"That's so gay" controversy

[Leila Monaghan]

I've always thought that Konraad Kuiper's article on the language young 
men use to abuse each other in a New Zealand rugby team provides useful 
background to these insults.  These New Zealanders don't use 
gay-oriented slurs as much as female-oriented slurs (men calling each 
other "fucking slags" and "girl's blouses") but the result is very much 
the same, control of men and their sexuality.

Kuiper, Koenraad (2007) Sporting Formulae in New Zealand English: Two 
Models of Male Solidarity (chapter 29) in L. Monaghan and J. Goodman _A 
Cultural Approach to Interpersonal Communication_ Oxford: Blackwell (is 
a reprint from somewhere elsewhere, can dig up if you need it).

best,

Leila


Quoting "Laura M. Ahearn" <ahearn at rci.rutgers.edu>:

> Greta,
>
> Check out this great article by Deborah Cameron:
>
> Cameron, Deborah. 1998. ?Performing gender identity: young men?s talk
> and the construction of heterosexual masculinity.? In Coates, J.
> (ed.), Language and Gender: A Reader, pp.270-284.
>
> Laura
>
> Laura M. Ahearn
> Associate Professor
> Department of Anthropology
> Rutgers University
> (732) 932-5298
> http://anthro.rutgers.edu/faculty/ahearn.shtml
>
>
> Greta Vollmer wrote:
>
>> Hi, all...
>>
>> I'm wondering if you can offer any references for research into
>> contemporary teen slang, and in particular the use of "that's so gay" as a
>> derogatory term, or the extensive use of faggot as an insult.  I've been
>> asked to comment on a recent controversy in a local high school in which a
>> student was reprimanded for using the expression and the district is now
>> being sued.  I have my own thoughts on the case, obviously, but I'd like
>> to know if you know of any good studies I can bring to bear in the
>> discussion.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Greta
>>
>>
>>
>> Greta Vollmer
>> Associate Professor
>> Dept of English
>> Sonoma State University
>> 1801 E. Cotati Blvd
>> Rohnert Park, CA 94928
>> 707-664-2504
>> Fax:  707-664-4401
>>
>>
>
>



--
Leila Monaghan, PhD
Department of Communication and Culture
Indiana University
Ashton Mottier Hall
1760 E. 10th Street
Bloomington, IN 47405-9700
(812) 855-4607
monaghan at indiana.edu