Language on ENA

[DN]

We do not moderate according to polls - too unscientific, they are subject to manipulation and it would be a never-ending process.

[1WayTicket2Norway]

OK then... sounds like you guys have a tough job...

 

Well, thanks for helping us out and making ENA a better place

[chiefoptimizer]

We do not moderate according to polls - too unscientific, they are subject to manipulation and it would be a never-ending process.

 

Yeah, and it could end up like Prop 8, haha! Good job guys, I've received my own fair share of warnings, but I understand why, and I'm good at using euphemisms now

[Carnatic]

There have been loads of TV shows here about homosexual culture that use the Q word in the title.

 

'Q as folk' is one

'Q eye for the straight guy' was one where gay guys took tragically unfashionable straight guys and made them appear more attractive to women.

 

also in the UK we still use the Q word in its original sense. such as in the saying.

 

'beer before wine and you'll be fine, wine before beer will make you Q'

 

which has nothing to do with homosexuality, it's Q in the sense of weirdness.

[1WayTicket2Norway]

^yeah, i guess popular culture has kind of normalised the word as well as distort it's meaning...*sigh*

[keenan]

I understand the moderators' position, but I think that it's time to give this word back to the people who own it.

 

We all want ENA to be a safe space for everyone, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation.

 

Q-ueer is a very powerful word. Of course it can still be used pejoratively by heterosexuals to dismiss or denigrate members of the GLBT community, and I'm sure it's still used this way every single day, in every city in the English speaking world--and that every single day, a teenager who is grappling with identity issues is offended by the vitriol behind it, and is forced to consider what THAT word (used as hate speech) means, to whom, and why.

 

In many ways, this is the point. Members of the American GLBT community have fought tooth and nail to become a powerful enough social and political presence to be able to reclaim that word and use it neutrally as a descriptor (to distinguish from a heterosexual person), or to use it with pride when the situation warrants.

 

And let me be explicit--they have fought hard to be able to do that out HERE, in the world where heteronormative culture still dominates to the extent that their own self-identifying label is considered a dirty word to be banned by intelligent, well-meaning people.

 

By banning this word, we are not protecting "gay" people from bigots. They can do that for themselves. We are telling them that ENA is a "straight" person's place that they can have a little corner of, so long as they don't say anything that might offend the ears of the heterosexual majority.

[avman]

That word used to be censored but there were many complaints from European members that it is a very common word for cigarette. So we base moderating on the context of the use of the word now. Use it to describe a cigarette - fine. Use it as a gay slur - not fine.

[avman]

I understand the moderators' position, but I think that it's time to give this word back to the people who own it.

 

Groups of people don't get to claim a word and say this is ours, we can use it and nobody else can. At least not on eNotalone they don't. We aren't going to work that way here.

[keenan]

Groups of people don't get to claim a word and say this is ours, we can use it and nobody else can. At least not on eNotalone they don't. We aren't going to work that way here.

 

To clarify: by "own" it, I mean "who have rescued it from the world of slurs, polished it up, and sent it back outside to play".

 

I think everyone should be able to use the word. Like most words, it has multiple meanings. The most common definition is now a positive one, and I believe that this particular meaning should be allowed on ENA. (Just as the 'cigarette' definition of 'fag' is allowed.)

[DN]

The explanation has been given. If you can't or won't accept it there is nothing more to be said.

[l9grl]

By banning this word, we are not protecting "gay" people from bigots. They can do that for themselves. We are telling them that ENA is a "straight" person's place that they can have a little corner of, so long as they don't say anything that might offend the ears of the heterosexual majority.

 

Thank you for trying. Much respect to you!

 

I hope that young lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, transgendered, q-ueer, and questioning youth who need support do not turn away from enotalone because of this - but the reality is, some will.

[SapphireNoir10]

I dont believe they will.

 

The moderating team will keep a close eye on whether that word or words like it are used, and if it is deemed to be used in an innapropriate or derogatory or offensive way the post/thread will be removed.

 

But banning the entire word will cause too many issues with people who WANT to use it in the cigarette sense of the word.

[KG]

Thank you for trying. Much respect to you!

 

I hope that young lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, transgendered, q-ueer, and questioning youth who need support do not turn away from enotalone because of this - but the reality is, some will.

 

I believe that they will see how fair the members here try to be. Including the Mods.

 

Basically saying, everything is fine if not taken in excess.

[Carnatic]

hear hear!

[DN]

This thread has run its course.