Originally Posted by
Flower
http:///forum/post/3192722
You know what strikes me as really funny. I have never used the word "gay" in a sentence to discribe anything. Even my X didn't. Once when we were shopping, I liked this one, what I calld wine colored shirt. Dan said no, that it made him look like a queer.
That is the word my generatoion grew up with. Dan would not wear pink or red shirts..
I called him homophobic.
The word gay has always meant jolly, carefree, lighthearted. Times change and people change the words they use to describe themselves. African American males were once called "Black men", a word much preferred over the horrible N word. Today they prefer African American, a much better description.
Homosexuals were once called fags and queers, now gay??? Someday they will find a good word that makes them comfortable, a word that can only be used one way, one which does not offend.
Think about it..The word African American can't be misconstrued nor misused. IMO It just isn’t offensive. It is like saying Caucasian, it describes without offense.
Actually, a lot of people dislike the term African American. You are associating them with a country that they have most likely never been to. In addition to that, they most likely don't know anybody who has been to Africa. You're using a country to define the color of their skin. Yes, it is as dumb as it sounds. I don't know anybody who is offended when they are called black and I am certainly not offended when I'm called white. If you know how to use words correctly, people won't get mad. I personally dislike being called Caucasian due to the fact that I've never been to the Caucasus. In any case, the terms black, African American, white, Caucasian, etc should not be used often.