I regret very much that the fine old English and French word ‘gay’ has, in my lifetime, been appropriated by a small but vocal minority of the population. The result is that it can no longer be used in its original and rather delightful meaning.”
— Member of Parliament and human push-broom Lord Hylton debating the UK’s gay marriage bill, which overwhelmingly passed the House of Lords yesterday, 390-148.
Ridpathos
Leave it to the English to be more aware about the linguistic consequences of politics rather than anything having to do with civil rights.
1EqualityUSA
Oh, how I pine that the vocal majority has changed the definition of “straight.”
2eo
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I have nothing clever to add, but thank you house of lords for voting with your conscience and not your god.
2eo
I notice all the right wing rags aren’t carrying the story.
The daily heil, telegraph etcetera are upset their base is a dying dinosaur with little real sway anymore, I long for the day I can tap-dance on the grave of the last social conservative. The day is coming.
How great is it that the right has taken such a[nother] beating.
enfilmigult
I am really starting to get depressed at the level of ignorance I see in people who ought to know better. I’m 31. I should not know more about the origin of the term “gay” than this guy. And yet he’s the one who’s unaware that people like him changed the meaning of the word. “Gay” meant happy and carefree, then it began to shade into something more like “hedonistic,” and since that’s how folks thought of gay people, when they thought of them, it became the word for “homosexual.”
And now, since gay people declined to throw the term out after it was slapped on them, it’s their fault for “appropriating” it. What a bunch of crap.
Chris-MI
In “his day” the word gay meant “slutty with a tendency towards kink.” In fact it meant that 700 years before his day. Someone needs to send the old gentleman a list of double entendre he can use without being mistaken for a supporter of civil rights.
Polaro
I did not know Santa had the lap band surgery. Looking good, Santa. PS. STFU.
the other Greg
I bet he knew the Flintstones back in the old neighborhood (Stonehenge). They were always having “a GAY old time” back then!
Then those Monty Python perverts, the Knights Who Say “NI,” came along and ruined everything.
Jonas
More than 20 years ago Fry and Laurie said it a lot better (Queerty team think of attaching the video to the post):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtaPaQwSQPA&gl=GB
alexoloughlin
@2eo: Yes, I noticed that too. It’s had a momentary sobering effect on them since they predicted some months ago and quite boldly that it would be ‘massacred in the Lords’. I don’t think any of them were expecting the staggering majority in favour of the Bill. It’s true, some voted for it because they were uncomfortable subverting the will of the Commons where it passed with similar results, but if they really were so against it, the would have voted no. Reason, rationality and common sense prevailed yesterday. More to their credit. It proves that not all Tories are bad. There’s no way it won’t pass into law, perhaps with a smaller majority in the third reading but sufficient to pass comfortably.
alexoloughlin
@2eo: Astounding result wasn’t it? I don’t think any country except Iceland has had such a large favourable majority of that stature percentage-wise. Not one Icelandic MP voted against their Marriage Bill. Even when the third and final vote comes and will probably be a bit smaller, it still will be a lot more than I’ve seen in any of these countries excluding Iceland.
2eo
@alexoloughlin: Indeed, a good percentage of Tories voted in favour, admittedly some with a little coaxing, but even 10 years ago the vote itself would be unthinkable, let along Tories voting for it.
The right is suffering a massive and humiliating retreat, their financial policies have iced all the spiteful anything to get them out of power will the Labour government built up in the masses before the election. Outside of the daily heil they have no forum, even The Telegraph have UKIP making exactly 0% gains using the right wing skewed media stats they do.
Good times.
Ogre Magi
I think Radagast needs to go back to his rabbits
Niall
I also regret what the meaning of “marriage” has become nowadays, as a vocal majority seem to have coveted it for themselves.
Deepdow
Lord Rip Van Wrinkle has been asleep too long.
Freddie27
Lord Hylton is not an MP. MP’s are members of the House of Commons. Lord Hylton is a peer, a member of the House of Lords.