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.

[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*

[christeos-pir.livejournal.com]

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

[annotated_em]

*standing ovation*

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

[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. :)

[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!

[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.

[onthehill]

YAY KAIGOU! ENOUGH WITH THE 'GAY'!