American Family Association reverses course on 'Gays'

[PageOneQ]

Source: PageOneQ

Is the American Family Association anti-gay... and anti-'Gay'?

OneNewsNow, the "Christian news service" covertly owned by the AFA, receives syndicated content from providers like the Associated Press and edits instances of the word "gay" to read "homosexual." Although the site is registered to the conservative, anti-gay organization, the fact is not disclosed anywhere on the site.

An article posted Sunday night about Olympic track and field star Tyson Gay was no exception.

Read more: http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/American_Family_Association_reverses063008.html

[knitter4democracy]

1. Weird.

Are they trying to be more inclusive in using the term homosexual as opposed to gay?

[Richardo]

4. Uh. No.

They think it's more of a perjorative than "gay". See the real issue in my post below.

[xxqqqzme]

21. That's what it seemed to me at first read.

'Homosexual' reads more harsh & keeps the bigotry alive.

[sui generis]

31. well to be fair I overtly hate their guts. No wishy washy about it. /nt

[Divine Discontent]

35. lol... that made me smile thank you! eom

[knitter4democracy]

88. Wow. Not only are they hateful, but they're also stupid.

Man. I wish I could say I'm surprised, but given the p.o.s. who's in charge, I'm not.

[dbackjon]

5. NO - it is their way of trying to degredate gays.

AFA would kill gays if they could get away with it.


They are Christian TERRORISTS.

[terrya]

19. Like the way Pat Robertson draws out the word "homosexual"

It's a way to degrade us.

[knitter4democracy]

89. I always thought he drew it out because he likes it.

He almost says it reverently sometimes. ;) I've often wondered about that one.

Oh, ick. Now I need Brain-O to get rid of that image.

[Political Tiger]

69. Degrade and Dehuminize

AFA is a HATE GROUP, nothing else.

[knitter4democracy]

86. Amen to that.

Seriously awful people. I once called up and chewed out their poor PR chick with every Bible verse I could think of on why they're the ones going to hell. The first two times, she hung up on me, but the third time, I got her to stay on when I asked her why they weren't against slavery since there's an entire epistle in the NT about how to be a good slave. That really rattled her, and then she hung up on me.

If I could've gotten to that slimy p.o.s., I would have. Hurting people for power is never okay.

[progdonkey]

41. "homosexual" has both "homo" and "sex" in it...

By saying "homosexual," they are "reminding" their viewers/readers/sheep that being gay is all about the gay butt sex (they spend an awful lot of time thinking about men on top of other men), as well as reminding them that these people are "homos," so they're beneath contempt.

[knitter4democracy]

87. I think you're on to something with that theory.

Why they should care, I have no idea, but there's no doubt that "Dr." Dobson is one sick p.o.s.

[haightpillsbury]

2. and in other news...

William Shatner turns down invitation to "T.J. Woman of the Evening" reunion...

[Richardo]

3. Here's why:

An article posted Sunday night about Olympic track and field star Tyson Gay was no exception.

"Tyson Homosexual easily won his semifinal for the 100 meters at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials," the article read, "and seemed to save something for the final later Sunday." The headline read "Homosexual eases into 100 final at Olympic events."

"On Saturday," it went on, "Homosexual misjudged the finish in his opening heat and had to scramble to finish fourth, then in his quarterfinal a couple of hours later, ran 9.77 to break the American record that had stood since 1999."

"Asked how he felt, Homosexual said: 'A little fatigued.'"

May I just say: :rofl: to these assbites and their word-filters...

[yardwork]

6. Laugh out loud!

pwned.

[Ian David]

10. Christo-fascists are lazy and stoopid. What a bunch of Morans! n/t

[progressoid]

12. ...

:spray::spray::spray::spray::spray:

Too much!

[underpants]

25. oh just too too funny

:eyes:

[LTR]

42. Some good humor here in an earlier thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3542836

[drm604]

46. They had at least 3 stories running like that.

Google still lists them with the original headlines.

http://news.google.com/news?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hl=en&tab=wn&ned=us&q=site%3Aonenewsnow.com+%2Bhomosexual+%2Bolympics&btnG=Search

[Arugula Latte]

57. OMG. Nice non-editing, assholes.

[AlbertCat]

7. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

The headline read "Homosexual eases into 100 final at Olympic events."

