That's So Gay!: Microaggrsns and the Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr Communy

that so gay

Almost every teacher has heard stunts e the exprsn, “that’s so gay” as a way of puttg down or sultg someone (or to scribe somethg). The lsons will help stunts exame how appropriate language n hurt, and will help them thk of ways to end this kd of name-llg.

Contents:

"THAT'S SO GAY" IS JT SO WRONG

The phrase “that’s so gay” has tradnally been unrstood as homophobic. Stonewall’s School Report argued this posn, and will be discsed their upg Edutn Conference. Stonewall argu… * that so gay *

Spend any time around teens, and you’re likely to hear the mon exprsn, “That’s so gay" — even among gay kids.

If you ask them about , as some rearchers have, they often will sist that is not tend as homophobic language, jt a harmls phrase to exprs tratn or somethg siar. When most people hear the term LGBT (lbian, gay, bisexual or transsexual), for stance, they equate to havg adult sex.

WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT “THAT’S SO GAY”?

* that so gay *

” Later when the parents learned their children were gay, they apologized to them for sayg the thgs, but the damage was already done. Hearg kids sayg, “that’s so gay” every day mak the people and everythg else around them qutnable: Are thgs safe or dangero?

What, then, n be done about makg kids (and the rt of ) more aware of the harm g such phras as “That’s so gay? But parents who are enough aware of language’s substrata n help by helpg their kids’ schools unrstand the value of practicg the same kd of zero tolerance for homophobic language that they do for racist or anti-Semic or bullyg language.

Stonewall argu that the phrase has a harmful effect on young lbian, gay and bisexual people’s tn and well-beg.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO “THAT’S SO GAY” AND OTHER ANTI-LGBTQ COMMENTS?

The Lastg Impact Of 'That's So Gay' * that so gay *

Yet the ial fdgs om my terviews wh 40 gay youth om four universi suggts a more plex picture, wh no clear agreement on what the phrase means or s effects. How are we to unrstand a phrase that olr people fd homophobic, but many younger people do not fd offensive and even e themselv?

Given that labellg the stunts homophobic would be ridiculo, was val to nsir how they were g this language and the reasons why. For them, gay had two distct meangs which they were able to distguish between – when refers to sexual inty and when refers, separately, to somethg beg “bbish”. I argued that straight men’s e of phras like “that’s so gay” uld only be unrstood by three key factors: first, the tent wh which was said; send, the social ntext (homophobic or otherwise); and third, the effect had.

But when is said settgs where sexual mori are out, proud and socially clud, and heterosexual men are iends wh their openly gay peers, tak on different meangs. This argument was supported by the narrativ of many of the 40 young gay people a study I am unrtakg wh lleagu at Durham Universy. Only a mory of participants – ls than a third – thought that the phrase was homophobic, and even fewer said that they never ed .

THE TE MEANG BEHD “THAT’S SO GAY”

Like other words meant to hurt someone, 's bt not to e the word gay a mean way. * that so gay *

Most of the young gay people my study felt “that’s so gay” would only be homophobic if was directed at a gay person, and wh negative tent.

If young gay people are sayg that they do not experience the phrase “that’s so gay” as homophobic – and if they are even g the phrase themselv – then perhaps we should accept their arguments and ncentrate on other battl.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO ‘THAT’S SO GAY’ & OTHER ANTI-LGBTQ+ COMMENTS?

This book exam the nature and effects of microaggrsns, or subtle forms of discrimatn, toward lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) people. * that so gay *

(Note: Clarify any fns, and talk about why words like “that’s so gay, ” “gay, ” “fag, ” “sissy” or anythg else that me up are appropriate. Your handbook should clu specific l about g appropriate language, such as the e of the phrase “that’s so gay.

” You n also be creative wh , rporatg stori, illtratns or even ics to munite why “that’s so gay” is appropriate and how , as well as other typ of name-llg, n hurt others.

Safe Schools Coaln offers rourc for tors and parents on how bt to support LGBTQ youth and al wh issu of homophobia school muni. This year for Bullyg Preventn Month, download our most sought-after handout, “What Do You Say to ‘That’s So Gay’”?, which teach tors both how and why is important to rpond to anti-LGBTQ ments. “You may not have meant to be hurtful, but when you e the word ‘gay’ to mean somethg is bad or stupid, is hurtful.

