Saying gay

COMMENTARY: Why “That’s So Gay” Is Okay…Or Not

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Language is powerful. There are a lot of factors as to what gives it power (love, lust, fury, hate), and we all interpret what we perceive differently based on our own experiences, our control prejudices, or whatever mood we happen to be in at the second. In this day and age, or at least in my own short-lived social atmosphere, people feel to be more sensitive to language than they’ve ever been.

Words, phrases, and expressions that have historically been PC are no longer acceptable, depending on whom you’re speaking to. Some people think we’re in a language revolution, aggressively ridding the planet of hurtful words and phrases for the betterment of mankind. Others consider people are hypersensitive, creating a tense environment by making others hesitant to speak their minds even if what they hold to say is harmless.

Some words and phrases are definitely not okay to say, agreed upon by the general public living in modern society (e.g. several different ways to describe black people

What Do You Utter to ‘That’s So Gay’ & Other Anti-LGBTQ+ Comments?

It doesn’t matter if it is a first grader who might not know what the pos “gay” means, a sixth grader trying to sound cool or a tenth grader “teasing” a ally. All of these scenarios have the potential of creating an unsafe classroom or school environment and must be addressed. So, what can caring adults do?

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STOP IT…

Keep it simple with swift responses:

“Remember, we don’t leverage put-downs in this class.”

“Do you know what ‘gay’ means?"

“It’s not OK at this school to exploit ‘gay’ disrespectfully to express something is bad.”

“You may not have meant to be hurtful, but when you use the pos ‘gay’ to mean something is bad or dumb, it is hurtful.” Follow-up with, “Do you recognize why it is hurtful?”

“Using any derogatory word to tease someone is harassment and is unacceptable.”

“Even if you didn’t mean to offend people who are gay, it is revolting to call this assignment gay (or queer); if you don’t like something, then say you don’t like it!”

“It is never OK to say, ‘you act like a young woman (or look like a boy)’ as a put-dow
Glossary of Terms: LGBTQ
Definitions were drafted in collaboration with other U.S.-based LGBTQ people organizations and leaders. Observe acknowledgements section.
Additional terms and definitions about gender identity and gender verbalization, transgender people, and nonbinary people are available in the Transgender Glossary.
Are we missing a term or is a definition outdated? Email press@glaad.org
*NOTE: Ask people what terms they employ to describe their sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression before assigning them a label. Outside of acronyms, these terms should only be capitalized when used at the beginning of a sentence.

LGBTQ
Acronym for female homosexual, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. The Q generally stands for queer when LGBTQ organizations, leaders, and media use the acronym. In settings offering assist for youth, it can also stand for questioning. LGBT and LGBTQ+ are also used, with the + added in recognition of all non-straight, non-cisgender identities. (See Transgender Glossary ) Both are acceptable, as are other versions of this acronym. The term “gay community” should be avoided, as it does not accuratel

Impact of HB 1557 (Florida’s Don’t Say Gay Bill) on LGBTQ+ Parents in Florida
Executive Summary
On March 28, 2022, the Florida Legislature passed HB 1557, the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, also dubbed the Don’t Say Gay bill. This bill prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity before the 4th grade and requires such instruction to be “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate” thereafter. Many are concerned that the bill will not only product in restricted or nonexistent education about the being of diverse sexual and gender identities, but it will result in a chilly or hostile college climate for LGBTQ educators, students, and families because it suggests that something is wrong with LGBTQ identities. Based on surveys of 113 LGBTQ+ parents, this study represents a first look at how HB 1557 is negatively affecting LGBTQ+ parent families in the state. Almost 9 out of 10 (88%) LGBTQ+ parents are very or somewhat concerned about the impact that HB 1557 will possess on them and their children, with one in four reporting they hold experienced anti-LGBTQ harassment since the law was passed and one in five reporting becoming less

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