Argthtjtr

(note: please read through what I am asking before taking offense and feel free to edit to make it less offensive)

When I was growing up in the 70-80s it was common for kids to say things like oh, your taste in music is so gay. Now, I am not saying we were very tolerant either, but at 12-13 we really didn't know all that much about sexual orientation, and we really meant your taste is very lame, but with the intent to do it in a vulgar fashion. Later on, we kept on using the word, but really very separately from any homophobic intent per se. This was also often used between people who actually liked each other, more a mock insult than a true one.

Nowadays it's not acceptable to use gay in that sense. I am not defending that use and I welcome the shift away from that pejorative usage of the word.

But I wish there was something to replace it with.

Is there a suitably obscene equivalent to lame, minus homophobic (or racist) overtones? Just to vulgarly express strong contempt for someone's choices or tastes.

If you really feel the need for a pejorative, what's wrong with just saying their taste is "shit"?

If you really want to come up with something that has some sting, a non-pejorative term that actually attacks a feature of the music will probably serve much better. Which do you think burns the most:

Oasis is gay

Oasis's tired regurgitation to the tropes of Lennon and McCartney without any of the wit, originality or heart the Beatles had are why the Gallaghers are the most boring performers in the history or rock music?

The second has no such slurs, but I would say it was a more powerful attack.

But I also understand the need for just dismissing something quickly, and shit serves fine without piggy-backing on the oppression of any group.

No is the short answer. But his type of rebuke always requires shock-value and people are continuously inventing new ways to shock as the old ways lose effect. Your desire for a word that is not offensive to someone but can be used to express contempt cannot be met. [You have been challenged.)]

So, the use of 'gay' in this context will not disappear entirely until it is replaced by something equally vile, but different.

Previous to 'gay' the equally ugly 'lame' was used until its shock value wore off. Lame is a reference to disability and the disabled should not be mocked. The Nice police on this site should be in touch with you if you use it inappropriately and you were unknowingly unkind in your youth.

'Dumb' preceded lame, I think. It's effect comes from a belief, now dispelled, that people who could not speak were stupid. The next shock-word will also be offensive, probably to some minority.

Nowadays I think most people will immediately to jump to one of these alternatives, if not using the old-fashioned and homophobia-charged "X is gay":

• X sucks.


• X is shit.


• X is wack.


• X is weak.


• X is garbage/trash/some other word of disgust.


• X is the worst.

These can all be elevated in disgust by using an expletive exclamation. For example:

• X fuckin' sucks.


• X is fuckin' shit.

Good old escalating or emphasis terms work, too:

• X is utter shit.

The discussion surrounding the use of derogatory terms that actually have alternate meanings that have fallen into disuse reminds me of terms used to disparage ones intelligence. I worked for a number of years in a Canadian institution for persons described as 'mentally retarded' as opposed to the kinder and more accurate 'mentally challenged'. What a lot of people don't know is the fact that the original classifications for mental retardation were 'moron', imbecile' and 'idiot.But as these were poorly defined and because of the social connotations that were and are, so derogatory, an international team was convened post WWII, to correct the situation. They created the well defined categories we know today ; mild, moderate, severe , and profound.