jayks1 wrote:Guys calling the sig homophobic: I think it is good that you are standing up for what you believe in and equal respect among the different orientations, though I think in this case you are taking things a little overboard. This was a joke, and who ever compared the word "queer" to the N word is way off base, there is no comparison. The words "queer" and "gay" as most know have different meanings and in the past were common words not associated with homosexually but today are. I'm pretty sure *aggot is closer to the N word... you could compare the sig to one saying 'fear the black man', but when you get into slurs, like someone already said there is a slippery slope.
Dude, my point wasn't what words were used. I have queer friends, and they describe themselves as queer all the time.
My contention is that treating gay people as a joke - which is what that banner does, intentionally or no - is exactly as dehumanizing as calling a black person a n*****. Exactly the same. Because dehumanizing a group of people always ends up the same way.
Edit: During the US Presidential elections, some people cooked up a shirt of Obama as a chimp. They said it wasn't racist at all, it was just a joke - he's got big ears like a monkey, is all. This is the exact same thing.