These folks would be funny.....if they weren't so sad.

[Ian David]

8. Wow. I hope Tyson Homosexual... I mean, Tyson Gay, takes them to task on this. n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Once I got ripped to shreds by

a DUer for asking that the term 'homosexual' not be used to describe my community. "How dare you!?"
she spuoted righteously. Hope everybody reads this and takes a lesson in modern speech in the US.

[Ian David]

11. I wonder if the white power sites make the same mistake with McCain advisor Conrad Black? n/t

[IndependentDem]

13. .

:spray:

[Dollface]

23. Or the porn sites on George Bush?

[KamaAina]

40. It's Charlie Black

The difference: RW publishing magnate Conrad Black is already in jail.

[AlbertCat]

45. Conrad Black is already in jail.

I wonder if he's a Ho....mo....SEX...ual yet.

[Ian David]

63. Always get those two confused.

But not with this guy:

[Nevernose]

15. I honestly didn't know there was anything pejorative about "homosexual"

I honestly didn't know there was anything pejorative about "homosexual," at least not until I read through this thread. I was under the impression that homosexual was to gay as formal is to informal, that it was just a technical term.

There's probably a lot of people out there that were and are as ignorant as I am -- thanks for the education.

[RaleighNCDUer]

16. Well, think about it - which is more resonant ringing out from the pulpit?

"HO - mo - SEX - ual!!"

"Gay."

[annabanana]

85. Don't they say it "homo-sex-shul"?

they get all sloppy and pissed off when they say it..

[superconnected]

37. Gay is a nice word. It sounds nice. Cristofacists don't like that.

[Ian David]

80. Some of them have decided that "homosexual" isn't demeaning enough. So, they came up with...

... "homosexualist."

Makes it sound like some kind of hobby interest.

"I got tired of being a philatelist, and decided to dedicate all my spare time to becoming a homosexualist. You should see my collection."

[yardwork]

64. I'm not offended by the term "homosexual" all by itself, but there's often a tone...

When ministers holler from the pulpit that homo-SEX-u-als are going to hell, clearly the word is being used in an insulting manner.

Even when people aren't quite that insulting, the term was traditionally used by people who considered "homosexual" to be a mental illness or form of deviance. It was even officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as a form of mental illness until the early 1970s.

The term "homosexual" has negative connotations that the term "gay" does not. It's a little like using the term "negro" instead of "black."

[progdonkey]

90. see my post #41...

There really isn't anything pejorative about the word per se, but I guess it's kind of like "Jew" in that it's a perfectly fine and descriptive word for a member of a particular group, but it's also been used as a pejorative by bigots so much that people prefer to find another way of referring to members of that group. Like, I think you'll usually hear people say "he's Jewish" instead of "he's a Jew," since "Jewish" as a word isn't normally used as a pejorative--or think about "Jew doctor" vs. "Jewish doctor," etc.

Specifically with "homosexual," the reason the Christian nutjobs prefer to use it is because it reduces being gay solely to sexual activity--which any good Christian knows is already a depraved activity when it's between a man and a woman. "Gays" want to have relationships, get married, and so on, just like straight people; "Homosexuals" go to bars trolling for other men or to parks to look for young boys to have gay butt sex with, because all they want is to feed their sick, twisted urges for gay butt sex (and it doesn't mean anything that I keep mentioning the butt sex; why are you looking at me that way? I ain't one a them homosexshuls! :yoiks: ).

Seriously, though, that's basically the whole point of using the term: to make sure their viewers/readers only think about two men having sex, and respond with the proper disgust that these people who are just getting some sexual kicks demand to be treated civilly. It's a thought-stopper.

[Anexio]

20. I have a question

I ask this honestly, I'm not trying to flamebait....

