A lesson focusing on the importance of avoiding using homophobic language and teaching students about the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.

1. LGBTQ and language
Why is it important to be politically
correct?

2. What is homophobic language?
• How would you define it?
• What common examples do we hear?

3. Homophobic language
• Homophobia can be defined as an irrational
dislike, hatred or fear of individuals that are
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
• Homophobia can be physical, verbal or
indirect.
Is homophobic language a problem:
• In this school?
• In our society?
• Around the world?

4. Common examples of homophobic
language
• Gay
• Queer
• Lesbian
• Faggot / fag
Are all of these words always homophobic?
How do we decide?

5. Gay
• Originated in the 12 century, derived from the
French ‘gai’, to mean ‘joyful’ or carefree’.
• In the early part of the 17th century, it began to
be associated with immoral behaviour (‘carefree’
= ‘less-inhibited’)
• In the 19th century the word ‘gay’ began to be
used to mean a (female) prostitute, or a man who
had many sexual partners, often prostitutes.
• In the 1920s and 30s, ‘gay’ began to be used to
refer to homosexual men. This additional
meaning entered the dictionary in 1955.
• In the 1980s, ‘gay’ began to also be used in a
derogatory way as a synonym for ‘lame’ or
‘stupid’.

6. • So, the word ‘gay’ is not itself homophobic.
• But using the word ‘gay’ to mean something is
bad is.
Why?
What is the distinction here?

7. Political correctness
• What is political correctness?
• Is it important?
• Why?

8. Politically correct language
• Political correctness is the term used to
describe language, ideas, policies or behaviour
which seeks to minimise offence to
racial, cultural or other identity groups.
• We need to be careful about the language
that we use, and the language that we don’t
use.
• The term is often used negatively by critics
who see it as unnecessary.

9. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
• The practice of using inclusive or neutral language derives
from the idea of two linguists called Sapir and Whorf, called
the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
• Their idea was that language governs thought – so the
language that you speak governs how you think.
• For example, according to this hypothesis, sexist language
promotes sexist thought. We can apply this to homophobic
language too.
• So, if you are constantly referred to as a “girl” when you are
a grown woman, you will not view yourself as equal to a
man. If you constantly see the female term come second in
terms like “Mr and Mrs” and “Dear Sir or Madam,” you
become conditioned to regarding the female as second
rate.
• And if you constantly hear ‘gay’ being used as an insult…

10. Why is homophobic language a
problem?
In secondary schools
• 98 per cent of gay pupils hear ‘that’s so gay’ or
‘you’re so gay’ at school
• 97 per cent of gay pupils hear derogatory phrases
such as ‘dyke’ or ‘poof’ used in school
• 95 per cent of secondary school teachers report
hearing the phrases ‘that’s so gay’ or ‘you’re so
gay’ at school
• eight in ten secondary school teachers report
hearing other insulting homophobic remarks such
as ‘poof’, ‘dyke’, ‘queer’ and ‘faggot’

11. • http://www.nohomophobes.com/#!/today/
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26160
126

15. This is (hopefully) how political
corectness works:
• Certain groups of people (eg LGBT individuals) have
their rights and freedoms restricted due to the way
they are categorised as part of a group which has a
negative stereotype associated with it.
• This categorisation is largely unconscious, and is
facilitated by the fact that labelling terminology (eg
dyke, faggot) is easily available.
• By focusing on this labelling terminology and making it
problematic, people are made to think consciously
about the language they use to describe someone.
• Once labelling becomes a conscious activity, the
individual merits of a person, rather than their
perceived membership of a group, becomes more
obvious.

16. Put the following words under two
headings, appropriate and inappropriate
Lesbian
Transgender
Homosexual
Dyke
Faggot
Lesbo
Partner
Girlfriend
Husband
Poofter
Tranny
Bisexual
Queer
Gay
Homo
Boyfriend
Wife

17. Plenary
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-uscanada-26177050

21. Plenary
• Has Facebook done the right thing?
• How will this decision help to counteract
prejudice?
• What do you think of this new terminology?
Write on your post-it note one thing
you will or won’t do in the future to
tackle homophobic language