Readers Respond: Should You Speak Up When You Hear Gay Jokes?

Are gay jokes ever okay? Should you speak up anytime someone makes a crack about sexual orientation? What if you think the joke is kind of funny? Of if it is told by someone gay?

These are questions that can be hard to answer. While it might seem obvious that calling out anti-gay jokes is the best way to end them, it is also true that jokes can sound different coming from different people and in different circumstances. If some kid with lesbian moms makes a joke about lesbian moms, the fact is it's different than if the same joke comes from someone who has been hostile to the gay community.

jokes are jokes, insaults are not

if its like "whats the difference between a gay guy and a nazi, 45 degrees" im fine with that, but if its like oh thats so gay, or shut up f*g, then it pisses me off

—lzztopz

Gay Jokes

I, myself, am a lesbian. I am out at school and for the most part, in my family. A lot of people say gay jokes around me and that is fine. To me, there is a difference between a "gay joke" and an "anti-gay" joke. Like the gravy ladle joke. That one is extremely funny to me. I think that gay jokes are ok as long as they are not negative to the gay community. As with saying "that's so gay" and stuff like that, it pisses me off.

—Guest Rebecca

erection issues

hi guys from the west side of australia. i have a girlfriend whose about 3.5 out of 10. and whenever i get into the bedroom i just cant succeed. any help??

—Guest matthew andrews

Heh...

It depends, jokes are just that, jokes. There are jokes about any topic and I don't see why jokes on being gay should be stopped unless its extremely offensive and actually becomes a racist comment. However I must add that saying, "It's so gay" is a pet peeve. Gays don't say, "That's so straight!" We don't do it, so why should they?..

—Fire2Ice

Depends

If it's a joke just to be funny, I'd let it go, some of them are actually really funny. But if they're meant to be hurtful, I'd ask them not to say it any more. And if it's one of those "that's so gay" I'd probably smack the person, but that's just me.

—Guest Jordan

jokes

im not sure about jokes. some of them are really funny, others arent. maybe some cultures put more value into being able to laugh at oneself than others. thats just wat i think

—Guest blob

hi

im gay and i hear gay jokes all the time and to be honest some rea realy funny , not all just some

—Guest jo135

gay jokes

people at my school don't exactly tell gay jokes but they call everything gay if they thinks it's stupid. sometimes i want to say something but i think id feel weird. like why am i being so sensitive.

—Guest dolphin94