Is the word, "homosexual", now a derogatory word? If it is I guess I didn't realize that.

Personally, I'm not offended by the word "negro" but I know many that are. Is that a somewhat equal analogy?

Thanks

On edit, spelling errors

[Prophet 451]

24. Can be

It's a little like the word "negro". It can be used in a neutral way or it can be used as an insult, it depends on intent.

[Anexio]

28. Thank you for your reply.

So clearly this news agency is using the word in a derogatory fashion to simply humiliate. Good luck with that.

Thanks again.

[Ian David]

30. Calling someone a homosexual isn't like calling someone a Negro.

It's more like calling someone Negroid.

It's not so much pejorative as inappropriately clinical and dehumanizing.

Actually, now that I think of it, it's more like referring to someone as "a colored" as opposed to "a person of color" or "colored person."

[jobycom]

39. Thanks. Excellent explanation and comparison. nt

[AlbertCat]

36. a homosexual queer gay

I'm not insulted by the word "homosexual". It's an accurate term. "Gay" is slang....and in my mind refers to homosexual men more than lesbians. Homosexual is a blanket term that includes men and women.

This religious site, like others, doesn't like the term "gay" because it implies something positive....like happy, light of heart, comfortable with one's self, and god forbid anyone should think any homosexual was ok with themselves! We're not supposed to be GAY...we're supposed to be miserable in our sin.

WRONG!
Homosexual sounds more clinical too...like a disease or mental illness....which it clearly isn't. Religious bigotry on the other hand....

But fuck the religious bigots. They're not gonna tell me what words mean. "Queer" is more insulting than "homosexual". Hell even "homo" sounds harsher. And then there's "fruit". But you can call me what you want. It won't effect how I live. The religious types can go live their judgmental lives of fear and guilt but they have no authority over me. I'm fine. I don't even care that they hate me. Everybody can't like everybody. So..

(sing along)
"I never bother with people I hate.
That's why the lady is a tramp."

[TonyClifton]

49. Excuse me for being old, but why do you and others use such

raunchy language? You are way to smart dear to rely on the "F" word to make a point.

[AlbertCat]

52. You are way to smart dear to rely on the "F" word to make a point.

And you are TOO smart to not know the difference between "to" and "two" and "TOO".


As for the F word...if the shoe fits.... But next time I'll try to use "screw".

[Ian David]

61. I know I use the word "fuck" a lot, and I'd apologize for that, but I don't give a shit.

"I know I use the word 'fuck' a lot, and I'd apologize for that, but I don't give a shit."-- Lewis Black
http://sugiero.blogspot.com/2006/03/stand-up-comedian-for-weekend-lewis_17.html

Also:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmAVg0Ng9pA




On April 21, 2006 Lewis performed at the Warner Theatre in Washington, DC for an HBO special, Red, White, and Screwed. It aired on June 10, 2006, and a DVD was released October 3, 2006. When explaining his choice of venue, Black states that "some asshole" was paid to count the number of uses of the word "fuck" from his previous HBO special, Black On Broadway, and that the original location, the Kennedy Center, wanted him to cut back on its use. Black was told the number was 42, when actually it was approximately 78.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Black


See also:

Carlin, George.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_carlin

Cheney, Dick
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3699-2004Jun24.html

[TonyClifton]

93. Do you have an answer of your own?

Black is an entertainer and people choose to see him. People don't come on here to see your filthy words. This is a public forum and I just want you to know that you are offensive but I support your privilege to do so.

[Ian David]

94. Thanks a fucking lot. I really fucking appreciate it. No shit. Really. n/t

[noiretextatique]

96. wtf

:rofl: since when is fuck a filthy word? :7

[yardwork]

65. Welcome to DU!~ You make a good point.

[Occulus]

91. Frak? n/t

[Ian David]

59. Homosexual has the word SEX in it, and SEX is DIRTY...

... because SEX can lead to DANCING.

[awoke_in_2003]

72. Old baptist joke:

why don't baptists make love standing up? People might think they are dancing :)

[sui generis]

33. I don't like it at all but let's not be victimized by it.

Here's the thing. If we call ourselves gay, and they call us "homosexual", it's like black people calling themselves black but having some news organization refer to them as negroid.

