Is Saying FA**OT as bad as Saying "The N Word"?

Paula Deen, the grand dame of southern cooking TV shows, learned about using the 'N' word... the hard way. Kicked off the Food Network, her chances of syndicating years and years of TV cooking shows pretty much all got locked in the can. The trash can.

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, THE 'N' WORD IS ABOUT AS TABOO AS YOU CAN GET IN THE USA.
But what about the F word? 'FAGGOT'.



Yesterday at Costco I saw a kid not more than 13 years old wearing a shirt that said "Silly FAGGOT, Dix are for Chicks". Yeah, I know --funny. Right. I get it.

But I found it disturbing on a lot of levels. First of all, if he were wearing a shirt that said NI**ER across the face of it, he'd have been escorted out of the store in about 5 seconds. But FAGGOT, obviously, is ok to wear. Right? Or is it? Isn't it offensive to the almost 10% of our population that's gay? Not to mention to the family and friends of gay people? And to the rest of the population in general?

Second... What kind of mother and father has this kid got? I'm serious here, is there anyone on this site who would condone and give their kid this kind of tee shirt to wear? Do his parents wash it and say "Here son, your birthday tee-shirt is washed and ready for you to wear to school tomorrow"?

Third... Does the kid even know what the shirt means? Does he know what a faggot is? Does he know what wearing it implies about himself? (Not to mention why at 13 years old, is he wearing a shirt about Dix and Chicks??)

I should have said something to the kid but I didn't want to be confrontational to a 13 year old child. His parents were nowhere in sight . I would have loved to talk to them.

OK, too many questions. But my question for you is a real one: Is it actually OK for this kid to be wearing this shirt or am I over-exaggerating? Is using the word FAGGOT acceptable to you and your children in your everyday speech at Costco, the office, school, the mall... and generally in public?

Or is the "F" word the new "N" word?

reply to post by jupiter869


What other derogatory and hateful terms should we ask about using? I mean ask yourself this...if you were gay and someone called you that to your face, would you feel it was a warm and friendly term meant to open new friendship or one of the most hateful slurs the speaker could think to utter?

I'd say it's equal in wording for your comparison. Equally low class and equally trashy to say. Basically... It's a fighting word like the other one.

It don't matter cause the very people who get upset with it are the same people that use it to. Most likely if your in the ghetto you'll here a black man say the n word before you will a white man.

If your at a party with a variety of people chances are you'll here the derogative term for homosexual out of one of there mouths first. Unless straight men feel the need to overly pursue the obvious fact they are not homosexual as to keep things kosher on there end.

reply to post by jupiter869


I was under the impression that fagg0t meant a bunch of sticks? Why do people let words hurt them, I know it's more of the feelings expressed when said word is used, but still. Sticks and stones. sticks and stones

reply to post by jupiter869

Yesterday at Costco I saw a kid not more than 13 years old wearing a shirt that said "Silly FAGGOT, Dix are for Chicks". Yeah, I know --funny. Right. I get it.

Where can I buy that shirt? It made me LOL.

Political Correctness is lame.

Not here in the UK ....


Mmmmmm tasty
Words are just words its the intent with which those words are used that makes the difference.

reply to post by jupiter869

Is Saying FAGG*T as bad as Saying "The N Word"?

Not if I am crossing the yard with a faggot of sticks while smoking a fag.



P.S. What state is that WalMart in?

Denigrating anyone for who they are is bad. No better or worse. It's like saying, "Which is worse? Dying of cancer or radiation poisoning?" Bad is bad.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm cool with my straight friends saying F*gg*t ... because I know that they're not being hateful. I can only assume that it would be the same about white people saying the "n word".

That being said, I hear that word come out a lot from kids and adults alike ... and it's extremely offensive due to its origin. Let me break down meanings for you real quick:

The "N word" is a bastardization of the latin word for black, carrying negative associations due to its use during slavery.

The word f*gg*t literally means a bundle of sticks used for kindling a fire. During the salem witch trials, and many other public executions by fire, they would throw a homosexual man or woman into the fire for two reasons: First of all, because they were "living in sin" and secondly, because they didn't deserve to be burned tied to a stake. They were just kindling for the fire.

So you tell me ... is either okay to say?

On a side note, it pisses me off more than anything to hear a black person use the word "f*gg*t" ... talk about a double standard.

No word is worth being upset over and if one would stop and consider the last time a word upset them they would realize it was not the word but the tone, context and attitude in which the word appeared.

People are not unlike dogs in that way. If I say "want to be put down buddy?" in a gentle tone a dog would wag its tail. If I shouted "YOU WANT A BISCUIT PAL" the dog would recoil.

