Leeds United Chat • Re: Jesse Marsch-How long to turn it around?
Bum girls was a jest aimed at myself, not anybody else. I would never call anyone a 'bum boy', whether they were gay or not.Sara, I notice you were willing to join in with the spirit of the banter this morning with your post, “sexist too, what about bum girls?”, indicating that you considered the “bum boys” reference to not be particularly offensive but just a bit of fun and worthy of a humorous response.
Why are you now convinced it should be classed as homophobia?
You can complain about 'political correctness' all you like, but 'bum boy' is a derogatory term for gay men. Male homosexuality was a criminal offence in my lifetime, it has been pathologised by the medical establishment, and is still regarded as a sin by many religious organisations. People have lost their jobs, their reputations, been ostracised, attacked and killed for being gay.
Why would you want to continue to use language which contributes to this negative portrayal of gay people? If your only answer is that it amuses you, I think you need to think a bit more deeply about the effects on others of what you're saying. This isn't because individuals are 'offended', or 'can't take a joke', it's because it contributes to a culture of contempt which has very real negative consequences.