It's almost comical, and we should point it out.

[canucksawbones]

60. I think, more to the point

is that they are editing AP articles that are presented otherwise verbatim. The sole intent is to keep their readers on track with a word that is "correct" but seen as less nice. In other words homosexual is the harshest word they can use without being outed as a Fred Phelps clone.

To further define what you said above it's like black people using "black", the news organization using "black", but the local organization using negroid in the article from the major news organization.

I wonder what AP's policy on editing their articles are? These are the same guys who wanted bloggers to choke up dollars for as little as 5 word quotes....

GK

[caraher]

73. I think some editing is OK

Our local (small town) paper was in the habit of "correcting" prepositions in wire service stories to conform to the semi-literate speech of the copy editor. For instance, "in" usually transformed into "at"

[kestrel91316]

38. I always thought it was polite to refer to people the way they want to be referred to,

so if gays want to be referred to as gays, well, then, be nice and call them GAYS. For the AFA to deliberately and pointedly call them a name other than what they want is not just rude, it is intended as a form of namecalling. Because they would like to call gays "fags" or "homos" or whatever other epithets are out there, but they can't get away with it.

Fundies use "homosexual" as an epithet.

[Chulanowa]

66. No, they don't

They use "Hommerseck-shul" - same meaning... bah. You get the point :)

[ck4829]

14. K&R for idiotic hilariousness

[nomorenomore08]

17. I always thought the AFA's (and others') insistence on putting quotes around "gay"

was a rather absurd affectation, to the point of being humorous. Like saying, "You godless liberal secularists aren't going to force us to change our vocabulary! Nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah!"

[terrya]

18. Those dumbasses at the AFA continually redefine the word "dumbass"

So...editor Homosexual Talese? Academy Award winner Marcia Homosexual Harden?

Assholes. :eyes:

[kestrel91316]

22. They are refusing to call gays what they wish to be called.

It's how they display their contempt. It's like calling blacks "colored" if they prefer to be called "black".

Deliberate insult.

[TechBear_Seattle]

26. Your use of quotes around "Christian news service" is incorrect

I believe the proper use should be "Christian" "news" "service" because

A) There is very little that is Christian about them;

B) They do not report news, they report ideological diatribes either poorly disguised as news or else they doctor actual news articles to reflect their extremist ideological bias, as the OP illustrates; and

C) I fail to see how spewing bigotry and hate can, in any way, be classed as a service (except, perhaps, to comedy writers.)

[TygrBright]

27. Hahahahahahah.... Reminds me of the time the doofuses (doofi?) at AOL put the word "breast"...

...on a filter to try and control the spam lists and porn chatrooms.

They ended up with chatrooms for the "Hooter Cancer Survivors," etc.

Once again technology does what it does best-- exposes the ignorance, laziness, and folly of humanity.

appreciatively,
Bright

[caraher]

74. filters are notoriously stupid

On one board I frequented years ago there was an auto-asterisk feature that ignored whitespace. It also used as many asterisks as censored letters.

One time I typed "hot water" and it came out "ho****er." It took me a few minutes to figure out what had happened and why...

[gratuitous]

29. Why isn't AFA picketing in Eugene

I saw clips of Gay's performance in 100 meters. Thousands and thousands of people were on their feet, cheering for Gay! Why wasn't AFA there to tell the crowd how wrong, wrong, wrong they were? Methinks Dobson and his crew are going soft. In a manner of speaking.

[Bluenorthwest]

48. Eugene would not have 'em

I was there yesterday and Gay was amazing, as many great atheles have been the last few days...Muna Lee and the rest of the women, what a set of runners, what a set of contests. Great Americans all and we are proud to have them breaking records at Hayward Feild! Even the straight ones!

