Proposal for a more welcoming community

[JimmyRecard]

We all have heard the news, read the article, scrolled through the tweets: what Gus Kenworthy did today was undeniably courageous.

One of the things that struck me in the interviews I've read was how he mentioned how overly and improperly we use words like "gay" and "f**", not just in the ski community, but in the action sports community as a whole, and how much this use hurt him.

It takes dramatic things to institute change, and though it will undoubtedly come (with Gus leading the way), I'd like to propose that we all give some legitimate thought about how the way we speak has the capacity to hurt, however unintended it may be.

Next time a rail is rough and we eat shit, go ahead and laugh, or get pissed, but if you do, call it whack, or bunk, or shotty, or whatever the hell you want, but not gay. As Gus proved today, you never know how much that might hurt someone you think you know.

**This thread was edited on Oct 23rd 2015 at 12:33:06pm

 

[daOyster]

It's always seemed like a double standard in skiing. I mean we have a trick called a screaming seamen and hit rainbow rails and boxes.

 

[Julius_Steezer]

It's always seemed like a double standard in skiing. I mean we have a trick called a screaming seamen and hit rainbow rails and boxes.

Yeah I'm pretty sure the rainbow thing is due to the shape of the box/rail rather than skiers throwing a big fuck you to the gay community

 

[.squirrely.]

It's always seemed like a double standard in skiing. I mean we have a trick called a screaming seamen and hit rainbow rails and boxes.

Ok guy

 

[ModMommy]

When people say gay now the meaning doesnt mean a negative word toward gay people. it mean stupid or lame. But I'm definitely going to try to say wack or fucked instead or gay now that i realize it can seriously make people feel pretty shitty.

Exactly, the problem there is the use of gay in a way that marina stupid or lame. You're calling someone stupid/lame. It's limiting a person to their sexuality, who's name had become synonymous with a negative phrase.

 

[Mr.Bishop]

When people say gay now the meaning doesnt mean a negative word toward gay people. it mean stupid or lame. But I'm definitely going to try to say wack or fucked instead or gay now that i realize it can seriously make people feel pretty shitty.

But that is the whole point - the fact is the word you're using means something negative. Sure it may not hold meaning to you, but it does hold meaning to someone who is gay.

I mean if Everyone started saying "Dude, I Bishop'd that shit" meaning they were a total fuckup.... at a certain point even if they didn't really mean it towards me it'd kind of hurt.

Imagine everyone constantly saying that around you? It'd suck.

 

[cydwhit]

I have a pretty different take on all of this personally and religiously but I think this is the point Sam and Bishop are making:

 

[Mr.Bishop]

Yea i totally get that now if. I changed the autocorrect on my phone to whenever i type gay it will change it to wack. Im definitely gonna stop my self from using it.

Fuck yeah baws - be the change!

I mean they went through this with nigger. Remember when you could own black people?

Me neither - and I don't use those words because they're bad.

Same shit.