“That word is the same as the N-word. Yes, it is. Don’t look at me like that. Yes. It. Is.This won’t be a popular stance among some of my African-American football acquaintances, but it’s a truthful one and it’s a conversation that needs to be had.
When black men degrade gays, we are hypocrites. We cheapen our own history and struggles. It remains stunning to me why more African-American athletes (not all by any stretch but enough) don’t understand this. When a slur is aimed at us, we feel the impact. So why wouldn’t gays?
There’s no question the N-word has deeper historical context and is among the ugliest ever used (and I don’t care what some rappers say). Because the F-word hasn’t been utilized as a weapon as long as the N-word isn’t justification for its use.”
—CBS Sports columnist Mike Freeman (pictured in inset) writing about hockey player Wayne Simmonds’ use of “faggot” against Sean Avery.
JayKay
…This is gonna be good.
Queer Supremacist
Mike Freeman is an Uncle Tom. Everyone knows gay rights and gay marriage are nothing more than racist exercises in gay white male privilege. Gay white men have too many rights already.
/sarc
ewe
@Queer Supremacist: I agree with what he said and the fact he is african american is why you started with calling him an uncle tom. You couldn’t start off by calling him a racist because it just doesn’t work as well when the person making this claim is not caucasian huh? What you said about gay white men and too many rights is no reflection on anyone but your own feelings of inadequacy because it is a rediculous untrue assinine myth you are verbally masturbating about. You are flipped out over in and around. You can’t even think logically when it comes to issues of race and sexual orientation cause you have an agenda that is entrenched in your own wounded emotional scars. Don’t think i won’t take you on. The only one who thinks you are supreme is yourself you twisted damaged egomaniac.
Reason
It’s not really a matter of which is worse, it is a question of basic civility. The comments that I saw in the trans post show like members of all communities ours is full of classless individuals. Going after others for no fault but immutable characteristics or the inability to understand the importance of general respect is clearly a brain affliction impacting to many in our society. It is not a game or fun when you are messing with someones wellbeing, there is to many primitive people walking around this earth.
Reason
@ewe: You are so quick to jump down someone’s throat that you failed to recognize the sarcasm line he left at the bottom. That doesn’t exclude the choice to be sarcastic about the important issue of how we treat one another, or the first post feigning for an epic battle to breakout.
perdeep
Good for him for putting it so succinctly and clearly. I agree with everything he said. One kind of bigotry will beget another, and they’re all wrapped up in similar discourses of exclusion and judgement.
perdeep
On a related note, does this article seriously say “TAGGED: BLACKS” at the bottom? Queerty seriously has racialized tags? Do they tag all the Michelle Bachman entries with “WHITES” too? Jesus christ.
Michael
Finally someone who FINALLY gets it.African americans know how much the N word hurts then when someone uses it against them.Therefore they should have some sensitivity common sense and common human decency to give a shit about how the f word affects those of us who hate it and do not respect its use. They knew what it was like and still do know what its like to be discriminated against therefore they shouldnt discriminate against us for being gay otherwise just as this intelligent man said it makes them look like hypocrites.
Daniel Villarreal
@perdeep: Yeah, you’re right. That’s bullshit. We have re-tagged the story under race as this deals with racial issues rather than just black issues.
Mark
Good article! Someone had to eventually shine some light on the issue.
Steve
While I generally agree with the overall tenor and message of your article, I must disagree with your assertion that the N-word has had deeper and longer historical context.
The F-word has been used as a weapon, for just as long as the N-word. And, for most of that time, it has been far more deadly. For several hundred years, F’s were routinely murdered, most often by the Church or its representatives, and with government approval. The murder was often conducted by burning alive. The F-word is from the middle ages. It means, literally, a a piece of wood burning in a fire, and refers to a person being burned alive. The N-word was adopted by slave traders much more recently, after the new world was discovered, to refer to a person from a particular part of Africa.
The N’s were emancipated more than a hundred years ago, and were granted civil rights almost fifty years ago, though some violations still occur. The F’s are still being murdered, and still don’t have even basic civil rights such as the right to marry. The frequency of murder has been reduced in recent decades, thankfully.