[hfojvt]

55. John Gay probably has millions of descendants in the US

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~batemanp/pilgrims/test0044.htm

"JOHN GAY one of a body of "spirited and determined men and women who in February, 1630, attended a meeting of the Puritans in the New Hospital, Plymouth, England, with the purpose of emigrating to the new world. This company was principally from the counties of Devon, Dorset and Somerset. They selected Gov. John WARREN and the Rev. John MAVERICK as their pastors. On 30th March, 1630 they embarked in the 400-ton ship Mary and John, Captain SQUEB (SQUEEB?). The number of the company was 140. After seventy days' sail they entered the harbor of Nantucket.... Pomeroy records.


JOHN GAY settled first at Watertown, Massachusetts, and was a grantee in the Great Dividends and the Beaver Brook plowlands, owning altogether 40 acres. He was admitted Freeman 6th May, 1635. With others of Watertown he was one of the founders of the plantation at Dedham, his name appearing on the petition for incorporation, 6th September, 1636, and among the original proprietors of lands. He was one of the Selectmen, 1654. He d. 4th March, 1688. Joanna (surname not given) his wife, d. 14th August, 1691. She is said in family tradition to have been widow BALDWICKE before her marriage to John GAY. His will in the Suffolk records, dated 18th December, 1686, was proved 17th December, 1689, his wife Joanna and son John being the executors. His estate was valued in the inventory at £91-5s-8d on 30 Mar 1630 at Plymouth, ENG.159 He "John Gay came to\ Watertown from England before 1635, and removed to Dedham in 1636. He was admitted a freeman May 6,\ 1635. He was a town officer of Dedham. His wife Joanna was admitted to the Dedham church, July 25, 1639, and\ John Balducke, her son by a former husband, was baptized August 8, 1639. John Gay died March 4, 1688, and\ his will was proved December 17, 1689. The children of John and Joanna Gay were: 1. Samuel, born March 10,\ 1639. 2. Hezekiah, born July 3, 1640. 3. Nathaniel, born February 11, 1642-3. 4. Joanna, born March 23, 1644,\ married John Ware. 5. Eliezer, born June 25, 1647. 6. Abial (twin) born April 23, 1649, married Daniel Hawes. 7.\ Judith (twin), born April 23, 1640. married John Ware. 8. John. born May, 1651. 9. Jonathan, born August 1, 1653.\ 10. Hannah, born October 16, 1656. 11. probably Elizabeth, who married Richard Martin at Salem in 1660. (Lydia Hawes married one of the sons, probably). "45"

[jmowreader]

32. You've heard of their video, right?

The title of their "ex-gay" promotional video is "It's Not Gay." They USED to offer it...it was full of testimonials from men who'd prayed the gay away. Last I checked, all those men confirmed you can't pray the gay away.

[FreeState]

47. They still sell that video

https://store.afa.net/

Just how responsible is this video? I mean come on one of the main characters (Michael Johnston) was caught having bareback orgies after they filmed it and yet they continue to see it as truth.

---

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/01/20/183

"(Michael) Johnston’s fortunes came crashing down in 2003 when it was learned that while he was traveling around the country decrying the “depravity” of homosexuals, he was hosting orgies, taking drugs and practicing unsafe sex without disclosing his HIV status. He immediately closed his ministry and went underground. A spokesman for the American Family Association concluded “I don’t foresee he would ever be back in a place of public ministry, especially in an outreach to homosexuals like the ministry he had.”

[AlbertCat]

56. THEY'RE coming to your town.

That video has a trailer.

It's about how some gays....er....homosexuals took over some AK town know as a Christian resort and turned it into a city “selling peace, relaxation, history and sex.”

I'll bet the property values sky rocketed! I wonder if they mention that in the videos.

[Divine Discontent]

34. I know I'm not supposed to hate, as a Christian...

but I despise these people, and their effects on those I love who are like me, and judged over and over every hour of every day by a perverse knuckle-dragging anti-Gay crowd of bigots...


