fairytale new york homophobia disguised christmas cheer

[Ontheboardwalk]

This is my Christmas song, Christmas starts when I hear this song. Kirsty MacColl sounds fabulous.

It’s all over the newspapers again about the outrage.

Shane MacGowan has explained a million times what the word faggot means in his life and this song. There’s no harm in the song

AIBU that outrage at this word finishes and everyone should all sing along together to a great tune

They don’t speak for all gay people. Most of the younger generations don’t even have Facebook. You can’t use homophobic language in schools.

Sl1pkn0t, I hope the school is as pro active on the use of sexist terms. If society takes the same view, there goes 70% of the music played and most of the media will be shut down. But usually everyday sexism gets the go ahead.

Can my Irish relatives still say bugger, or is that off limits as well?

It’s a dialogue between two people who don't talk naicely but love each other. Is it so hard to understand?

Apparently, given the frequency with which this subject comes up. I’m in the “genius” camp on this.

Does he not know the different meanings? It totally depends on context.

I assume you can understand the concept of writing dialogue for fictional characters; and that those characters might say, think and do unpleasant things?

Judging by a lot of the answers on here I would say many people cannot understated this pretty simple concept.

MiniGuinnes hmm, does a young gay man being called a faggot understand the context with which he’s being called it? That’s a tricky one...

Sl1pkn0t get him to double check at school today, will you? Ask him to ask his bullies if they mean it in a homophobic way or in the context used in Shane McGowan’s thirty-two year old song version. Thanks.

In the U.K.? Why the fucking hell not?

"Who can't understand the separation between ideas and personal views."

"If this is true, why don’t we still play 70s pop rock paedophile Gary Glitter on the radio?"

Because raping children goes beyond personal views. Having sex with underage girls doesn't, which is why we still play music by, David Bowie, The Stones, Elvis and many others.

Do you actually think things from a different era/context/culture should be banned? Really. Have a little think about that.

@s1 is your son called a faggot a lot at school? a if so is it only at christmas when the 'offending' song comes out or is it all year long?

Do you actually think things from a different era/context/culture should be banned? Really. Have a little think about that.

Nope, I think we should bleep out offensive words when they’re played on the radio.

Do you actually think that you quite liking a Christmas song trumps kids like Sl1pkn0ts being called a faggot at school? Have a think about that.

I don’t mind its use in the song, but I think due to the language in the song it shouldn’t be played on daytime radio without a radio edit. Are there any other songs that are played in the day that use the words faggot or slut?

Any decent person would know not to repeat the word, just as they would know not to repeat certain words in Eazy E songs. Nor would they repeat the lyrics of boom boom bye by Banton.

There is a huge different between a song lyric and using words in real life, anyone claiming they don’t know that calling someone a faggot/fag is highly offensive is a liar.

As someone who is a ‘cheap lousy faggot’ I don’t know any gay person who would be comfortable about being called a faggot or hearing others use it as a word (apart from the food). Of course some gay people won’t mind, but that’s not an excuse to be cruel.

If you go to East London on a weekend it’s fairly common to get straight people shouting fags/faggots outside gay clubs at leaving time. Some charmers like to bring boxes of brains faggots with them, sadly those people seem to be lacking their own brains.

Freesunglasses can I answer? I would imagine it’s all year long - but at Christmas he also gets to hear it on the radio, and listen to adults arguing that the word he’s called by his bullies is actually totally fine because it meant something different to Shane McGowan thirty years ago. I bet that’s a comfort to him!

comparing a filthy peodophile to a irish songwriter
I'm leaving this thread now, the worlds gone bloody mad!

I am in the US so faggot has a different meaning. When I was in the U.K. I realised it meant something different. I don’t think keeping the original meaning in the song contributes to homophobia.

He's actually.around adults who discuss the word faggot all year round, really?! I can honestly say in my 47 years on this planet I've never heard it discussed until mumsnet

As others have pointed out, slut is far more contentious, but it doesn’t get a snowflake nod of approval because misogynistic language is absolutely fine.

Sorry, misread 'you should imagine'

I rest my case. Bye

@Sl1pkn0t is slut not offensive? To me slut has one meaning only, faggot has more than one, so just explain that to your DS?

Many words in English have more than one meaning what's the issue with explaining context?

For me..... I love the song and it shouldn't be changed!

Wasn't there a discussion on here a while back with someone offended over the word 'fag' for a cigarette as it would offend her gay American cousin?

She was shot down and we learnt a lot about the history of the word fag.

The word faggot in the context of this song is not homophobic.

Shall we restart the conversation about the Dire Straits song Money For Nothing as well?

People need to stop getting so offended.

He's actually.around adults who discuss the word faggot all year round, really?!

What?

As others have pointed out, slut is far more contentious, but it doesn’t get a snowflake nod of approval because misogynistic language is absolutely fine.

The last, desperate reach of someone who has lost an argument and can no longer justify a homophobic term being used in 2019. Let’s bleep out slut too, as I said several times on this thread. No place on the radio in 2019 - unless you want to argue a different meaning for that too?

Language evolves so that each word has numerous different meanings and synonyms hence why we have dictionaries and thesauruses. This complexity encourages our brain to engage in lateral thinking which is essential for problem solving and creativity.

Eliminating these second or third meanings of words is a form of language control which limits self expression and free will and is common of many totalitarian regimes.

We limit language at our peril.

No not a desperate reach. I just don’t think faggot is homophobic in this context. Let’s not fucking bleep out anything because we won’t fucking melt if we hear it. Sorry your safe space isn’t being upheld there pump I just don’t agree censorship is the way forward.

So you can buy the unbleeped version and drift off to sleep with faggot gently ringing in your ears - but the radio version is bleeped so children like Sl1pkn0ts don’t have to hear a word that their bullies use in the mainstream. Everyone’s a winner!