are considerate to other people's feelings. I find that if I ask people politely not to use the word gay as a term of derision, they respect that. Likewise, I'm sure that if you politely ask people not to make that particular joke, they will likely comply out of common courtesy.
Obviously this doesn't apply to insensitive, self-centered, prejudiced or generally impolite people (such as my suite-mate).
The general public seems to use gay in a derogatory sense and tell the joke you mentioned out of ignorance. If everyone had a gay friend, I don't think they'd run around calling this, that, and any other thing they don't like gay. |