New Obama Items Weekly!
www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable

[BrklynLib at work]

43. Stoopid is as stoopid does.

[RedLetterRev]

44. When knuckles drag across keyboards

something's bound to blow up in their pinched faces sooner or later. Just when I think they've hit the superlative of asshattery, they out-do themselves. I'm just waiting for someone to start getting a net out after these nutjobs. The right-wing wackogelical circus has really gotten tiresome.

[swimmernsecretsea]

50. "Asked how he felt, Homosexual said: 'A little fatigued.'"

Okaaaayyyyyy.....

That sounds like a lot of my friends here in SF after this weekend.

[caraher]

76. Too bad Tyson Homosexual didn't say,

"I feel a little fagged out."

:silly:

[swimmernsecretsea]

79. Yes, because that would be a bit strange and offensive.

I don't believe I've ever heard a public figure, including one in sports, say that.

[DainBramaged]

51. This still isn't as funny as Larry Craig and David Vitter trying to

make a marriage between a man and a woman the law of the land. Those two couldn't find straight sex if it killed them.

[gatorboy]

53. Kick!

:kick:

[Buns_of_Fire]

54. "Now we don our homosexual apparel,

Fa la la, fa la la, la, la, la..."

It's sure gonna screw up the tempo of Christmas carolers.

[Ian David]

81. I submitted THIS story for them to cover

Let's see if they do it again:


The 14th annual Union County Veterans Fourth of July Parade

By Kevin Mertz
Standard-Journal
Mon Jun 30, 2008, 12:06 PM EDT

LEWISBURG — It rained on Lewisburg’s parade, but a good time was still had by all.
Thousands of people lined borough streets on Saturday for the 14th annual Union County Veterans Fourth of July Parade. Despite a torrential five-minute downpour midway through the event, Valley residents remained jammed three and four deep along the parade route. They were too busy soaking in the sights and sounds of Americana to be bothered by the rain shower.

<snip>

This year’s parade was also memorable for Ruth Eleanor McCorkill of Northumberland, who was decked out in a patriotic stovetop hat.
McCorkill said she attends the parade annually. She was thrilled this year that her former classmate from Northumberland High School, Maj. Theodore Van Kirk, was serving as parade marshal.

Van Kirk served as navigator of the Enola Homosexual as it dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima during World War II.

“I’ve known him ever since grade school,” McCorkill said of Van Kirk. “He’s a lot of fun and very sincere.”

Immediately following the parade, a special ceremony was held at Bucknell University’s President’s Grove to honor all veterans, including Van Kirk and the late Col. Thomas Ferbee, the bombardier of the Enola Homosexual. Ferbee’s widow, Mary Ann, traveled to Lewisburg from Orlando, Fla., to serve as parade marshal, along with Van Kirk.

More:
http://www.standard-journal.com/news/x1713652054/The-14th-annual-Union-County-Veterans-Fourth-of-July-Parade



If you find any others:
http://www.onenewsnow.com/contact.aspx?ekfrm=1208

[lightningandsnow]

58. This cracks me up because...

My boyfriend's name is Tyson. And...let's say we're both pretty queer.

I'm so showing him this article.

:rofl:

[AndyTiedye]

62. Who Should Sue First? Tyson Gay, or the AP?

[Divine Discontent]

71. Tyson, then the AP should threaten them for rewording their stories eom

and if I were him, I'd say, "my whole life I've been treated like I didn't like girls, so growing up was hard for me, now OneNewsNow has made it so millions of people see my name and homosexual - giving the impression I made the news for being gay, and further stereotyping me amongst women, causing me grief and to be harassed by homophobic people wherever I go, for something I am not" - that would crack me up if he could sue them and get millions...

[Jefferson23]

67. This is disgusting , why are they so hateful?

[Divine Discontent]

70. Because they're TAUGHT to be hateful - and for everyone else this point is not being made ---

These people want to use "homosexual" instead of gay not just because it can be made to sound 'bad' if you say it ho-mo-SSSEX-SHULL, but because they believe we're trying to cloak the word homosexual with something acceptable and friendly and personable - GAY!

The biggest point with this all, is to keep LOCK STEP with their wording in the bible that has been rewritten to include the couple century old word, "homosexual" in the "Clobber Verses", those verses that are used against Gay people when they shout that God loves them but hates their homosexual perversion.

