Pansy.

[ccharles000]

I am posting this the glbt forum because I want opinions from my fellow gays. Some on Du are saying that this is a slur attacking our community. I disagree with that sentiment. My Governor referred rocky as a pansy as far as I know rocky is straight. If he said Rock Hudson was a pansy that would be a gay slur.

[catnhatnh]

1. To: The Obtuse Dept.

"Makes (anyone) look like a pansy" is one of the most obvious smears I've ever seen. And I'm straight...

[la la]

4. hey- there is a street in my neighborhood--

named 'Pansy Circle'--think anyone who lives there should feel as though they've been 'slurred' against? Maybe I should go ask. Some African Americans live there, too---maybe it's racist, too.


:boring:

[LostinVA]

10. In that case, it obviously refers to the kind of flower

If someone calls a man a "pansy," they are not calling him a flower.

[gaspee]

19. You only call a man

A pansy if the company (or press) precludes you from calling him a pussy. The meaning is exactly the same. You're dissing a man by saying he's like a woman.

It doesn't even have to be a gay slur - I know plenty of straight guys who aren't exactly macho.

oops - I think I put that in the wrong spot...

[LostinVA]

25. Exactly

[DarkTirade]

32. Exactly. It's a gender-based slur.

And it cuts both ways.

[cbayer]

12. I take the position that only those that it may be used against

can define when a term is or is not a slur. I am not dismissing your opinion, but I am more interested in the perceptions of potential targets.

[unc70]

2. Not gay, but very close family member who are. Mostly agree not a gay slur

Pansy is certainly a reference to weakness, but when I was growing up (also in NC and roughly at the same time as Easley) it was not a gay slur. Not much of an issue, even for KO and Larry O'Donnell.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. Pansy?

Oh, honey, some people will try to tell you that it just means "sissy," but they'll be wrong.

It's a slur, a gay slur, and I cannot believe that guy said that. In public, that is.

[la la]

5. Hi Tangerine---

<waving>--

:hi: :loveya:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. la la!!!!!!!

My sister T**T.

Small world. How's OJG? How are you?

<laughing>

[la la]

7. good!

check your email!

:loveya:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

9. OK, but

this is fun.........

Oh, FrankenT**T, you break me up.......

[Der Blaue Engel]

17. Um...I'm pretty sure sissy is a homophobic slur, too

But maybe you were being sarcastic and I'm being dense. :dunce:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

26. Neither, but thanks for the possible safety net

I know "sissy" to mean effeminate, but not necessarily gay. Just a comment on a boy's not being "masculine" enough. There are those, I am sure, who called Baryshnikov a sissy because he danced ballet.

It's possible, though, that the subtext of that word is homophobic. Anytime you get into name-calling, you're skating on very thin ice in terms of meaning.

[littlebit]

8. No

I don't think it is a slur.

[cbayer]

11. I came here tonight to post the same question.

I am straight and I do not know the answer to this. I would really like to hear from the GLBT community on this.

If it is so, I will respect that. If there is debate within the community on whether it is a slur or not, I will also respect that and consider it a slur out of respect to those that think so.

[ruggerson]

14. The only thing that was alarming about the DU reaction

was that most of the folks in the various threads expressing fake outrage about it are people who never post about gay rights or have never shown any concern about gay issues at all.

[Clintonista2]

16. Bingo!

It's all politics with those people.

[cbayer]

18. That is what I was wondering about.

There seemed to be a lot of people who were defining this as a slur who have no credibility in defining the term. They have neither identified themselves as gay nor shown themselves to be advocates of gay issues. I found this disturbing and wanted to know what others thought.

[One_Life_To_Give]

46. Not just a slur for being Gay

Using the term Pansy or Pussy to refer to a male at least when I grew up. Was intended to cause ridicule. Imply that one was not worthy of being male and/or having a penis. Imply that you were actually worthy of derision for being effeminate/female.

Trust me nobody called me a Pansy or Pussy because they wanted to do anything other than boost their ego by deriding me.

[gaspee]

20. or have been anti (n/t)

[mitchtv]

35. and there you have it

Faux concern

[provis99]

22. you don't have an opinion? How wimpy.

[cbayer]

29. I did not think it was a slur

I thought it was just a term to describe a person as weak. Kind of like wimpy.

