# Is this comment disrespectful to gays?? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 26, 2017, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382 "2017-09-26T23:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/21 "2017-09-27T14:07:11Z")
Not offensive, but also not amusing. Cut it from your monologue. mmm ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/22 "2017-09-27T14:32:16Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Not offensive, but also not amusing. > > Cut it from your monologue. > mmm Yeah, I’d replace it with the one about the tiger, the hippo and the woodpecker. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/23 "2017-09-27T15:09:48Z")
I think there’s a good joke in there, but you haven’t found it. But something about how there are a bunch of closet NFL watchers and connecting that with uncloseted gay people could work. Personally not a big fan of “gays,” though. In my mind, that’s a word for gay comedians or comedians with a big gay following. Probably just a personal hangup (given no one else has commented on it), but it leaves a weird taste in my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/24 "2017-09-27T15:20:48Z")
I’d say it’s more offensive to refer to people as “gays” instead of something like, y’know, “gay people” or somesuch. I also left this window open for quite some time to make **BigT** feel insecure and alone. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/25 "2017-09-27T16:07:15Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Please tell me this is sarcasm. He may not know what a good joke is, but he sure knows how to bomb. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/26 "2017-09-27T16:23:47Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Here is my comment, a slight joke. I don’t see anything wrong with it. " Now that gays are no longer in the closet there will be plenty of room for closet football watchers" The wording is off. You shouldn’t repeat closet twice like that. And watchers is awkward. Try this: “Now that gays are no longer in the closet there will be plenty of room in there for football fans.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/27 "2017-09-27T16:26:19Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > I’m only half-gay Upper half or lower half? ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/28 "2017-09-27T16:30:45Z")
Outer half. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/29 "2017-09-27T16:32:47Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > He may not know what a good joke is, but he sure knows how to bomb. nicely done 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/30 "2017-09-27T16:35:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The wording is off. You shouldn’t repeat closet twice like that. And watchers is awkward. Try this: > > “Now that gays are no longer in the closet there will be plenty of room in there for football fans.” “in there” seems unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/31 "2017-09-27T17:32:04Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Personally not a big fan of “gays,” though. In my mind, that’s a word for gay comedians or comedians with a big gay following. Probably just a personal hangup (given no one else has commented on it), but it leaves a weird taste in my mouth. Nope, too easy. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/32 "2017-09-27T17:47:38Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Nope, too easy. Come on! I was hoping SOMEONE would knock that lob out of the park! ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/33 "2017-09-28T00:41:29Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Upper half or lower half? As near as I can tell, evenly distributed. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2017, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/34 "2017-09-28T04:50:51Z")
> [@Randolph](#): > > Outer half. So lots of foreplay but no penetration? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/35 "2017-09-30T16:32:12Z")
It’s arguably insensitive for reasons others have already mentioned, but I think the real problem is that since it’s not a very good joke it’s going to leave people wondering what about it was supposed to be funny. Since the recent football controversy has nothing to do with gay rights and the actual punchline is pretty weak, I can see how some readers might assume you were clumsily attempting to mock gay people. The joke doesn’t make a lot of sense as homophobic humor, but since it falls flat as any other form of humor it’s open to interpretation that way. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/36 "2017-09-30T17:32:13Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > It’s arguably insensitive for reasons others have already mentioned, but I think the real problem is that since it’s not a very good joke it’s going to leave people wondering what about it was supposed to be funny. Since the recent football controversy has nothing to do with gay rights and the actual punchline is pretty weak, I can see how some readers might assume you were clumsily attempting to mock gay people. The joke doesn’t make a lot of sense as homophobic humor, but since it falls flat as any other form of humor it’s open to interpretation that way. It was simply a Facebook comment on a NFL football thread where everyone would know what I was reoffering to. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/37 "2017-09-30T17:38:43Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > It was simply a Facebook comment on a NFL football thread where everyone would know what I was reoffering to. And are some of your best friends gay? That could be the clincher. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/38 "2017-09-30T17:53:22Z")
Those types of shares tend to also share the comments, in my experience. It’s the one time on Facebook where I encounter people that neither I nor my Facebook friends know. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/39 "2017-09-30T22:08:49Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > It was simply a Facebook comment on a NFL football thread where everyone would know what I was reoffering to. Everyone would know what the _football_ part was referring to, but it’s not the football part that your acquaintance was objecting to. It was the part about gay people. Since the recent NFL controversy doesn’t involve gay rights and the intended punchline of your joke frankly just isn’t very funny, the reader might wonder why you were bringing up gay people at all unless your intent was to make fun of them. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382/40 "2017-10-01T18:55:27Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Everyone would know what the _football_ part was referring to, but it’s not the football part that your acquaintance was objecting to. It was the part about gay people. Since the recent NFL controversy doesn’t involve gay rights and the intended punchline of your joke frankly just isn’t very funny, the reader might wonder why you were bringing up gay people at all unless your intent was to make fun of them. It does involve closets and gays were in the closet for a long time. Funny or not it seems to have caught on, lots of references on different threads to closet NFL fans. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-comment-disrespectful-to-gays/797382.md?page=3)