Having already lost the War On Scare Quotes, and rapidly losing the War On Gay People, wingnuts gathered at Liberty University this past week to declare war on the word “gay” itself. This will obviously go well for them:
The conference took a turn for the surreal when panelists speaking at the conference suggested they stop using the word “gay” all together.
Leading a panel discussion at the national conference, Ryan Sorba, chairman of the Young Conservatives of California, made the following remarks:
Oh goody, Ryan Sorba always makes me laugh!
“‘Gay’ is a left-wing socio-political construct designed to create grounds for fundamental rights [based on] whimsical capricious desires. Gay identity does not exist.”
”Stop using the word ‘gay.’ Because, if we give them this term that is grounded in an identity we’re giving – we’re conceding that to the premise that it is an identity and the rest of the debate we’re on their ground — we’re on their terms. He who defines the terms controls the debate, and by extension, public opinion. What we need to do is state that this is same-sex attraction, or maybe the engage in same-sex intercourse, or sodomy — whatever word you’re comfortable using.”
Are Ryan Sorba’s sexual feelings “whimsical” and “capricious”? Inquiring minds would like to know, since he’s almost as fey as Tony Perkins. But I’m really liking this “stick our heads in the sand” approach he’s suggesting. If you don’t like reality, just pretend it’s not there! Aside from the fact that this is about as “new” for fundamentalist Christians as pathetic music and bad hair, I’m very entertained by the suggestion that somehow a few wingnuts eating donuts together are going to get even one person [who isn't already a wingnut] to stop using the term “gay” to describe gay people.
Later in the discussion, it was suggested that gays should also be referred to as “anti-Christian.”
Yeah, that’s going to work, since so many gay people actually ARE Christians, and moreover, the fantasyland Ryan Sorba has created where he believes he’s speaking for the majority of Christians also does not exist.
Keep failing, Ryan, and we’ll just keep winning.
Oh, do y’all remember the time Miss Sorba did this at CPAC? This little temper tantrum never fails to make me laugh:
Couldn’t you make the same argument about being a Christian and that it doesn’t exist except for those that believe that it does? So instead of calling people Christians maybe we should start calling them anit-atheist? (I’m sure you could come up with a much more clever name)
If “gay” – specifically, “gay identity” – doesn’t exist, then “ex-gay” is not a valid term either. Therefore, PFOX is going to have to come up with a new name for itself. If gays don’t exist, then how can there be ex-gays either?
While there is a mountain of evidence that gay (homosexuality) exists, there is no compelling evidence that a god exists.
And if Ryan wants to talk about “natural law,” then lets talk about how every human being is naturally born an atheist. A Christian is merely an atheist who has been brainwashed.
When did right wingers ever use the word “gay”? They use the word “homosexual.” If they want to stop using the word “gay,” does that mean they will no longer sing “Don we now our gay apparel”?
Even, could you perhaps NOT further other kinds of bigotry while dissecring anti-gay bigotry? I’m so fed up with gay men thinking it’s okay to insult anti-gay a******s by calling them “Miss” or “She” etc. Insulting him by misgendering him as female is NOT a good insult. It suggests women are lesser, and calling a dick by geminine terms is sufficiently insulting on the grounds that suggesting he’s a woman is funny. He’s not trans, he’s not female. There is absolutely ZERO excuse for an intelligent man like yourself engaging in b******t gender stereotyping as an insult like this. Call him a liar, call him a jackass, call him a f*****g douche. Don’t call him Miss. By doing that you insult all women and undermine yourself.
Penny, you are aware that many, many gay men colloquially call each other “Miss [blank],” right? It tends to be a term of endearment between two gay men. Now go back and reread what I said.
No Evan, YOU are missing the point. Sorba isn’t a friend of yours and you were misgendering to be insulting to him. You cannot claim you were being affectionate towards him. It’s STILL WRONG. You’re better than this semantic backpedaling hon, please don’t insult my intelligence by using the tactics of our enemies to get out of just saying “You’re tight, that was wrong of me, I’m sorry”.
I have been considering refering to ‘them’ as Christiansexuals. I think they would avoid sex with a Muslim or Atheist and defining them by their sex life, rather than the entire aspect of their being is reducing them in the exact same way they are trying to reduce us. I know they won’t see the irony but perhaps reasonable people would.
I’m not backpedaling, Penny, because I don’t think you’re right. :)
You’re missing the second layer here. By using an affectionate term of endearment often used between two gay men, I am bringing him into the circle of gays. A knowing nod. A wink. I’m addressing him as I might address a gay friend, on occasion. Honestly, the thought of either women or trans people has nothing to do this in any way.
Sometimes people need to stop looking for enemies on their own side.
Oh, and the two lesbians in the room with me right now, both of whom are equality activists, agree with me.
That doesn’t make them right, and you’re still making excuses for your screw-up rather than just be an adult and apologize. As long as people pull s**t like this and make excuses to justify it rather than listen to what other people are telling them, NOTHING will EVER f*****g change. Good day.
Penny:
I have not acknowledged any screw-up, and every woman I have spoken to today about this agrees with me. Feel free to disagree, as that is your right.
You will find that “language police” tactics mostly annoy me, though. For what that’s worth.