Comments:Australian teacher drops 'gay' from kookaburra folk song

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Contents

Thread titleRepliesLast modified
Comments from feedback form - "What a stupid principal to hav..."008:53, 19 August 2011
not news221:46, 28 December 2010
The guy translated the lyrics into modern english and people are mad at him?021:37, 28 December 2010
''Gay'' is just a word821:43, 9 September 2010
How depressing!000:44, 5 September 2010
SURE IS NANNY STATE IN HERE003:55, 4 September 2010

Comments from feedback form - "What a stupid principal to hav..."

What a stupid principal to have a stupid principle of using the word gay in the wrong sense? does he know that gay means - to be always happy.

117.207.133.146 (talk)08:53, 19 August 2011

not news, sorry. (but the reaction of the public could be news)

187.40.230.160 (talk)20:03, 4 September 2010

Personally, I believe that any issues relating to the common—but erroneous—perception of homosexuals as second-class citizens (be it by schoolchildren, teachers, politicians, or the man on the street) is news. Homosexuals are the new blacks.

Δενδοδγε τ\c19:15, 6 September 2010

Kids would probably giggle just the same if the song had double entendres about genitals, urine, feces, kissing, penile erection, menstruation etc, you can't assume they have something against homosexuals.

TiagoTiago (talk)21:46, 28 December 2010
 
 

The guy translated the lyrics into modern english and people are mad at him?

A word that used to usually mean happy now most people understand as meaning homosexual; so a teacher updates the lyrics so they still make sense, and then people think he has somthing against homosexuals? Go suck a fag you idiots! (and by that i mean the toxic cancerigenous addictive cocktail wrapped in paper and burning at the tip)

TiagoTiago (talk)21:37, 28 December 2010

''Gay'' is just a word

Gay is a word like any other. It happens to have multiple meanings, but those additional meanings should not lead to censorship. Of course, I might feel differently if a straight line had to be referred to as "not curved" to avoid causing raucous laughter. When children laugh at the use of the word gay, there is something wrong with their attitude, education, upbringing, or all of the above, and the headteacher should address that, rather than glossing over the issue altogether.

Δενδοδγε τ\c21:16, 3 September 2010

Does this headteacher also insist on calling the sternum the "chestbone" (or similar), in defiance of normal English naming, to avoid amusing the children? Is the English town of Penistone glossed over on their maps? Is Homo sapiens's Latin name missed out of their science lessons? Do they insist that children avoid singing "Ding dong bell, pussy's in the well"? I hope the answer to all these questions is yes, as it will at least stop me from thinking that the headteacher is (or his pupils are) homophobic. If the answer is no—as I suspect it will be—it shows that the pupils are provided with plenty of opportunities to laugh, but that they only do so at homosexuals and are therefore either badly taught or badly brought-up.

Δενδοδγε τ\c11:34, 4 September 2010

Very well said. I heartily agree!

HaroldWilson'sWar (talk)00:38, 5 September 2010
 

Not all people who use gay as a negative have that attitude. Use of wikt:gay adjective #6 is not incompatible with respect for homosexuals, championing of their rights or being a member of the GLBT community.

Blood Red Sandman (Talk) (Contribs)19:20, 6 September 2010

That usage of the word is derived—if my memory serves me correctly—from the common derision for homosexuals. Besides, I am sure homosexuals will be offended by the use of the word "gay" to mean "bad", in the same way a woman would be offended if "female" were used to refer to something as despicable.

Δενδοδγε τ\c20:10, 6 September 2010

I believe you are correct as in to the derivation. I have never heard a gay use the term, but I have heard a couple of bisexuals use it on that meaning.

Blood Red Sandman (Talk) (Contribs)20:21, 6 September 2010
 

Better example over "sternum": w:phagocytosis and all related terms.

Mikemoral♪♫20:24, 6 September 2010
 
 

I can't think if someone change the word "gay" in Daffodils, written by William Wordsworth...

→ Airon Ĉ19:03, 8 September 2010
 

Well from his point of view it made sense. Kids love the word gay (as in they use it so often)

99.116.27.87 (talk)21:43, 9 September 2010
 

How depressing!

That we live in a world that does everything it can to suck the gaiety out of folk songs, culture, and childhood! I was feeling quite gay indeed until i read this article. One that note, its completely irrelevant whether someone is homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, or transexual - Everyone deserves the right to feel gay!

67.142.172.24 (talk)00:41, 5 September 2010

SURE IS NANNY STATE IN HERE

SURE IS NANNY STATE IN HERE

124.188.171.7 (talk)03:55, 4 September 2010