What can be seen as offensive? |
Sometimes you don't mean to offend people, but you don't know the right thing to say and mistakes happen and here helps educate you on offensive things |
Anything that is degrading or demeaning is offensive. Below we will list some things you may not realize are degrading or demeaning, but we will not least all offensive items. The best way to not be offensive is to use your common sense, but below we will share some things your common sense may not be aware is an issue.
Your rundown on slurs
There are so many terms that are commonly used in our society that are pretty ignored that many people of the LGBT+ community find highly offensive. Some of these terms include homophobic or transphobic slurs (f*g, tr*nny, ect.) that people just throw around and defend their actions by saying they are "not meaning it in an offensive way." Well we cannot deny that these terms are offensive by their simple definition and using them is showing a support of that. If you want to be an ally do not use these terms.
There are reclaimed slurs, the most common example being "queer," that some people actually identify as. The thing is that even though some people in the LGBT+ community do not see these terms as offensive some do and navigating who will and won't take offense is tricky. If you are not LGBT+ you may want to try avoiding reclaimed slurs unless you are referring to an idividual's or a group's identity when those particular people have specifically expressed that they are comfortable being labeles as that term. Also a lot to do with how you express the term (the meaning is entirely different if you say it in a demeaning and an attacking manor opposed to saying it as a general statement). Just use your common sense and you have a pretty good chance at not offending someone and if you are unsure your best bet is to not say it.
There are reclaimed slurs, the most common example being "queer," that some people actually identify as. The thing is that even though some people in the LGBT+ community do not see these terms as offensive some do and navigating who will and won't take offense is tricky. If you are not LGBT+ you may want to try avoiding reclaimed slurs unless you are referring to an idividual's or a group's identity when those particular people have specifically expressed that they are comfortable being labeles as that term. Also a lot to do with how you express the term (the meaning is entirely different if you say it in a demeaning and an attacking manor opposed to saying it as a general statement). Just use your common sense and you have a pretty good chance at not offending someone and if you are unsure your best bet is to not say it.
Stereotypes are bs
Stereotypes are just not true. Flamboyance is not directly related to being a gay man even if there are gay people that are flamboyant it doesn't mean that evey gay person is flamboyant nor does it mean that every flamboyant person is gay. There is no issue if you are flamboyant and a gay man, but it is not related because the flamboyance of a person does not dictate their sexuality. Assuming that an individual belongs to a specific group just because they fit a stereotype that is pushed upon that specific group does not mean that they are actually a member of that group. A group of individuals are not defined nor related to any stereotype that has been thrusted upon them. That means that just because someone is in a group that is defined by a stereotype that does not mean that they will be able to possess that stereotype. Maybe they will and maybe they won't fit that stereotype, but regardless if they do or don't they are no less a member of that group nor is their anything wrong with anybody for fitting or not fitting a stereotype. To imply that all members of a group fit a stereotype is offensive because stereotypes and reality are not related.