Katie: "He's on his Poofy little scooter"

[Tim]

I hope I don't get in trouble for this and I say that because the site admin disagreed sternly with my POV the other day but I believe that Katie in this instance was not directing this slur at a gay male so I don't know see how it can be construed as 'homophobic' at all.

In all likelihood she was belittling a straight guy for the crime of riding a bike that seemed 3 or 4 sizes too small for him hence calling his choice of ride 'effeminate'/poncey/etc, she unfortunately used a gay slur to do so.

Not that I'm trying to make excuses for Katie, I don't even like her but I just think there are far more impactful instances of homophobia that have wide reaching ramifications across society where it's worth raising a stink about than the drivel coming out of the mouth of a silly ignorant bimbo driving to a concert. *shrugs*

Complaining and bringing attention to a fairly insignificant incident in the grand scheme of things does no favours to the cause imo; it probably does the complete opposite and serves to undermine it instead. Just my 2 bobs worth.

Actually you dismissing her choice of casual derogatory language is exactly the problem here.

As I said in my previous posts - using the term "poofy" to describe something as being "lesser" is by extension saying that gay people, or being effeminate is being less of a human. It doesn't matter if the comment is directed at a person or a scooter and it doesn't matter if some gay or effeminate people aren't offended by it - the implication of the words still stand.

You also say we should just dismiss her comments because she's a "silly bimbo". Actually we should be paying attention to these comments so they don't go unchecked. It's throwaway words like "poofy" being used regularly and without question that can sometimes snowball into much more serious attitudes and actions.

With all due respect, the effort you are putting into disputing my article I posted on my site is quite telling about your own attitudes. If this really wasn't a big deal as you're saying, you would just let this one go.

 

[Ezminus]

And when Skye said to Leo in the kitchen "She's a girl you have to work hard to get."

Totally.

 

[Sweetgeek]

The issue is that she is referring to a situation as less than manly, and less than manly means being gay. That's what her words mean.

Is that classy? NO!

And dismissing those words? Nope you can't do that, because as long as that attitude exists, it means people thinks it's ok to joke that way because apparently there was no malice and so the problem still exists and the cycle continues.

 

[Connoisseur]

Actually you dismissing her choice of casual derogatory language is exactly the problem here.

As I said in my previous posts - using the term "poofy" to describe something as being "lesser" is by extension saying that gay people, or being effeminate is being less of a human. It doesn't matter if the comment is directed at a person or a scooter and it doesn't matter if some gay or effeminate people aren't offended by it - the implication of the words still stand.

You also say we should just dismiss her comments because she's a "silly bimbo". Actually we should be paying attention to these comments so they don't go unchecked. It's throwaway words like "poofy" being used regularly and without question that can sometimes snowball into much more serious attitudes and actions.

With all due respect, the effort you are putting into disputing my article I posted on my site is quite telling about your own attitudes. If this really wasn't a big deal as you're saying, you would just let this one go.

That's perfectly fine Tim, you're totally within your rights to write a web piece on your site on whatever issue tickles your fancy.

I'm not as presumptuous as to think that just because I don't agree a particular incident is worth reporting and bringing to people's attention that everyone should be of the same opinion.

You're more than welcome to write about it to your heart's content, I wasn't taking any issue with that.

In my defense though I wasn't the only in this thread who disagreed that it was worth the while pointing out Katie's indiscretion. 2 of those other posters (with 1 being an unashamed Katie fan even after what she said) also happen to be gay males.

 

[chiclet]

Has an apology been issued for this "pap" smear?

 

[kappuccino]

Has an apology been issued for this "pap" smear?

Katie should have known better! She is the one who needs to apologise.

 

[Tin Bum]

It's ignorant but did she have malice in her words?

I say dumb shit all of the time but never have malice behind them
(Albeit I've never used words like poofy or the F-ot word - ever, just dumb stuff in general - maybe her version of dumb stuff is also derogatory)

 

[Tin Bum]

And personally I find terms like red-neck very derogatory and offensive yet it is used all of the time

 

[Tim]

In my defense though I wasn't the only in this thread who disagreed that it was worth the while pointing out Katie's indiscretion. 2 of those other posters (with 1 being an unashamed Katie fan even after what she said) also happen to be gay males.

Re-read my post, particularly this part:

It doesn't matter if the comment is directed at a person or a scooter and it doesn't matter if some gay or effeminate people aren't offended by it - the implication of the words still stand.

 

[Tim]

It's ignorant but did she have malice in her words?

I say dumb shit all of the time but never have malice behind them
(Albeit I've never used words like poofy or the F-ot word - ever, just dumb stuff in general - maybe her version of dumb stuff is also derogatory)

It doesn't matter if there is malice behind the words. In fact, you could argue it's worse if there is no malice because it means derogatory terms are being casually thrown around and the person doing the throwing is oblivious to harm they could be causing.

 

[Shackles]

As I said in my previous posts - using the term "poofy" to describe something as being "lesser" is by extension saying that gay people, or being effeminate is being less of a human. It doesn't matter if the comment is directed at a person or a scooter and it doesn't matter if some gay or effeminate people aren't offended by it - the implication of the words still stand.

