A 40-3 VICTORY against William & Mary seemed like a pretty good way to start off my four years of college. Every part of the atmosphere surrounding the football game was energized and charismatic: the crowd chanting, the sea of orange, the wave that went around the stadium five times and, of course, everyone singing the "Good Ol' Song."
During the tune, however, I kept hearing a chant interjected from somewhere several rows behind me. I realized, much to my disappointment, that a few fans in the student section were shouting, "Not gay!" after the song's phrase "where all is bright and gay."
My first reaction was, "Oh great - high school all over again."
I am sure I am not the only one who has heard the phrase "that's so gay" thrown around in the hallways, classrooms and cafeterias, used as nonchalantly as statements such as "I'm hungry" or "let's hang out tonight." The context of the word "gay" may seem okay to those who use the phrase if they are not intending to insult someone who is gay or say anything negative about gay and lesbian people as a group. This argument, however, can hold no more water than a sieve, for using the term "gay" to refer to something that is undesirable, irksome or disliked is creating a direct comparison between the former and the latter. Although making gays or lesbians feel inferior is probably not the intention of all people who use the phrase "that's so gay," the language they are using does the job for them.
I cannot speak to the motivations of the students who were yelling, "Not gay!" at the football game. As much as I would like to conduct interviews with them to find out their reasons, I cannot because I did not think to stop and get their names. My hypothesis would be that such fans exhibit a defensive form of school spirit - not wanting our opponents to think we are a "gay" school and taunt us because of the lyrics of our song. But that does not excuse the use of language that can be hurtful toward others.
The personal reasons for using such language, however, do not deserve as much concern as the matter of how to fix the problem. Of course, most students at the University sing "The Good Ol' Song" with pride that we come from a "gay" or "happy" place, and refrain from using the potentially offensive language in question.
But there are those few who are at fault, and how do we point them in the right direction? One approach, argued by a member of my high school Gay-Straight Alliance, is to replace the word "gay" with something else that is not hurtful to any group or individual. While this tactic, if successful, may eradicate the use of insensitive phrases, it does not get to the root of the problem.
The culprit in this situation is ignorance. It is not the type of ignorance associated with a lack of book smarts; it is neglecting to take a walk in someone else's shoes, a mistake that we surely all have made at some time or another, and of which we all need to be reminded.
For instance, if the phrase "that's so gay" was changed to "that's so black," a black person would get a different perspective on what it means to be associated with something unlikable, as would a blonde person if the phrase was "that's so blonde," or an athlete if the phrase was "that's so jock."
The true solution, then, is to ask others to trade spaces with a person who happens to be gay or lesbian, and then see how he feels about the phrase "that's so gay." While this cannot be done literally, the proposal initiates a thought process that might not otherwise be visited, which is the first step toward overcoming ignorance and misjudgment.
What then of "The Good Ol' Song"? While the logic of the preceding paragraph can be applied, surely not everyone who attends Virginia athletic events is going to read this article. It is then up to you readers who either have agreed with me from the start or who have been newly inspired to eradicate the use of the hurtful phrases at hand. Though it may be tempting to turn the other cheek when insults are thrown, it is necessary for all of us to become part of the solution.
Simply turning around and saying, "Is that really necessary?" or "Why ruin the song?" can start a conversation that leads in a positive direction. After all, the battle against ignorance starts with the right words.
Katherine Ripley is a Viewpoint writer for The Cavalier Daily.
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