[techtalk] Almost arrested for using telnet

[David Merrill]

On Wed, Apr 11, 2001 at 08:45:00PM -0500, Julie wrote:
> 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).

That's news to me, and I've been around for quite awhile! But there are
sure lots of subgroups within the gay community, each of which has
their own customs (not to mention East Coast / West Coast
differences), so I don't doubt you. I should have said "most" which I
think is a safe statement.

> 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 ...

Yes it is, and I'm so glad. It keeps things interesting. :-)

-- 
Dr. David C. Merrill                     http://www.lupercalia.net
Linux Documentation Project                   david at lupercalia.net
Collection Editor & Coordinator            http://www.linuxdoc.org
                                       Finger me for my public key

If he once again pushes up his sleeves in order to compute for 3 days
and 3 nights in a row, he will spend a quarter of an hour before to
think which principles of computation shall be most appropriate.
		-- Voltaire, "Diatribe du docteur Akakia"