[techtalk] Almost arrested for using telnet

Julie jockgrrl at ix.netcom.com
Wed Apr 11 20:45:22 EST 2001


From: David Merrill <david at lupercalia.net>
> FYI, at least here in the States, `fag' isn't considered good usage
> even in gay circles. Some folks use `queer' because they are happy to
> identify as being outside the mainstream and/or a bit odd, but nobody
> likes `fag'. The word does indeed come from `faggot' meaning a bundle
> of twigs used to start fires. In this case, the reference is to the
> burning of the homosexual at the stake.

I'd be a bit less absolute in that statement -- there are gay men
who seem rather fond of the word "fag", probably for exactly the
same reason some femme lesbians are fond of "dyke" (which has
historically been a butch-only thing).

On the other paw, I recently ran into a number of "faggot-identified
dykes", which was interesting.  Lesbians with gay-male sexuality.
The world is a truly diverse place ...

-- Julie.






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