'THAT'S SO GAY' PHRASE HAS LASTG IMPACT FOR LGBT YOUTH, STUDY FDS

The crease the number of visible gay and trans people is sometim treated as a cursy or a e for ncern by crics, but ’s not a surprise. It’s normal. * that so gay *

Knowg what to say when someone “gay” as a putdown is an sential skill -- not jt for tors, but for everyone as they cultivate rpectful spac hom, workplac and muni across the untry.

So, like, if ’s wh my iends and someone says “that’s so gay”; I know ’s a very different meang than a kid who jt tripped and another one said “that’s so gay”, you know what I mean? Vidisha Sharma: I agree wh what Sofia said about nnotatn; if ’s someone gay, like myself, and I make jok like “oh my god that’s so gay” or “hahaha I’m so gay”.

THAT'S SO GAY

: Also, ’s jt bee people thk ’s quirky to say , like, “cê é tão gay, s viado” and that kd of stuff; ’s bee ’s popular and a lot of people are sayg . From the terviews, is evint that the people on the other end of “that’s so gay” are hurt and repulsed by the mon e of the phrase. Some young adults might feel that is okay to e this phrase as a joke or an sult bee don’t affect them, and and feel that“long gone are the tim when gay people were opprsed”, but they are wrong.

In the news, ’s mon nowadays to see a child murred ld blood bee they told their parents they were gay, an example beg Anthony Avalos. This 10-year-old boy had e out as gay days before his murr and was found wh severe signs of physil harm cludg malnutrn, cigarette burns, and bis. It don’t matter if ’s a first grar who might not know what the word “gay” means, a sixth grar tryg to sound ol, or a tenth grar “teasg” a iend.

“Even if you didn’t mean to offend people who are gay, is offensive to ll this assignment gay (or queer); if you don’t like somethg, then say you don’t like ! If you have been hearg the phrase “That’s gay” or “no homo, ” take time durg class to make sure that your stunts know what “gay” means and know why is hurtful to e as a ment or put-down. Be clear that g the phrase “That’s gay” is hurtful to other stunts who may have fay members or iends who are LGBTQ.

THAT’S SO GAY

For the youngt stunts, keep simple – for example, “the word gay scrib a man and a man or a woman and a woman who love each other.

*LGBTQ+: Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr, Queer, Pl (muny members who e different language to scribe inty). "That's so gay" has been part of the adolcent lexin for some time, but a new Universy of Michigan study has revealed the phrase uld have ep nsequenc for lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr (LGBT) stunts.

Published the current issue of the Journal of Amerin College Health, the study reportedly examed the impact of hearg "that's so gay" among 114 LGBT stunts between the ag of 18 and 25, CBS Detro is reportg. Still, the study also revealed another troublg statistic: a mere 14 rponnts (13 percent) hadn't heard "that's so gay" at all throughout the duratn of the survey. "Given the nature of gay-lbian-bisexual stigma, sexual mory stunts uld already perceive themselv to be exclud on mp and hearg 'that's so gay' may elevate such perceptns, " Michael Woodford, an assistant profsor of social work and -thor of the new study, said a statement.

‘THAT’S SO GAY’: LANGUAGE THAT HURTS, AND HOW TO STOP IT

" Woodford went on to suggt, "Polici and tnal programs are need to help stunts, staff and faculty to unrstand that such language n be harmful to gay stunts. Promote your Facebook post on Urban Dictnary jt 3 clicksThat's so gay1- Used by people as an adjective to scribe thgs that are retard, bad, unpleasent.

Gregory-"Did you see that dumb PSA, 'Thats so gay' "Zach- "Yeah du, that's so gay"Gregory- "How gay is "Zach- "Gayer then AIDS"by omgJFD Augt 3, 2009FlagGet the That's so gay 's so gayA disrpectful way of showg dislike to somethg. Promote your Disrd server on Urban Dictnary jt 3 clicksThat's so gayThis is often ed by straight people who are gnorant to gays and don't really unrstand the meang of what they're sayg. Publicize your LkedIn page on Urban Dictnary jt 3 clicksThat’s so gayOften ed by middle school boys for thgs that fact, do not display any sign of homosexualyGuy1: did you see the news this morng?

Guy 1: 8 People DIED last night CHADby Deprsed lbo November 2, 2019FlagGet the That’s so gay Gaynot nerily meang homosexual, gay n mean stupid or potls, even meek, lame or, du that band who did the remake of that Todo song was so fuckg gayby Allen January 12, 2004FlagGet the So Gay mug.

