Even though many parents and teachers don’t like swearing, everyone does it and it is scientifically proven that swearing is actually a good thing, and that it can even be beneficial for your health as an article by the Health Magazine reports. According to it, swearing can relieve stress and pain and also help you focus.  Even so,it still can be hurtful or insulting to some people. Because of that, everyone should pay attention to what they say when they swear.

For example, something that is very noticeable to me in this school is how often “gay” is used in a negative context. Sometimes it is used as an insult, sometimes more carelessly as a swear word or just a negative adjective. This is not ok since by this use of “gay” the word itself and every homosexual person are condemned for something that is or rather has to be accepted in our community at this school and society in general.

When “gay” is used as an insult or swear word, the intent doesn’t matter. It is simply disrespectful and ignorant to do so since many gay people still have to suffer from homophobia and discrimination. By giving the word a negative connotation, the base for discrimination is set because hate and ignorance are supported and homophobic ideas validated.

As a gay person, it must feel bad to hear this word, “gay”, that actually stands for something beautiful and happy, to be used in such a bad sense.

Therefore I would like to ask everyone who has misused “gay” in such a sense to just reflect shortly and think before using it as an insult again because it might not mean anything to you, but you never know if you hurt someone else by this.

I don’t assume that that is anyone’s intention, so please, let us set an example for the younger children and next generations and stop discrimination in everyday life and especially in school.