# I hate being an invisible minority... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 30, 2001, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210 "2001-11-30T22:40:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/1 "2001-11-30T22:40:18Z")
… it makes cruising at the grocery store _soooooooooo_ difficult sometimes. 😉 Esprix ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/2 "2001-11-30T23:01:34Z")
Hmmm… I thought you guys already had all sorts of sophisticated secret signal systems to warn of incoming fabulousness. Well…what do you want, perhaps a set of gay bells like the “bear bells” hikers use for bears to let them know you’re coming down the trail. ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/3 "2001-11-30T23:07:47Z")
Maybe you’re just not gay _enough_. Net etiquette: does the period go inside or outsidt the asterisks? ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/4 "2001-11-30T23:23:51Z")
Grammar weenie reply - since the asterisks are punctuation akin to quotation marks, the period goes inside. The whole probem can be avoided, however, by using {i} and {/i} around your word to create _italics_ for emphasis, instead of using asterisks. (Replacing the {} with , of course. :D) Then you can put the period wherever you want. **Esprix** - I bet it wasn’t _you_ that wasn’t gay enough at the grocery store. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/5 "2001-11-30T23:23:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Abe Babe \* > \*\*Maybe you’re just not gay _enough_. > Net etiquette: does the period go inside or outsidt the asterisks? \*\* **Spree** is _plenty_ gay. He keeps refusing to have sex with me, and therefore cruises the grocery store. The bastard. And the period goes outside of the asterisks. If it were quotation marks just around a word, as well. If they were around an entire sentence, then the period would go inside. ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/6 "2001-11-30T23:31:01Z")
**Ginger** , check your style manual. Mine says that at the end of a sentence the period goes inside, not outside, unless there is “special emphasis needed.” (WhateverTF that means.) And I still say bolding and italicizing solves the whole problem. 😉 But not the invisible minority problem. ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/7 "2001-11-30T23:40:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SisterCoyote \* > \*\ ***Ginger** , check your style manual. Mine says that at the end of a sentence the period goes inside, not outside, unless there is “special emphasis needed.” (WhateverTF that means.) > > And I still say bolding and italicizing solves the whole problem. 😉 > > But not the invisible minority problem. \*\* Is this a corrolary of Gaudere’s Law, or a different one altogether? ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/8 "2001-11-30T23:41:16Z")
That bolding problem wasn’t supposed to happen. I quoted the whole message. Oh, well, my not being rich, witty or good looking wasn’t supposed to happen either. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/9 "2001-11-30T23:58:55Z")
Whatever happened to [Gaydar](http://www.post-gazette.com/columnists/20000301gene.asp)? Didn’t it catch on with you guys? From the link: > [@](#): > > Gaydar is a keychain-sized electronic device that you can program to activate similar units within 40 feet, effectively, or at least somewhat effectively, ending the guesswork over the sexual orientation of the unfamiliar people in the room. Or even of the familiar people. Of course, you might not want to be there when Gaydar accidently turns off the hockey game. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/10 "2001-12-01T00:05:28Z")
Your minority is not particularly invisible here nor on #straightdope. Stop yer bitching. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/11 "2001-12-01T00:12:29Z")
It’s the Holidaze, Honey; decorate your cart! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DopeyDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@DopeyDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DopeyDave)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/12 "2001-12-01T00:49:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Abe Babe \* > \*\*Maybe you’re just not gay _enough_. > > Net etiquette: does the period go inside or outside the asterisks?\*\* > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by GingerOfTheNorth_ > **… the period goes outside of the asterisks. If it were quotation marks just around a word, as well. If they were around an entire sentence, then the period would go inside.** > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SisterCoyote \* > **Ginger, check your style manual. Mine says that at the end of a sentence the period goes inside, not outside, unless there is “special emphasis needed.” (WhateverTF that means.)