using the word "gay"

[smurfitup]

Before going to college, my friends and I would use the term "gay" fairly regularly to refer to any person/situation that we considered unfavorable, [censored], etc. But once I went to college (uber-liberal school on the east coast), I found that I had to make a conscious effort not to use the term since there was this overbearing culture of political correctness . It didn't really bother me that I had to stop using it, but now when I hear my friends use it in a context not referring to a homosexual, I always feel alarmed. Is this normal? How many OOTers use the word "gay" in everyday convo?

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

i used it religiously from the age of 10-17 and then just stopped, i guess because it sounds really stupid and doesnt make any sense.

[secretprankster]

Wesleyan?

If you're actually going to a school where some girl will call you out on that in a social setting, you need to escape quick.

[btmagnetw]

used gay for a while, slowly had to replace it with "lame"

...laaame

[TheDudeAbides]

I think the same question applies to use of the word 'retarded'. I use it, but I know I probably shouldn't.

[Slow Play Ray]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the same question applies to use of the word 'retarded'. I use it, but I know I probably shouldn't.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is even worse for me, as I have an aunt and an uncle who are both err....mentally challenged, and I *still* can't stop myself from saying it.

[Fast Food Knight]

I said "gay" a lot until I got to be really close friends with a gay guy I worked with at my last job. He moved into the same apartment building I live in and started hanging out with me and my straight, ex-frat friends a lot and on more than one occasion I saw his crestfallen expression after someone carelessly threw the word around. I'm very careful not to use "gay" anymore- but I would definitely never judge someone for using it.

[otnemem]

[ QUOTE ]
used gay for a while, slowly had to replace it with "lame"

...laaame

[/ QUOTE ]
This is exactly what I did. Weird. I think most people get to a certain age and realize how stupid they sound referring to everything as gay.

[otnemem]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think the same question applies to use of the word 'retarded'. I use it, but I know I probably shouldn't.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is even worse for me, as I have an aunt and an uncle who are both err....mentally challenged, and I *still* can't stop myself from saying it.

[/ QUOTE ]
My fiancé's sister is severely autistic. When we started dating, I had to banish the word from my vocabulary. Now I very, very rarely think about using it. Her friends that she's been friends with since college will still say it in front of her, which is strange.

[Richard Simmons]