in popular use, these days, and since there are plenty of other words that mean gay-in-the-classic-sense: bonny, blithe, cheerful, merry, and so on -- I don't mourn losing that one word from the pantheon.

But it does seem indicative of the dark mood of these times, to follow the word's progress from merry --> deviant --> weak. Odd, that.

[branchandroot]

Hear, hear! It really gets to me when people do that, much as when they blithely use whore/slut to describe any character who actually enjoys sex or seeks it. Just... argh!

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

I actually get more irritated when people use 'whore' or 'slut' as a joke. Not because I think the word should be taken all that seriously, but because it's such a significant slander used against so many people (and with too much success as well) that throwing it around so easily does not make the word less powerful. It just makes it easier for those wielding it like a weapon to do so, because then they can laugh and say, what, can't take a joke?

[randomblade.livejournal.com]

My cousin says 'hi sluts!' as a friendly greeting.

urgh.

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

Actually, I have decided Edward IS gay -- and in deep, deep denial. This was mainly for my own amusement, but it cemented once Meyer wrote a pillow-biting scene.

[kaigou.livejournal.com]

pillow-biting.

Unh-hunh.

This is more of that mormonUST, right?



[your icon left that one wiiiiiide open, woman.]

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

pillow-biting.

Unh-hunh.

It's true. I sat there a good three minutes gaping at the page thinking: "Is she doing this to fuck with me? She must be. That can't be accidental."

But yes -- on his and Bella's honeymoon night, Edward restrained his libidinous passion by biting through the pillows of their bed.

I would say you can't make this shit up, except obviously someone did.

I see your counter-icon and counter with another icon!

(I'm not so much a fan of the books as a fan of the fandom. It has kept me entertained for a long while now.)

[onthehill]

YAY KAIGOU! ENOUGH WITH THE 'GAY'!