You can use the "f-word" for your entire life and not once mean any hostility or derogation toward homosexuals and you can say "hello" just once and have it loaded with all the hostile homophobic rage you can muster.

Only simpletons are hurt by words and words alone. Simpletons and those looking for politically expedient paths to power and money.

Dont be a fag

reply to post by jupiter869

The answer is: Yes, the "F" word is just as bad as the "N" word, and neither should ever be used.

And not to defend the parents, but I don't know if there are too many parents who would let their young child wear such a shirt. Kids do many things their parents don't know about. Including wearing clothing that the parents would normally not approve of.

When I was in high school, there was this Pentecostal girl in my classes who would always change into jeans from her faith's dress code requiring women to wear dresses. She hated wearing dresses, and her parents never knew. Her parents didn't even know she owned any jeans.

So, I would say this child was wearing something that probably wouldn't have been approved had his parents known. If they knowingly let this child wear such a shirt, then that is quite unfortunate.

reply to post by intrepid


calling someone a name is in no way comparable to dying of cancer...

The fact that people let petty words from the wretched affect them is getting old. We can never progress if such words enrage us.

Blacks, gays, jews, muslims, asians, whites....we are all the same species/race in the end. Homo Sapiens..

Originally posted by th3onetruth
reply to post by intrepid

 

calling someone a name is in no way comparable to dying of cancer...

You missed the point. I'm saying that neither word is worse. They are equally unacceptable. Cancer = Radiation poisoning. Bad is bad.

reply to post by gortex


Dude? You have to see this...



..."Mom, this one looks like uncle Roy".

I'm crying.

intrepid
Denigrating anyone for who they are is bad. No better or worse. It's like saying, "Which is worse? Dying of cancer or radiation poisoning?" Bad is bad.

^^This^^

The only thing I would add is that there are no bad words, only bad use of those words within certain context.

It doesn't matter if I say the N word or call you an idiot, if I say it with malice and with hatred the overall result is the same.

People need to learn to stop using words as a means to get a rise out of people, this is the reason the PC crowd started in the first place.

~Tenth

reply to post by tothetenthpower


And that is what i meant and have been preaching for years. There is no such thing as "curse words".

A$$, b1tch, fu(k are all just words...they have no inherit good or bad values. People give them their hateful meanings.

Originally posted by wrabbit2000
reply to post by jupiter869

 

What other derogatory and hateful terms should we ask about using? I mean ask yourself this...if you were gay and someone called you that to your face, would you feel it was a warm and friendly term meant to open new friendship or one of the most hateful slurs the speaker could think to utter?

I'd say it's equal in wording for your comparison. Equally low class and equally trashy to say. Basically... It's a fighting word like the other one.

Ditto.
Regardless of whose being attacked its low class to say the least.
I feel bad for Paula, it's been taken WAY too far in my mind.
And that shirt is old. I remember in the 80's the band SKID ROW's singer Sebastian Bach
wearing it in an interview (looking like a girl btw) and I thought then
what a jerk he must have been to be so famous and promoting hate.

Originally posted by Metallicus
reply to post by jupiter869

 

Yesterday at Costco I saw a kid not more than 13 years old wearing a shirt that said "Silly FAGGOT, Dix are for Chicks". Yeah, I know --funny. Right. I get it.

Where can I buy that shirt? It made me LOL.

Political Correctness is lame.

edit on 2013/8/17 by Metallicus because: Added Quote

I thought it was funny too, Id wear it.. and to the OP, if you were "deeply disturbed" by that, you should stay out of the sun because your skin is way to thin

reply to post by th3onetruth


Yes but when referring to a person why do we need to use a word with negative and hateful connotations? That says more about the user of the word than the person being referred to imo. Is there something wrong with the words "gay" or "black"?

Originally posted by _BoneZ_
reply to post by jupiter869

 

The answer is: Yes, the "F" word is just as bad as the "N" word, and neither should ever be used.

OK I'll say it. Faggot , 'n-word', cracker, chink, kraut, hungy, etc. These etc. are just derogatory words used by people who dislike, hate or want to denigrate another human being based on race or nationality. Anyone relying on this form of "communication" is really in need of pity.

To say these words "should never be used" is the first step towards the ban on these words. We see that with the dreaded "N" word. Gasp. Hate the hate that drives the use of these words, not the word itself.

Mods if I said something to get this post T&C'd I'll understand.

OK that's pathetic, my post was auto censored for the dreaded "N" word. People get a backbone.