[vesavius]

Originally Posted by Garfie

Your comments towards Abra are now coming across as goading and aimed at insulting or upsetting, rather than making valid points.

Interesting that you only point out one of the posters here doing that and not the other.

Originally Posted by Garfie

I don’t think this is about LGBTQ+ as such, but about using language appropriate to the 2020s.

Yes, the conversation here is partly about who gets to control the language and decide if it is 'appropriate' or not. I just don't recognise your or others' right to do that.

It is also about context and intent.

And it is also about the use of dangerous and very serious words like 'homophobic' incorrectly in an attempt to damage others in a very real way in their real lives.

Those kinds of terms can result in a person getting publically harassed or assaulted by nutjobs or losing their job, just because they used an outdated term in a way that you don't like. That, to me, is not right.

Originally Posted by Garfie

The reality of the times is that the use of the word ‘gay’ as a way of insulting people is publicly acknowledged as homophobic language. The fact is, if the word wasn’t perceived as transphobic, BB wouldn’t have felt the need to reprimand Kerry and demand that she issue an apology.

The public is not a monolith, we don't all perceive this in the same way and so we do not all publically acknowledge that, no.

'Homophobe' to a lot out here is (rightly in my view) seen as something far more serious than the one off use of an outdated word. It means the active dislike or hatred of gay people, neither of which Kerry has shown.

I am not saying anyone has to like the way that she used the word. All I am saying that going right to the nuclear option of calling her a 'homophobe' (and now, somehow, a 'transphobe') for it is not the way.

How on earth has she shown herself to be 'transphobic'? It's getting nuts.

In my view, the 'phobe' terms are used way too easily and too casually considering their destructive power. It often comes across as a spiteful and malicious attempt to destroy the life of the other person, something often far worse often than the original 'crime'.

Look, if BB thought it was that serious Kelly would have been removed right away, like Emily was when she said the N word. The fact that she wasn't tells us that BB didn't think it was that bad and that an apology would do (even though we know an apology is NEVER enough in these situations for those who choose to be offended).

If BB actually agreed with you that it was actually 'homophobic' she would be gone instead of being warned and forced to apologise simply to appease a loud minority.