The thing is "poofy" isn't even a serious word these days. I mean, only a few portion of Australians even use "poofter", let alone "poofy". Most of the world uses "faggot" or "faggy". These are the true-blue homophobic terms, which I find very revolting and offensive no matter how they're used.

People would usually use "poofy" and "poofter" in a non-homophobic manner. I think they're evolved - For them these words are akin to "weak", "soft", "girly" and such (kinda like "poonce").

I'm confident to say that Katie is at least aware to not use "faggot" or "faggy", knowing that they're easily affiliated with homosexuals in a brutish manner.

 

[Tim]

The thing is "poofy" isn't even a serious word these days. I mean, only a few portion of Australians even use "poofter", let alone "poofy". Most of the world uses "faggot" or "faggy". These are the true-blue homophobic terms, which I find very revolting and offensive no matter how they're used.

That's your opinion.

But I'm telling you as a gay man, I find the word poof offensive. It's a serious word and it should not be used.

 

[kappuccino]

That's your opinion.

But I'm telling you as a gay man, I find the word poof offensive. It's a serious word and it should not be used.

You can blame society for that one, I don't agree with it but it gets thrown around a lot especially in schools. Think about it, what are the most common insults used by primary/high school students (especially boys)? The homophobic attitude kids grow up with needs to stop. This video I think is a great example of how it has blended it's way into some people's vocabulary. Sadly like sexism/racism it has been allowed into society and now we have to try and flush it back out again. Is society capable of such change? Well I would like to think so but the reality of it is. People don't really change that much and we will always have this problem. Good on you for speaking up about it though I completely agree with everything you have said.

 

[Sweetgeek]

The thing is "poofy" isn't even a serious word these days. I mean, only a few portion of Australians even use "poofter", let alone "poofy". Most of the world uses "faggot" or "faggy". These are the true-blue homophobic terms, which I find very revolting and offensive no matter how they're used.

People would usually use "poofy" and "poofter" in a non-homophobic manner. I think they're evolved - For them these words are akin to "weak", "soft", "girly" and such (kinda like "poonce").

I'm confident to say that Katie is at least aware to not use "faggot" or "faggy", knowing that they're easily affiliated with homosexuals in a brutish manner.

the p word existed more commonly before, so it doesn't matter what word seems more offensive, because the word was used to undermine a group of people and it held a lot of power over those group of people. The fact that Katie associated the word with less than manly, shows why the word was used in the first place so therefore it is offensive. It can be 100 years from now where the word is non existent even, but the power the word held and the use of it to show inequality to those people would still exist.

 

[pawlini]

I like to rest my feet on a poof

 

[Brent]

 

[Sweetgeek]

I like to rest my feet on a poof

Used in the right context, no complaining from me.

 

[Shackles]

the p word existed more commonly before, so it doesn't matter what word seems more offensive, because the word was used to undermine a group of people and it held a lot of power over those group of people. The fact that Katie associated the word with less than manly, shows why the word was used in the first place so therefore it is offensive. It can be 100 years from now where the word is non existent even, but the power the word held and the use of it to show inequality to those people would still exist.

And now you're implying that gay men are "less manly"?

Still doesn't change my point. She used the term for something 'effeminate' in her eyes, something 'small' or 'weak'. This has nothing to do with sexuality. If anything, she was more sexist than homophobic.

Being unmanly and a poonce has nothing on sexuality. Both gay and straight men can fall under those terms.

That's your opinion.

But I'm telling you as a gay man, I find the word poof offensive. It's a serious word and it should not be used.

Don't get me wrong here, "poofter" is offensive to me if you use it to a gay man.

For me personally, saying something like "poofie" (which people rarely use) to a an inanimate object (in this case, a motorcycle) isn't a big deal...

 

[Sweetgeek]

And now you're implying that gay men are "less manly"?

Still doesn't change my point. She used the term for something 'effeminate' in her eyes, something 'small' or 'weak'. This has nothing to do with sexuality. If anything, she was more sexist than homophobic.

Being unmanly and a poonce has nothing on sexuality. Both gay and straight men can fall under those terms.

NO! Oh goodness no no no no no! Not what I meant at all. I want to be clear as I can about this. I meant that Katie viewed the situation as less than manly (from her point of view) and then chose to use that word, meaning that word means less than manly. That word was used for gay men, therefore the use of that word means that gay men are less than manly from her perspective. Irrelevant that it could just be a word without actually meaning to be offensive to gay men, the word was used for gay men to make them feel less equal. Subconsciously treating words like they are nothing IMO is wrong because there was once when that word was used to fuel hate towards a group of people.

 

[Shackles]

NO! Oh goodness no no no no no! Not what I meant at all. I want to be clear as I can about this. I meant that Katie viewed the situation as less than manly (from her point of view) and then chose to use that word, meaning that word means less than manly. That word was used for gay men, therefore the use of that word means that gay men are less than manly from her perspective. Irrelevant that it could just be a word without actually meaning to be offensive to gay men, the word was used for gay men to make them feel less equal. Subconsciously treating words like they are nothing IMO is wrong because there was once when that word was used to fuel hate towards a group of people.

Yeah I get your point now.

Like I said, maybe "poofie" has evolved from a gay hating/degrading word for gay men to un-manliness and effeminacy in general term? I don't know...

Though yes, "poofter" still means "faggot" to me (i.e. anti-gay).