THAT is why they are hateful, because they have been taught by their pastor, their fellow church members, and their family, that being HO-MO-SSSEX-SHULL is wrong and an abomination before GOD.

They need to go to whosoever.org and get educated. The wording in the New Testament verse that is used against me & people like me, never implied gay people, it implied group sex, sex with animals and worshiping idols. Far different than two people in a loving relationship...

Thank you!


New Obama Items Weekly!
www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable

[MiniMe]

95. They're just jealous

[ruggerson]

68. This is one of the funniest things I've ever read

I can't stop laughing.

[pinto]

75. I thought about filtering my spell check for the 'American Family Association'

to render 'American Family Asses' - but that would be wrong, and unfair to Associations everywhere.

:evilgrin:

[pipi_k]

77. geez, it's getting so I don't know what terms to use anymore

If people don't want to be called "homosexual" but do want to be called "gay" instead, does that mean heterosexuals are going to demand equal treatment and want to be called "un-gay"?

What about "bi-sexuals"?


I think I'll just keep my mouth shut and not get in trouble with anyone...


:scared:

[swimmernsecretsea]

78. "Gay" is a preferred term; "Homosexual" as some have pointed out is a more clinical description

Neither is offensive, per se, but the subtext of the American Family site's decision to scrub the use of the popular term "gay" for "homosexual" which is more a pointed means of reducing a marginalized group into a single characteristic is part of a frequent effort to minimize LGBT into just the sexual component. Think of other minimizing words you know, such as calling a woman--any woman--"broad" or "bitch." There is a passage of the book "A Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood that describes the woman character hearing a belittling term by a man she is in servitude of, and realizing using words in such a way is to remind her of her "place."

This post is an example of AFA being so ridiculous in their pursuit of controlling language that they messed up. The use of the word "gay" in a self-description or description of the members of the LGBT community is meant to be encompassing and inclusive, and has been in use for many decades. How the AFA site used it is meant to be exclusive and reductive.

American Family Association, as you must have picked up from other posts here, has a record of efforts to control media so that we LGBT people are invisible and kept marginalized, our rights to employment and housing reduced or removed entirely, all under the guise of being "pro-family." It's part of their continued effort to manipulate media, language, expression, and more to manipulate how people think.

Heterosexuals don't tend to have to worry so much about loss of livelihood, safety, and social and familial ostracism that they need to demand equal treatment and therefore request a less demeaning word for being known. Hearing of heterosexual couples needing an identifying word is rare. I don't often hear of a use for heterosexuals unless it's in the context of delineating a difference a heterosexual person and one who might have another form of orientation, such as bisexual. Usually, I hear the word "straight."

Bisexuals I know tend to use the word "bisexual." Pretty simple, and nonoffensive. Is this a concern, really?

If there is a concern about what word to to use and not offend, then I suggest going with what is the least offensive and if not sure, ask someone who is sympathetic. It's about being considerate of the feelings, rights and needs of others.

[pinto]

83. To be honest, I think the AFA is almost laughably besides the point.

They can call me what ever they want to call me. I could care less. Thought this OTT filtering of their website was pretty funny, and telling.

They are marginalized in their own dumb extremism. I'm content with that.

:hi:

[swimmernsecretsea]

84. Oh, it is pretty funny. Especially the line I extracted and posted much earlier.

As for whatever they want to call me; if they do it with respect, I'll pay attention, whatever it might be. Otherwise--talk to the hand, to quote Fran Drescher. AFA? If anyone is actually listening to them I just have to feel pity.

[Ian David]

82. Just stick with "High-Kinsey-Scored Americans." n/t

[Endangered Specie]

92. Thank God they weren't around in 1945, else it would be the ELONA HOMOSEXUAL

:evilgrin:

[gorbal]

97. Oh that article is funny...but they aren't

If you check the news on their site

http://www.afa.net/

It's all about bigotry and hate of people different than them. I have no respect for these people.