[mitchtv]

13. I think it's a stretch

not necesarily a sexual slur, more like weakling, not that it cannot be a swxual slur. Like I said a bit of a stretch

[FreeState]

15. Its not a slur against gay men IMO as a gay man

however it is a slur rooted in sexism.

[gaspee]

21. Most gay slurs are

Almost all slurs against gay men have to do with them being like women. And since it's so bad to be a woman, then it's really bad to act like one if you're not.

Forced conformity to rigid gender roles is the entire purpose of the slurs and bashing.

[FreeState]

33. I understand that and agree - however pansy is rarely used as a gay slur

in my experiance.

[davidinalameda]

41. it's a slur

pan·sy Audio Help Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -sies.
1. a violet, Viola tricolor hortensis, cultivated in many varieties, having richly and variously colored flowers.
2. the flower of this plant.
3. Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.
a. a male homosexual.
b. a weak, effeminate, and often cowardly man.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pansy


I'm just wondering if an Obama supporter had said it whether or not this forum would be up in arms

[ccharles000]

45. Even so I do not see it as a slur.

If an Obama person said it I would not see it as a slur.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

37. agreed.

[Rhythm]

23. I have only heard "pansy" used when the person meant some variety of "effeminate"

Prior to this, i had even considered that Easley might be a good choice for a running-mate for Hillary, because he's popular in NC, and it would give the ticket an advantage in NC and VA (which also has a Democrat, southern governor). Now i just hope he apologizes for being an asshat, and moves on.

[GOPNotForMe]

24. Personally, I didn't take it as a slur but I understand those who did.

I think this one's on the border, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Sentath]

27. Dunno about the rest of the world,

but here in south-east Kansas, pansy is a good opening line to a fight.

[One_Life_To_Give]

28. If it's just a Trans or Genderqueer slur would it be OK?

Reading some of the posts arguing if this Slurs "Gays" or not. How about everyone else in the GLBT spectrum? Seems preatty clear to me that it is a term intended to inflict ridicule, etc. on any individual who is not masculine enough for the person using the insult. As if they are the final arbiter of who is Masculine eneoeugh or not.

[xchrom]

30. it's a slur -- pure and simple. nt

[Divine Discontent]

31. this is honest question

and you get a blunt answer - my goodness yes it's a slur - it's an obvious slur. It's an outdated pansy, but still a pansy that a certain segment of society would use (like oh, say guys over 40!)

[mitchtv]

36. guys over 75 maybe

[Laughing Mirror]

34. Why use a homophobic slur as a way of showing how tough, how much a fighter somebody is?

If a person is really strong and tough and a fighter, why would the person need to be defended against being weak by making such a comparison?

[helas girl]

38. not really a gay slur per say

It's more of a anti-trans slur. And sexist like someone else said. Though its not really used that much anymore that i've heard, and i live in the south. Still its meanings and implications are close to "sissy".

[BillSam]

39. "Pansy"

has been historically used -- and not that long ago -- as a homophobic slur right along with "fag", "Fairy" and "queer" (original definition).

I am an Out and Proud Gay Man and I would deck anyone who called me a "pansy," plain and simple. And no, I'm not over 75. Just because this term isn't used as often today doesn't make it less offensive. "Fruit" isn't used as often as "faggot" these days, but it is still used on occasion and is still offensive.

This guy may or may not have been using "pansy" the way "sissy" is used. "Sissy" isn't always a homophobic slur, but --again historically -- it has been used that way and still can be by some people.

The word "pansy" -- except in reference to flowers -- should be retired.

An out of the closet gay man's opinion.

[helas girl]

40. Ok it is a Gay Slur

Its a gay slur in that it has been targeted at gay men quite often. Though it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with who you sleep with (which all the average american thinks of when it comes to gay people). Its more about gender identity in that someone is being attacked based perceived lack of masculinity. I'm betting it's more guys who "act gay" rather than "straight-acting" gays.

[and-justice-for-all]

42. It is meant to be degrading to call a man a 'Pansy'

or a sissy or fag; all the same to me.

But it is just words and I do not let them get to me or the best of me.

[ccharles000]

43. The thing is...

if you call a man a pansy you are calling him weak if you call him a fag you are calling him gay. This is why I don't believe it is a gay slur.

[and-justice-for-all]

44. It has the same derogatory condintations..nt

[kdpeters]

47. It's a homophobic slur

Same as sissy or sissy-boy or nancy-boy or light-in-the-loafers or any of that stuff used to deride a man's masculinity. It's homophobic and sexist.