WATCH HILARY DUFF RE-CREATE HER INIC ‘THAT’S SO GAY’ ANTI-BULLYG PSA: ‘A CULTURE-DEFG MOMENT’

The phrase "that’s so gay" has persisted as a way for stunts to scribe thgs they do not like, fd annoyg or generally want to put down, while is promisg that fewer stunts are hearg homophobic slurs than prev years.

” When tors and other adults tervene, mon stunt rpons clu “I was jt jokg, ” “I don’t mean actual ‘gay people’ when I say ‘that’s so gay’” and “My iend is gay, and she don’t md. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Gay, Lbian & Straight Edutn Network (GLSEN) No Name-Callg Week.

It don’t matter if the stunt didn’t tend to be homophobic, bee a negative ment about any group has the potential to hurt dividuals and whole muni.

IS IT OK TO SAY "THAT'S SO GAY"?

On Thursday, Hilary Duff took to social media to re-create her inic anti-bullyg PSA that tght an entire generatn of lennials to stop sayg: “That’s so gay.

The viral post end wh Duff’s fal voice-over, remdg viewers, “When you say, ‘That’s so gay, ’ do you realize what you say? A gay man is a man who has romantic feelgs for another man and wants to have a romantic relatnship wh a man. When they don't like somethg or thk somethg is weird, or they want to make fun of someone, they might say, "That's gay" or "You're so gay.

You wouldn’t say “that’s so jew” or “that’s so black” – that would be so racist – so you should also rea om sayg “that’s so gay. Yet tors fd that when they reprimand young people for g this term, they often face an angry rebuttal om kids, who say, “I’m not homophobic, I’ve got gay iends.

THE COMPLEXY OF ‘THAT'S SO GAY'

The easy answer is to say that the nial of homophobia is a tokenistic rejectn of what has bee a socially unacceptable attu. In my new book, The Declg Signifince of Homophobia, where I spent a year rearchg what means to be a guy school today, I found that the flt posn for straight male youth is to be supportive of gay rights, clive of gay peers and cril of homophobia. Many of my participants did not e the phrase "that’s so gay, " but those who did sisted that was not homophobic.

First, they poted out that there were two meangs for the word gay: one meang ‘bbish’ and the other referrg to sexual inty. ” he said, “So sayg ‘’s so gay that I got homework’ means that I thk my homework is a guy and is attracted to other guys?

THAT'S SO GAY!

Many adults who grew up cultur of tense homophobia will fd both parts of this argument to be lackg credibily. After all, when I was at school, “that’s so gay” was said by stunts who also ed homophobic pejorativ and bullied stunts who were mp or feme. One argument is that the difference li the psychologil associatns ‘gay’ has wh a sexual inty and s history of homophobic opprsn.

But when is said settgs where sexual mori are open, out and proud, and heterosexual men are iends wh their openly gay peers, tak on different meangs. ” Such forms of banter strengthened the stunts’ iendship, and also appeared to expunge the negativy om e of the word—nsolidatg the dual meang of the word “gay. Ined, some of the LGBT stunts I spoke to felt unfortable wh the phrase at the same time as they argued did not nnote homophobia.

THAT'S SO GAY!

In The Declg Signifince of Homophobia, I velop a new mol for unrstandg this changg e of language, which highlights how the tent, effect, and environment wh which words are ed are vally important termg whether homophobia is prent or not.

CHARL BARKLEY FENDS LGBTQIA+ MUNY, BUD LIGHT EXPLETIVE-FILLED RANT: ‘IF YOU’RE GAY, GOD BLS YOU’

When someone says “that’s so gay, ” we should also nsir discsg wh them why some people might fd offensive, the history of gay opprsn and the value of empathy.

By engagg wh young people about this issue, we might even fd that we learn somethg about their creasgly posive attus toward homosexualy. The direct stare, which is prolonged eye ntact and the broken stare, which is the “stare-look-away-stare-aga” are the two most ced forms of eye gaze ed to activate gaydar.

IS BARBIE GAY AND WHY IS THE NEW MOVIE RATED PG-13?

It is also possible for heterosexuals to obta “gaydar” if they spend enough time wh GLBTQ people and ga sufficient levels of gay cultural petenci. Not surprisgly, Ambady, Hallahan, and Conner (1999) found that gays and lbians outperformed heterosexuals accurately intifyg the sexual orientatn of target dividuals when provid only a “th-slice” of rmatn om a picture or one-send vio (lbians were the most accurate).

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* THAT SO GAY

That's So Gay!: Microaggrsns and the Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenr Communy .

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