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Original poster

What is gay?

163 replies

Supermumz · 17/02/2011 13:18

DS aged 8 asked me the meaning of gay. Picked it from school I think.. What do I tell him? Do your kids know?

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BristolJim · 18/02/2011 15:20

I never said I was thick though...

Hullygully · 18/02/2011 15:21

You didn't need to.

BristolJim · 18/02/2011 15:23

I don't get it...

BadPoet · 18/02/2011 15:29

I haven't read whole thread. DD's nearly 8 and I'm not sure if she knows what gay means. I don't think she's ever come across the terms gay and straight. She knows about relationships though.

If she asked the question your ds did I'd have to check what exactly she heard. I do know that 'gay' is used negatively too, but not in the same negative way as it was when I was young Sad. Tbh I am not sure exactly how it is used now, what it's meant to be synonymous with, but if she used it like that I'd correct her. I should probably find out what she thinks it means.

LeninGrad · 18/02/2011 15:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hullygully · 18/02/2011 15:37

Who had the posts deleted if it wasn't Bristol Jim?

BristolJim · 18/02/2011 15:39

As I say, not me, Gov. Trying to remember what I said that was offensive?

Ho hum.

BadPoet · 18/02/2011 15:41

Is it Lenin? I suppose I thought it wasn't because when I was younger it would be used as a direct insult to a person, or the spreading rumours about someone being gay whereas now I hear/read teenagers calling things and situations gay.

Anyway, have just asked dd and she's never heard of the terms gay and straight other than a straight line!

BadPoet · 18/02/2011 15:43

God, just read back what I wrote, that's worse isn't it.

LeninGrad · 18/02/2011 15:44

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LeninGrad · 18/02/2011 15:46

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BristolJim · 18/02/2011 15:51

There are some important issues to discuss, Len, but a discussion doesn't necessarily involve lining people up to agree with you.

LeninGrad · 18/02/2011 15:53

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BadPoet · 18/02/2011 15:55

That is utterly awful. I really wasn't sure that it was entirely negative.

My children are 7 & 4 and we are mum, dad, married. Lots of different family set-ups amongst our extended family and friends and we spend time with them, and tbh I haven't really done any more about extending my children's awareness than that really. Should I do more?

BadPoet · 18/02/2011 15:57

I have to go and pick up ds - not disappearing. And apologise for the multiple 'reallys' in last post.

BristolJim · 18/02/2011 15:58

I've explained the importance of honesty and clarity when explaining the issues and labels involved, I've extolled the virtues of exposing your DC to positive gay role models, I've contributed to the argument that many everyday terms have their origins in offensive roots but are no longer considered offensive. I've advocated the opinion that language can and will always evolve, not necessarily in directions that we deem morally suitable.

I may not have done so in a way that meets with your po-faced approval, but I have contributed positively to this thread. You meanwhile have reported me for a harmless, clearly frivolous post.

As you say, well done you.

LeninGrad · 18/02/2011 16:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BristolJim · 18/02/2011 16:19

I think I referred to dd's homo Godfathers? If so, only because that's how they refer to themselves and that's consequently how she knows them. Maybe that didn't come across so I apologise for that.

Anyhoo life's too short. We disagree, let's leave it at that.

Have a good weekend!

seeker · 18/02/2011 17:54

BrostolJiom - I suspect that you have never actually knowingly met a gay person! I also suspect that you have stepped though a timewarp from the 50s - I have not heard the word "homo" for years!

BristolJim · 18/02/2011 17:59

Not true on either count and I don't appreciate the insinuation that I'm a liar.

seeker · 18/02/2011 18:00

If the cap fits........

BristolJim · 18/02/2011 18:02

WTF - that's the best you can do? If the cap fits? Jebus.

Utterly pathetic.

Tanso · 18/02/2011 18:04

I think its terrible that kids use the word gay so frequently when referring to something negative.

People saying it is used in a different context are wrong. You will never find someone saying that is gay at school about something they like. They may not be saying that sandwich likes to screw other men, but they are saying the sandwich is bad.

kids growing up associating gay with bad is terrible. Even if they are too young to really know what they are saying.

seeker · 18/02/2011 18:09

Look, you claim to have gay friends but you use insulting terminology that no gay person I know has ever used except in an ironic way, you think it's funny that children are using "gay" as a word to mean pathetic, you make sensible discussion impossibly by your flippant comments, and call anyone who takes things seriously "po-faced".

Can you wonder that I can;t be bothered to come up with a longer post.

For the record, I think you are lying.

BristolJim · 18/02/2011 18:13

I think you're an idiot and believe me, only one of us is right.