The Huffington Post is making a big deal over what Willow Palin wrote on Facebook on Sunday, contending the words are homophobic hateful slurs. And if those words were directed at homosexuals they certainly would be. But that isn’t the case.
The 16-year-old daughter of Sarah Palin has been noticed on Facebook using the same words millions of other children her age are using on YouTube and Facebook. She called someone “gay” and a “faggot.” In that sense it’s a fairly unremarkable use of the common teenage vernacular on Facebook. (There are entire sites devoted to this phenomenon)
Is it ignorant, immature, borderline illiterate and, sadly, reflective of an American lexicon bereft of more intelligent rejoinders? Sure. But if YouTube’s comment section is any indication she’s nowhere near the bottom of the heap.
I’m not making excuses or defending Willow Palin, but I think what she should be criticized for is her command of the Queen’s English rather than picked on as some kind of homophobe. As the pop culture show South Park demonstrated in an episode last November, the “f-word” has undergone a series of etymological evolutions since it began as a “bundle of sticks”.
Willow Palin is in the public eye, but only because her mother is a prominent conservative political figure in America. If she weren’t, a teenager saying “faggot” on Facebook is more predictable than Swiss clockwork. And since she herself is not a politician, I’m not entirely sure what’s newsworthy about the incident. My guess would be that the Huffington Post is trying to imply that the words are something commonly said in the Palin family.
Actually, the word “gay” to describe something unpleasant or “faggot” as a pejorative have made a kind of comeback from the 1970s. Both these terms were used in nonsexual context when I was a child and really only disappeared by the late eighties. I don’t really know what precipitated their return. As Dan Gardner observes, the 70s appear to be back en vogue.
Some people have compared the use of these terms to the “n-word”, but I don’t see it. The n-word never really caught on in popular slang outside of black culture as an innocuous term. It has always retained its offensive construct. The same can’t be said about the words Willow used. While it’s entirely possible that gays and lesbians might be offended by their usage, it is incidental to their common and casual usage in popular slang within a nonsexual context.
To me, the fact Willow called somebody a “faggot” is indicative merely of a lack of class. Fortunately few people remain 16 their entire lives.
Hello.
I follow you on twitter, and often read your blog, but usually do not agree with your views.
OK, maybe more than usually not agree – more like – almost never agree.
But on this one I do.
She is a teenager and speaks like one.
I recall a few years ago chatting with one of my young nephews. He refferred to something as “gay” – meaning “unpleasant.”
Since his aunt is a lesbian and he has always known and is accepting of that, we were surprised he would use the word “gay” to mean “bad”. We asked about that – he was adamant that the word “gay” had no sexual connotations, it just meant “bad”
Word meanings change. At one time calling an African American “colored” was progressive. With younger people, words change faster.
As you say – her words were not aimed at homosexuals.
I am most certainly not a fan of the right wing, or Sarah Palin. I am opposed to everything they stand for. But kids speak like kids.
Hey David,
Good to hear from you. Thanks for sharing your story about your nephew.
I wonder how this will play out over the next few days. Palin controversies always seem to fester.
Right on Adrian, Right on.
Now tonight I see on the news that the new Palin scandal is that one of her daughters is not a very good dancer but still gets lots of votes on a tv show called “Dancing with the stars.” The theory is that so many people calling in voting for her must be a right wing plot.
For goodness sake, this daughter is not running for elected office – she is on a tv show. Who cares!!!
Is there no real news?
I disagree with Sarah Palin’s political views. Her daughters’ dancing skills or use of words are of no interest to me at all.
Personally, I would be happy if right wing conservatives spent their time plotting who might win a dancing contest – better that than plotting how to win an election.
I doubt they are that small minded though, and the media – mainstream or otherwise – does everyone a disservice reporting in these things.
Yeah, I don’t know why people obsess about the family at all. I guess the Palins are sort of cashing in on the attention though.