It’s an argument and discussion, which has been going on as far back as I can remember. I can recall one specific time when I got trapped in the cycle six years ago during my senior year of college. Both sides make their points, both sides are valid, and yet, understandably, there was no outcome or decision on who’s correct. In fact, most of this article will be old hack for a lot of you.
The argument lies along the Mason-Dixon line of “hate-speech”. I put the phrase in quotation marks because the words which I will be speaking about in the following lines aren’t directed at anyone in particular, and if my typing these words offends you in any way, it means my side has already won.
I’m going out on a limb here and assuming everyone who reads this has at one time or another used one of these words to insult one or several of their friends; or used one of these words on me. I certainly have called people assholes, bitches, cunts, shit stains, and (in the instance of this piece) fags. Obviously, I use these words to describe my friends. Not to be taken in a menacing manner. When I call Joe Child a bitch, I’m not insinuating he’s a female dog, nor is he a spiteful woman. He’s being a bitch: a guy with a weak backbone. I would never use this to describe a woman. Who hasn’t called that dick that cuts them off in traffic an asshole and not meant it in the literal, anatomical terminology?
Last Wednesday, my good friends Trey Parker and Matt Stone wrote a little treatment for their award-winning television show South Park to attack, rather, discuss the stigma surrounding the infamous word: FAG. I feel they did an excellent job with the issue, pointing out the absurdity of a word whose definition constantly changes and its usage in every day life when it doesn’t pertain to hate-speech against the gay and lesbian community.
Unfortunately, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Again Defamation (GLAAD) doesn’t feel the same as I do:
Though this seems to represent a well-intentioned effort by the creators of South Park to de-legitimise a vulgar anti-gay slur, the fact is that the word is and remains a hateful slur that is often part of the harassment, bullying and violence that gay people, and gay youth in particular, experience on a daily basis in this country.
This is a slur whose meaning remains rooted in homophobia. And while many South Park viewers will understand the sophisticated satire and critique in last night’s episode, others won’t – and if even a small number of those take from this a message that using the “F-word” is OK, it worsens the hostile climate that many in our community continue to face.
First off, all of you should know by now, South Park’s bread and butter lies in pointing out the absurdity (read: stupidity) of life by pissing off every faction of the community. There have been episodes I have watch which have offended me, but still make me laugh. Like the show says, you either make fun of everyone, or you make fun of no one.
This has happened once before when the “Church” of Scientology tried to get the “Tom Cruise Will You Please Come Out Of The Closet” episode pulled. They laughed at the episodes which bashed Catholicism, or the point in every episode where Cartman berates Kyle for being Jewish. That’s okay, but when their cult loving followers are attacked, that’s off limits. Which is probably why the creators made an entire season to poke fun at the false religion, capping it off with the Family Guy two-parter. (If you haven’t seen the episodes, watch them, I’m not explaining everything, and besides, you should be watching the show anyway.)
With GLAAD publicly coming out (no pun intended) against the episode so strongly, they are giving South Park more power. They’ve won. Parker and Stone have won.
Second, the word isn’t rooted in homophobia. The word originates in sixteenth century England and described an old or unpleasant woman. Then in the nineteenth century, the term referred again to the old women who made a living gathering firewood, such as in the phrase "faggot-gatherer”. Later, the term faggot evolved to describe the actual bundle of sticks, and more specifically, a bundle of sticks meant for burning, as in at the stake. There is no history of homosexuals being burned at the stakes for their sexual preference, but it is believed the modern, negative connotation of the word comes from the idea women who were believe to be witches were burned at the stake, accused of homosexual behavior.
In the case of the South Park episode, Parker and Stone, and their bratty animated counterparts, use the fag to describe “[a]n extremely annoying, inconsiderate person most commonly associated with Harley riders”. Sans the Harley riders part, the way I, along with many of my educated contemporaries, use the word fag (and faggot) in the way the previous definition dictates.
Finally, you must remember these words meant for use by adults. To paraphrase Lewis Black, if there was a hurricane, you wouldn’t get upset and use the word “pussy feathers” to describe how you feel, you would most likely say, “holy fucking shit!” Swear words or cuss words or whatever you like to call them, are words meant for educated adults. (I use the word educated because only an ignorant fuck would use any of these words to be truly hateful to a fellow human being.) Plus, just remember, they are just words. Unless you give them power, they are meant a collection of letters put together phonetically. Until you place hatred and spitefulness behind them, they are just words.
As Louis C.K. states: “I would call a gay guy a faggot if he was being a faggot.” It’s not meant negatively toward the “gay guy”; if a homosexual is being an extremely inconsiderate person, he’s going to let him know. And if any of you act like faggots, I’ll be sure to let you know.
Freedom is slavery, and war is the peace that I know…
