The term "homosexual"

[Haven]

During the past week, I have observed a number of people here using the word "homosexual" in reference to gay and lesbian people. Although some might not realize it, the term is considered offensive and demeaning to gay people. With the site's rule against cursing and offensive language, I find it surprising that such a term is allowed here. Would it be possible to put out a mod announcement clarifying that the term "homosexual(s)" in reference to a person / group of people isn't allowed? Thanks.

[otseng]

I never knew that the term homosexual was considered offensive. I thought it was a benign term and was just a counterpart to the term heterosexual.

[cnorman18]

I'm as supportive of equal rights for the LGBT community as anyone here, but is frankly think this is WAY out of line. "Queer" I would agree is an offensive term, even though some gays have affirmed it as a defiant term of pride; "fag" is DEFINITELY offensive, and is invariably intentionally so used.

But "homosexual"? Puh-LEEZE. That's like my being offended at being called a "monotheist." It's an objectively descriptive neutral term. If one is actively seeking out reasons to be offended by people who have no such intention -- which is the only reason I can see for this silliness -- I don't intend to take them seriously.

It's not like there aren't plenty of REAL reasons to be justifiably offended. I see no reason to make up new ones.

[Darias]

[Replying to post 1 by Haven]

I had no idea people considered it offensive. I myself use the term preference also because both sexes can attract me.

I don't like labels though. You aren't what you do or what you fancy. You are a unique individual. If you define yourself by which gender arouses you most or by how much melanin is in your skin, you substitute your individuality for that of the group. Note the root word of "culture."

For the sake of grammatical brevity, yes you can "be" gay and inherit an ethnicity, but do you really want to be known as the gay guy or the atheist guy?

If I have a kid one day and he says "Dad, I'm gay," my only concern would be with why he chose to define himself by his likes or by what comes natural to him. His sexual attraction to others wouldn't bother me at all. Who you would like to have sex with should not be a matter of pride anymore than the color of your hair. Whether or not you're right handed or Jewish or gay, that doesn't mean you're a good person or special just because of that. Yes, you're extremely unique, but you should only have pride in what you stand for or what you've accomplished (integrity, work, etc.). How can you have pride in things you enjoy or in your own genetic aesthetics? Left handed pride, gay pride, and black power make about just as much sense as patriotism to me (e.g. "I'm proud to be born here").

Hopefully, by the time my kid is old enough to know what he likes, we'll be in a place where society doesn't see preference or orientation as a big deal.

However, there will always be those who seek to shame others for things that are morally neutral. So in any case, I'll make sure to let my son know he shouldn't live with guilt, and that people who seek to harass or harm because of it are wrong.

[Divine Insight]

During the past week, I have observed a number of people here using the word "homosexual" in reference to gay and lesbian people. Although some might not realize it, the term is considered offensive and demeaning to gay people. With the site's rule against cursing and offensive language, I find it surprising that such a term is allowed here. Would it be possible to put out a mod announcement clarifying that the term "homosexual(s)" in reference to a person / group of people isn't allowed? Thanks.

The link you've pointed to that considers this term to be offensive is GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation)

So they are the ones who are calling the shots here. Moreover, that articles appears to be nothing more than suggestions to the media suggesting what gays consider to be offensive terms.

Like Otseng points out the term "homosexual" shouldn't be any more offensive to a gay person than the term "heterosexual" is to offensive to a straight person.

In fact, for the Gay Community to suggest that the term is offensive implies that they see something wrong with being "homosexual".

This would be like the Black Community claiming that to be called "black" is offensive.

I think what the GLAAD organization is attempting to communicate to the media is that simply using the alternative terms they offer (like Gay or Lesbian) tend to be seen as less offensive.

It seems rather ridiculous for a homosexual person to be offended by a word that describes precisely what they are. That implies that they are actually offended by what they are.

Duh?

[help3434]

[Replying to post 5 by Divine Insight]

The term "black" is not offensive, but saying something like "the blacks" is. The same for the term "homosexual". It is not intrinsically offensive, but it can be used in a demeaning way.

[Jake]

It's not an offensive term, that's a ridiculous claim. For some reason it does seem to be preferred by homophobes, though, and I'm not sure why.

[Quirkybird]

I have never heard that the term 'homosexual was offensive to lesbian and gays. On other forums I inhabit they use it to describe themselves!

[McCulloch]

What we might be observing is called the euphemism treadmill where words introduced to replace an offensive word, over time become offensive themselves.

I don't know if homosexual has got there yet. Gay, in some circles has become offensive, as in, "That's so gay!", meaning that whatever is being referred to is a bad idea. Ironically, LGBT is not offensive, even though the G stands for gay.

[Haven]

Here's another article explaining why "homosexual" is a pejorative and uncivil term:

http://www.advocate.com/politics/media/ ... gbt-issues

As Equality Matters reported this week, use of the term "homosexual" to refer to gay and lesbian people long ago fell out of favor with most mainstream news outlets, as "homosexual" is commonly used by opponents of LGBT equality — and rarely by advocates.