On The "F" Word

[Saint Sims]

I think everyone here knows of which "F" word I refer to.

Personally, I've never found this word to be particularly offensive. In fact, and with a bit of shame, I've even used this word myself on occasion, always in a joking manner (which does not make it ok by any means) but never maliciously.

On a few very rare occasions I've been called this word with malicious intent but even still I never took it to offense, despite that being the intent.

What are your thoughts on the "F" word? Do you take it to offense if used at any length or do you find it to be just another unnecessary utterance?

I've never quite found any word worth my frustration or anger. A word is a word and it's only as powerful as you let it. We give words meanings so if a word is meaningless to you why should it offend you?

Also, notably, the casual English languages is seemingly becoming a bit more "racy" so to speak. People aren't shy about their word choices as much as they would've been say 10 to 20 years ago. There seems to be a general trend of desensitizing foul language, do you think the "F" word is one to follow?

 

[Gummy burrs]

I think the F word tends to be a negative term, just like the word slut tends to be.

The definition of slut is not negative, but U.S. culture views promiscuity as shameful, therefore it is a bad thing to be a slut...we have made a new definition of slut. Some people use the new definition, and some use the old.

Is it wrong to use these words with the newer definition in mind?
Of course!
There is nothing wrong with being a slut or an F word - Sluts and F words do not cause harm to anyone, or do anything that would make being a slut or an F word a bad thing. There is a stereotype that sluts do not respect themselves, and there are stereotypes (in some cultures) of the F word, and they both stem from traditionalism.

I think the newer definitions of these words are very opinionated - they normally say that being this is bad, but lack non-stereotypical evidence of why it is bad.  

[Taeryyn]

As with any other kind of language, context is key.

Words aren't inherently evil or bad, but many of them are loaded, especially if they have a particularly painful history. The words "f*****t" or "f**" aren't necessarily offensive, but given that they are so frequently wielded as a weapon to inflict pain, it can be hard to see them as meaningless.

Intention matters, too.
Although I'm not offended by the words in general, neither would I appreciate being called a f*****t by someone intending to insult me. It's not the word itself that bothers me, it's the intended meaning behind it. Same goes for queer; it's a word that is often used pejoratively, but it's also being reclaimed. I usually refer to myself as queer, queer studies is a branch of sociology, and it's not uncommon for people to refer to the "queer community", none of which is meant in a negative way.

Quote:

Also, notably, the casual English languages is seemingly becoming a bit more "racy" so to speak. People aren't shy about their word choices as much as they would've been say 10 to 20 years ago. There seems to be a general trend of desensitizing foul language, do you think the "F" word is one to follow?

Hmm. I'm not sure I necessarily agree. I think that perhaps we just use different "foul" language now than we used to.

In general, people today are less concerned with certain forms of etiquette and manners than they used to be, and that includes the taboo against certain words.
On the other hand, we now have other, newer rules of etiquette, ones that were inapplicable back in the day. LIKE HOW IT'S RUDE TO TALK ALL IN CAPS TO AT SOMEONE BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE YELLING. x3

More related to the topic at hand, it's also generally unacceptable now to use racial slurs in casual speech, something I wish my grandmother would remember. .___.

retro_rage

Nice observation. This actually ties in well with something you brought up in another thread, that masculinity is perceived positively for men, but not femininity.

Slut and f*****t are almost two sides of the same coin.

No matter how many people a man sleeps with, he's not likely to be called a slut, and on the off chance that he is, it's usually meant in jest.
Women, on the other hand, can be labelled as sluts or whores based on their appearance and demeanour, regardless of their sexual history. sweatdrop
In other words, it's "acceptable" for men to be sexual (something that's associated positively with masculinity), but not women.

The word f*****t, on the other hand, is used to imply that someone is gay or feminine, both of which are traits that are seen as antithetical to manliness, and therein lies the intended insult.  

[Gummy burrs]

Taeryyn

retro_rage

Nice observation. This actually ties in well with something you brought up in another thread, that masculinity is perceived positively for men, but not femininity.

Slut and f*****t are almost two sides of the same coin.

No matter how many people a man sleeps with, he's not likely to be called a slut, and on the off chance that he is, it's usually meant in jest.
Women, on the other hand, can be labelled as sluts or whores based on their appearance and demeanour, regardless of their sexual history. sweatdrop
In other words, it's "acceptable" for men to be sexual (something that's associated positively with masculinity), but not women.

The word f*****t, on the other hand, is used to imply that someone is gay or feminine, both of which are traits that are seen as antithetical to manliness, and therein lies the intended insult.

Thank you emotion_dowant You tied my two posts together nicely too. My psychology of gender professor actually pointed out the same trends in how people insult others according to their gender. I don't remember if research supports it, or if we were just having an open discussion based on experience, but the best way to insult men is to insult their manhood, and the best way to insult women is to make sexual assumptions about them, and sometimes to even threaten them in a sexual manner - oy vey.  

[lgtenos]

I got into a fist fight with someone who called me a "f*****t" once. He couldn't use his male parts for a few hours. I'm pretty sure that sums up my opinion on the word in question.  

[Maculkin]

not really tbh
people call each other fegs all the time when we're joking

i guess i'm just used to it and its common in our school  

[The Loan Ninja]

Giggity. emotion_dealwithit  

[Saint Sims]

wildgoat

Seriously?

That's very strange to me!

Even a minor utterance of the word while I was in high school received strict reprimand.

 

[Shanna66]

Der Fluch des Pharao

wildgoat

Seriously?

That's very strange to me!

Even a minor utterance of the word while I was in high school received strict reprimand.

when i was in middle school we had teachers using the word. my 6th grade teacher was very anti gay and kept telling us that all gays need to be arrested and people who are friends with gays are sick. highschool the teachers were better since we had some lgb teachers i guess

as for the word f**, for it it depends on how its used. ive had straight friends joke around with me and use the word and i dont really mind that. when its used by someone i dont know or as an insult towards me then thats when it pisses me off  

[Saint Sims]

Shanna66

Wow!

I've never had an experience where a teacher ever used the word.

I can agree with you, for the most part on, on how its used depending on the intent and delivery.

While joking around doesn't make it socially acceptable, I tend not to mind it.

 

[Maculkin]

Der Fluch des Pharao

Seriously?

That's very strange to me!

Even a minor utterance of the word while I was in high school received strict reprimand.

well people here be queer verry odd
at first i thought F word was fcuk but then seing this is gsa.. ya

if someone said it right in front of a teacher, most are too lazy to give a fk redface a few would maybe tell u not to say it again but... most teachers, nah