** I was going to say that you’re probably both right, with **SisterCoyote’s** advice probably being more suitable for **Abe Babe**. There are two systems. **GingerOfTheNorth** is advocating the ‘logical’ system, which conforms with, for example, the Australian Government Publishing Service style manual. They probably use the same system in Canada. **SisterCoyote** is using the ‘conventional’ system, which seems as though it applies to U.S. circles, which is where **Abe Babe** lives. But I think that **SisterCoyote** has misapplied her system. By using asterisks, **Abe Babe** was indeed trying for ‘special emphasis’, so under either system the period should go outside the punctuation marks. As a further hijack,we could possibly try to conform to U.S. conventions on this board, but as it also helps to break down ignorance if we see different english systems in use, I will use the ‘logical’ system – or try to, Gaudere’s rule notwithstanding. Perhaps **Esprix** could develop his own ‘style’, and use it on T-shirts etc as a subtle signal to potential soul mates. ‘_Enough_ all ready’ comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![mancunian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mancunian/32/12244_2.png) [@mancunian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mancunian)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/13 "2001-12-01T01:25:23Z")
…Whu…wha…who said that!!!. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/14 "2001-12-01T01:33:05Z")
Oh great, it’s _asterisks_ instead of _underscores_ to do ascii emphasis. Hell I still don’t even know if it’s supposed to be _fabulous_ or **fabulous**. It’s hell being straight, male and white, we aren’t hip to anything. ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/15 "2001-12-01T03:26:37Z")
I have this overwhelming urge to apologize to **Esprix** for hijacking his entire thread. **Abe** - your whole thread was bold because _my_ whole thread was bold because (like a ninny) I left a closing tag off the bolding of **Ginger** ’s name. Remember, the computer does what you tell it to, not what you want it to. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Daowajan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daowajan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daowajan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/16 "2001-12-01T03:40:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Esprix \* > **… it makes cruising at the grocery store _soooooooooo_ difficult sometimes.** Why do I see the beginning of a porno right here? “Say… that’s quite a load of … _sausage_ you’ve got there…” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/17 "2001-12-01T03:41:54Z")
Uh, Esprix, speaking as someone who’s seen your “Snoopy” picture . . . I don’t think you’re that invisible. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/18 "2001-12-01T04:30:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Daowajan \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Esprix \* > > **… it makes cruising at the grocery store _soooooooooo_ difficult sometimes.** > > Why do I see the beginning of a porno right here? > > “Say… that’s quite a load of … _sausage_ you’ve got there…” 😃 \*\* No. I have a mental picture of Esprix looking over the cucumbers while he’s keeping one eye on a cute asian man-boy pushing the cart a few feet away near the kohlrabi. Esprix looks up to “share a moment” with this dreamy guy, tapping the cucumber lightly but meaningfully with his forefinger as he gazes shyly across the chard to meet his gaze. Suddenly like the flapping wings of a murder of crows, there is an explosion of unintelligible sounds and a young woman with child in tow moves in chattering to Esprix’s intended in Cantonese. The little family moves off towards the deli counter and Esprix’s cucumber tapping stops in mid tap, his lips pursed in embarassed annoyance. “God he was so pretty” thinks Esprix. “Ah it’s just as well, I’ll bet he would have been high maintenance”. Eyes forward, hands firmly gripping the shopping cart, Esprix strides determinedly toward the bagged onions. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/19 "2001-12-01T04:34:39Z")
Buy a Lovegety. ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210/20 "2001-12-01T04:46:31Z")
Dopey Dave, huh? I’ve stopped cacking myself at the very idea that the AGPS style manual is logical. It’s many things but logical it ain’t. And I doubt Canada uses the same or similar. Just finished editing a book for the NZ market and there were enough style issues there that were different to Australia that it wasn’t funny. And I’m gonna have to ask you for a cite. In the fifth and current edition, there’s diddly squat about using asterixes as emphasis in plain text communication. I can only find two sections which deal with asterixes – 9.6 to 9.7 and 14.34. I’d put the full point after the asterix just because of the italics and bold style I normally follow but I wouldn’t bitch if anyone does it differently. Unless it were the name of a publication and then I would get anal about whether or not the comma or full point is italicised or bold. Esprix, I don’t have any ideas. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-being-an-invisible-minority/96210.md?page=2)