To think that the word 'straight' to refer to sexual orientation will become a slur in the next couple of decades?

[mumofoneAloneandwell]

Because of the opposite meaning technically being a slur?

I picture my dd rolling her eyes at me for using the word at the dinner table in 20 years time 😅

My point is that 'straight' goes hand in hand with the slur 'bent'. To not be 'bent' is to be straight.

Well, I haven’t got time to educate you out of your ignorance so maybe read a book. Or even just a Wiki article 🤷‍♀️

Well, it depends if people start to find it offensive.

As a word, 'straight' has some positive connotations, and some negative. It can be associated with honesty and directness, or rigidity and dullness, for example.

There is also the potential argument that it could be offensive by inference of its opposites - not being 'straight' - such as the offensive 'bent' - or 'going straight' being the opposite of leading a criminal life, which could be seen to hark back to homosexuality being criminalised.

It's an interesting question.

You don't need to educate me and I am not ignorant

I speak from experience and was there in the 90s, telling people not to use the phrase. Many thanks.

Thank you

It was just something that I thought about and thought I'd share - language evolves all the time and imo the connotations aren't the best

@mumofoneAloneandwell did you hear the uproar about a man who literally could not help it shouting a racist slur at the Baftas? Do you not comprehend these words are harmful and deeply upsetting to people who have been slurred by them. Seeing that slur on this thread brought tears to my eyes and reminded me of every other cunt who threw it at me. MN has deleted it. Do not use those words? Do you understand now?

Seeing the word in quotations, with accompanying text saying its a slur, brought a tear to your eye?

Apologies, it was not my intention to offend you when discussing the evolution of language and arguing that the word 'straight' is kind of not appropriate given what it implies.

This was raised in some training we had at work. I hadn't thought about it before but it's obvious really - it suggests that a person who isn't "straight" is "bent".

What are you trying to prove here?

No it won't. Hope that puts your mind at rest and you can move on.

Just something random that interested me tbh 🙃

I can see where you’re coming from and agree that it may well do. I’ve often thought it’s a tiny bit offensive as a lesbian, because ‘straight’ means “normal” and the opposite, “bent” means there’s something wrong with you. With the recent history of a number of words that were commonplace 20 years ago now being very offensive, I can see ‘straight’ going the same way.

I see your point OP.

The word straight has connotations with what is normal, what is right, how things should be etc, and so to imply that being heterosexual is “straight” isn’t going to sit well as time progresses.

The word “bent” to describe someone who is gay is incredibly offensive , and obviously with the word straight being the exact opposite it implies that being straight is the state of not offending people. I.e heterosexuality is the un-offensive way to be.

It’s the same way that people use the term, “He’s on the straight and narrow” - it means someone is on the good path, the right path. Implying that heterosexuality is the “right path”.

The word straight isn’t offensive as a stand alone word, but when used in the context of sexuality it will always have an implication of heterosexuality being ‘right’ and everything else being an anomaly.

Think in the poem he was using that as a metaphor?

I hated teaching that poem. I felt racist by even reading it aloud to my classes. I used to just use the YouTube video of Agard reading it himself and avoid it myself as much as possible!

I did not ask for any of my posts to be removed, so I've no idea re the above.

Thank you to the posters who see my point - I'm not a racist, and was posing a genuine question.