At least, the murders are no longer being conducted by the Church. However, listening to some “church” officials, I do not believe that they would refrain if they had the choice.
Daniel Villarreal
@Steve: From Wikipedia:
It is sometimes claimed that the modern slang meaning developed from the standard meaning of “faggot” as “bundle of sticks for burning,” presumably with reference to burning at the stake. This is, however, unlikely to be the case, and there is no tradition of burning at the stake being used as a punishment for homosexuality in Britain, although supposed witches and heretics were burnt to death in other parts of Europe, and were often accused of deviant sexual behaviour.
Mk_Ultra_Again
The “f word” is just as bad as the “n word” but not because of the word itself. Words aren’t hurtful.The intention behind them, the emotions are. It’s not so much the word itself but the sense of degradation, dehumanization, humiliation and yes, even hate. These words get thrown around often but when someone says f****t to a gay person and means it, it’s exactly the same hostility and anger that someone who says n****r to a black person has. This is why racism and homophobia truly are the same thing. Some argue “but skin color is different than orientation”. But they are looking at it all wrong. You have to look at the source of the behavior, not the target. The driving forces behind both racism and homophobia are ignorance (truly not knowing enough and filling in the blanks with religion, stereotypes,etc), a sense of “I’m better than these people”,”I don’t trust these people”, “all of my problems are these people’s fault”. I think in the case of both homophobia and racism the solution is, and I know this has been said before but, visibility, getting the real story about the GLBT community out there. Of course there will always be a group of people who are truly bitter, angry, hateful, malicious bastards (the minority of the ignorant I assure you), the good news is the rest can be taught – We’re people. We come in all shapes, sizes, colors, religions, political beliefs etc…and we want the same thing as everybody else.
Clamydia Jones
Oh Lawd I liketitdid dis menz. I bee trying to has duh same convasation witin my communitiy, and day say dat aint true but we all duh same.
Kev C
Playing hockey is one step away from being a male figure skater. I wonder if Wayne knows how to perform a butterfly spin.
Michael
@Clamydia Jones:
LOL its official that not only are you a troll.You are also racist mocking african americans with the way you write. 🙂
gucci prada
@Michael: Really? Is that so! Blacks know how much the N word hurts so they should have some sensitivity? That will happen will gay white men stop using the N word themselves. Mike Freeman is a coon, and any black athlete who apologizes for using the word is a N. Why should black athletes, actors, and any other black man apologize to racist gays. This movement is going to come undown. These ignorant black athletes think that the gay community is one big rainbow of love. When they find out aboout you racist queens, your house of cards will come tumbling down. Bet on it!
Steve
@Daniel Villarreal: The word is of French origin, not English. In France burning definitely was used as a punishment for homosexuality, administered by the Church, during the middle ages.
CBRad
I like how that hockey puck seems to think he can speak for all black athletes.
Queer Supremacist
@gucci prada: You are absolutely right. Why should anyone apologize to racist gays for calling them out on their bigotry against white people?
Queer Supremacist
@gucci prada: You are absolutely right. Why should anyone apologize to racist gays like you for calling them out on their bigotry against white people?
Michael
@gucci prada:
You’re a dumbass especially claiming I am a racist to begin with.Never have been a day in my life so nice try.
darkskin bttms R survivors
Yeah it’s wrong for Tyrone to say “faggot” but it’s perfectly cool for Taylor to say “Nigger or Nigga” SMDH.. Tragic
James
you guys are ridiculous. This was a positive story about an athlete’s respect for the gay community, and 90% have turned this into a inflammatory post about your disdain for black people. The gay community has a lot of growing up to do.
~PR~
@Steve: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word didn’t take on the association with homosexuality until 1914. Before that, it was a baundle of sticks or steel rods (not initially used for burning anything) and then it eventually took on its more ominous meanings. Interstingly, before the word was intended to hurt our (gays) feelings, it was used as an abusive term towards women.
Gucci Prada
@Michael: The only time you are not racist is when you have a big black cock up your arse. Otherwise…
jason
Mike Freeman said what I’ve been saying for a long time. Any group which has faced substantial legal barriers to being considered equal should be united against any form of prejudice and not just that which is directed to its own group.