Faggot

For other uses, see Faggot.

Tom Cruise

Faggot or fag, in modern North American and Australian English usage, is a generally pejorative slur term for a gay or effeminate man. Its use has spread to varying extents elsewhere in the English-speaking world.

The terms are little used in this meaning in British English, where "faggot" traditionally means a bundle of sticks and faggots are a kind of meatball, while "fag" is common slang for a cigarette and can also refer to the now outdated English "public school" practice of "fagging" where a younger boy acted as an unpaid servant for an older boy.

Etymology

The origins of the word in this sense are rather obscure.

One historical meaning of the word faggot, "a bundle of sticks for burning". It has been referenced that in England, burning at the stake was never a punishment for homosexuality. However, the documented burning of Heretics and those called "Witches" occurred in both England and in its colonies. Witches and Heretics were both groups accused of homosexuality. This also includes elderly women, who were persecuted as witches at the behest of the states and varied sects of Christianity throughout Europe at the time.

The etymology of the English word "faggot" is possibly similar to the etymology of the Italian word "finocchio" which literally translates to "fennel." The word "fnocchio" is common in Italian profanity(slang) and can be used as a blatant slur equivalent to the word "faggot"; that is, if not in jocular context and depending on its tone and sentiment, in which case it is like using the words "gay' or "queer." Italians use other words for similar use and meaning, but it is popularly assumed that "finocchio" finds its etymology in the age of the "Holy Inquisition." In that era, finocchio, or fennel, was apparently thrown on persons burned at the stake. During "Inquisition" individuals were executed for homosexual acts, as well as other "heresy." Fennel was used in order to mitigate the stench of burned flesh, especially since it is a common herb seen throughout Italy. In fact, in English language, "finocchio," the herb, is often referred to as "Florence fennel." The etymology and history of fennel in English, Italian and other languages seems to support this arguement.

Female terms, it should be noted, are often used with reference to homosexual or effeminate men (cf. nancy, sissy, queen). An obsolete reference from the British 17th-century refers to a "man hired into military service simply to fill out the ranks at muster".

Use in Britain

Originally confined to the United States, the homosexual sense of "fag" and "faggot" has been spread by American popular culture to other English-speaking countries, where it has partly displaced terms such as "queer" or the British "poof" as colloquial or abusive terms for gay men, particularly among heterosexual youth. However, the continuing use of "fag" and "faggot" with other meanings in the British isles has severely limited adoption of the American usage there.

The use of fag and faggot to mean homosexual has become understood as an Americanism in British English, primarily due to their use in films and television series imported from the United States. When Labour MP Bob Marshall-Andrews was heard supposedly using the word in a bad-tempered informal exchange with a straight colleague in the House of Commons lobby in November 2005, he was criticised for using homophobic abuse.

Earliest written uses

The earliest known reference to the word in print was in the 1914 Jackson and Hellyer A Vocabulary of Criminal Slang, with Some Examples of Common Usages which listed the following example under the word, drag:

"All the fagots (sissies) will be dressed in drag at the ball tonight."

The word was also used by a character in Claude McKay’s 1928 novel Home to Harlem, indicating that it was used during the Harlem Renaissance. Specifically, one character says that he can't understand:

"a bulldyking woman and a faggoty man"

Usage in popular culture

Historically, "fag" and "faggot" have been offensive terms when addressed to American males (similar to the word "bitch" or "slut" to American women). However in recent years, both terms have been reclaimed by gay men in a defiant, self-consciously empowering or self-mocking way, much in the way some African Americans have taken to using the word "nigger" among themselves, and similar to hackers, geeks and nerds, in their respective cultures. A common example of this would be usage of the term "fag hag" to describe a woman who associates with (and may prefer as non-sexual social partners) gay men, though this use, too, was originally pejorative. When used as a pejorative, however, it is still considered by many to be a term of abuse. The term has also been used to describe lesbians or other homosexual women.

The Dire Straits song "Money for Nothing" makes notable use of the epithet "faggot", although the lines containing it are often excised for radio play, and in live performances Mark Knopfler will use such minced oaths as "mothertrucker" in place of "faggot".

In the early 1990's, Sebastian Bach, lead singer of the band Skid Row, created a controversy when he wore a t-shirt with the parody slogan "Aids: Kills Fags Dead".

In 1995, former House Majority Leader Dick Armey referred to openly gay congressman Barney Frank as "Barney Fag" in a press interview.

On July 27, 2006 American pundit Ann Coulter joked that the former Vice President of the United States (Al Gore) was a "total fag", but suggested that former President of the United States (Bill Clinton) may be a "latent homosexual", while being inteviewed by MSNBC's Chris Matthews. Coulter caused a major controversy in the LGBT community; GLAAD and other gay rights organizations demanded to know the reason why such an offensive usage of the word was permitted by the network.

In October 2006, Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington called his co-star T.R. Knight a "faggot" on the set during an argument with Patrick Dempsey. According to Knight, the incident led to him publicly coming out of the closet. Washington again made another outburst using the epithet, this time backstage at the Golden Globe Awards. In January 2007, Washington issued a public apology for using the word "faggot" and went into rehab to help him with what the show's creator Shonda Rimes referred to as "his behavioral issues."

On March 1, 2007, Ann Coulter again created a controversy when she made an off-color joke: "I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word "faggot", so I'm kind of at an impasse, can't really talk about Edwards..." Her comments using the "f-word" have triggered a huge response, including a campaign initiated by a gay rights group and media watchdog to persuade mainstream media outlets to dump her for good.

BBC radio station Radio 1 caused controversy in Christmas 2007 by editing the word faggot from their broadcasts of the Kirsty MacColl & The Pogues song "Fairytale of New York," deeming it potentially homophobic, however the edit did not extend to other BBC stations, such as Radio 2. Following widespread criticism and pressure from listeners, the decision was reversed and the original unedited version of the song was reinstated, with clarification from Andy Parfitt, the station controller, that in the context of the song the lyrics had no 'negative intent.'

Usage by publications

The New Oxford Review, a Catholic magazine, caused controversy by its use and defence of the word in an editorial. During the correspondence between the editors and a homosexual reader, the editors clarified that they would only use the word to describe a practising homosexual. They defended the use of the word, saying that it was important to preserve the social stigma of homosexuality.

See also

• Homosexuality
• Hate speech
• Hate mail

External links

• How did "faggot" get to mean "male homosexual"? on The Straight Dope.