Stop with the “That’s so gay.”

“That’s gay.” “Don’t be gay.” “Are you gay?” “That’s the gayest thing I’ve ever heard.”

I hear those phrases and similar ones on a daily basis and let me tell you, it pisses me off like hell. As the popular Facebook group can tell you,

The word “gay” is NOT a synonym of “stupid”!

At one point, I actually tried to tell each person I heard saying “that’s gay” to learn to use another word, because gay means homosexual, or in older times, happy. Then I realized it would tire me out like crazy because I hear it every few minutes in the school halls and cafeteria. But now I’m back on it. A lot of people , when I tell them to watch what they say, choose to respond with “Don’t be gay.” That annoys me because it doesn’t really say anything intelligent. Others argue that in modern times, the word gay has become a synonym for stupid. Bullshit. It doesn’t. And if it has, shame on us.

It doesn’t really matter if one thinks homosexuality is right or wrong. It’s offensive. Like it or not, gay people are out there, and they’re not all stupid. Calling inanimate objects, phrases, actions, music and other things “gay,” when they clearly can’t be, is wrong, not to mention it makes no sense.

To those who use this phrase but frown upon homosexuality, let me pose a question: Why call half the things in this world a synonym of homosexuality when they’re not if you hate it so much?

Besides, when people say it, they don’t know who they’re offending, and it’s not just the LGBT community. A lot of heterosexual people find it offensive too. Every time I hear “That’s gay” or an equivalent from someone, I cringe. And then my opinion of that person changes a bit. I know, I shouldn’t judge people based on their bad choice of vocabulary. Well, that’s too bad, because I do. And I’m not the only one.

One of my (bisexual) friends has suggested the following test: If you can substitute the word “gay” for “homosexual” in your sentence or phrase and it still makes sense, then go ahead, use it. If it doesn’t, come up with something less absurd.

Here’s a list of words that may actually make sense as a synonym for stupid. Read it, use it, seem more intelligent.

absurd
dumb
nonsensical
foolish
brainless
unintelligent
pointless
ridiculous
loser
dull
childish
puerile
idiotic
ignorant
inept
moronic
uncool
fatuous

Gay is not a synonym of stupid. Spread the word.