Observation Journal # 5

This observation journal was the worst one because I was the perpetrator myself in this case. I was having a party at my house this weekend and I was calling some people to tell them about it. I called up one of my friends and told him it was going to be a good time so he should stop by. He told me that he was home this weekend in mass. I jokingly said “man, you’re a fag.” I did not mean homosexual by this. I have a few friends who are gay and I have no prejudice against gay people. However, I found myself saying this and realized immediately what I had done and how ignorant I sounded. I think what really happened is that I am so used to hearing it that I threw it around like it meant nothing. I know it was bad and I should not have used the word but sometimes I find myself saying things like that by accident. I believe it is because it is so commonly used in society that the meaning is lost. People use the word “fag” and other offensive words all the time to describe someone who is an asshole. People are not meaning to say anything about homosexuals, but rather describe something negative that they don’t like. This is not good and it shows that in our society being gay has a negative connotation.