Watch Ash Beckham Explain Why "That's So Gay" Is So, So Wrong

Ali's Team Pick:

This talk was given at Ignite Boulder, a presentation event that's kind of reminiscent of TED except that the slides on your presentation automatically advance after 15 seconds, and you're limited to 20 slides. There's one in Boulder, C.O. every two or three months, if you're interested. After Ash Beckham's talk, you'll probs be interested.

Ash takes down the use of "that's so gay" as a pejorative. After some of my students at a French technology university said this phrase in one of our English classes, I made them sit in a circle and talk about why that wasn't a good expression to say in English. In a solid hour of discussion I could not make this point better than this five minute video.

This video has everything: good looking presenter, flow charts, humor and a point. I laughed, I cried. It was marvelous. Play this for anyone who uses "that's so gay" in their colloquial speech patterns. Even though this is billed as LGBTQ acceptance in schools, I'm pretty sure we know someone at every age who could benefit from this message.

Did you love it? Follow Ash on Twitter or like her on Facebook. Or both! And according to Upworthy, Ash also wants everyone to check out GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) on Facebook to help further the cause. Four for you, Ash. Four for you.

18 responses to “Watch Ash Beckham Explain Why "That's So Gay" Is So, So Wrong”

Hansen (member)
March 7, 2013 at 2:14 pm Permalink Reply Report user

Ignite is a series that happens internationally, if anyone is interested! I’ve been to the one in Fort Collins, CO and it was awesome. Speakers can apply to present whatever they’d like, but they have five minutes, 20 slides and 15 seconds per slide. No more, no less.

You can learn more, including how to organize a local event in your town if there isn’t one already:
http://igniteshow.com/howto

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Hansen (member)
March 7, 2013 at 2:15 pm Permalink Reply Report user

I was so excited about Ignite that I completely forgot to mention how much I love this video, Ali. How amazing is this woman? I want to track her down and give her a hug.

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Claudia (member)
March 7, 2013 at 2:23 pm Permalink Reply Report user

Wow. Just Wow.

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Susie (member)
March 7, 2013 at 3:53 pm Permalink Reply Report user

This is the most great thing ever. “It takes a village, people.”

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Julie (member)
March 7, 2013 at 5:21 pm Permalink Reply Report user

Love love love this. Shared it with a colleague and she used it the next day for her lesson plan.

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kd15 (member)
March 7, 2013 at 5:58 pm Permalink Reply Report user

That was great, totally love it.

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Shiloh (member)
March 7, 2013 at 6:59 pm Permalink Reply Report user

How awesome is this audience? I kinda want to move to Boulder now…

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Tina
March 7, 2013 at 7:24 pm Permalink Reply

I love this video! And I definitely think that more people need to hear it, but the thing that really bugs me is the people who completely understand why it’s wrong to say, who are accepting of queer people, but who do it anyway. Sometimes they do it ‘ironically’ sometimes because they just don’t care and think that there’s no queer people around, and other times they have just gotten so used to saying it they don’t think twice. It has become so ingrained into our language, at least in high school, that words like faggot and that’s so gay, while annoying, don’t make me, or anyone else around me flinch any more. And I have noticed that a lot of gay people use it around their straight friends, so their straight friends think it’s ok to say.

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1. bra (member)
  March 7, 2013 at 10:14 pm Permalink Reply Report user
  
  “Sometimes they do it ‘ironically’ sometimes because they just don’t care and think that there’s no queer people around, and other times they have just gotten so used to saying it they don’t think twice. ”
  
  Welcome to white hipster-dom!
  
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2. Dina (member)
  March 8, 2013 at 4:59 pm Permalink Reply Report user
  
  And sometimes they do it in front of you over and over again, every time going “OH WAIT OMG I’M SOOOO SORRRRRRRY” to the point where you just want them to stop talking.
  
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Ann
March 7, 2013 at 7:36 pm Permalink Reply

That was great. Thanks for sharing. Also, this Ignite Boulder event sounds similar to this Pecha Kucha Night thing that’s been happening in my small town of 4,000 and internationally.

The international thing:
http://www.pechakucha.org/

A clip from my artsy, rural town’s PK night (not advocacy, but entertaining/ interesting):

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josie (member)
March 7, 2013 at 7:39 pm Permalink Reply Report user

this was exactly what I needed today, after calling out two of my flatmates for using “thats so gay” in regards to their assignments and the choices of food for lunch, neither of which seemed to be homosexual in any way (I did ask to double check though). Thanks, Ali!

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dutchdyke (member)
March 7, 2013 at 7:56 pm Permalink Reply Report user

this was really powerful/awesome/well done

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Asie (member)
March 7, 2013 at 8:02 pm Permalink Reply Report user

i called someone childish today and he shot back (to me and my friend who has dyed hair and is very queer too) “dyed hair is so gay!”

obviously my response was to yell back “thank you, all i’ve ever wanted to be is super super gay!”

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Michelle
March 8, 2013 at 1:08 am Permalink Reply

I wish I could have shown everyone that I worked in fast food with this. Everyone would say “thats so gay” and then look at me and go “oh sorry” and come back the next day and say it again. I got tired of calling them out for it. Maybe this video makes more people realize there is more than this one tired way of saying something is dumb or stupid.

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Cat (member)
March 8, 2013 at 11:47 am Permalink Reply Report user

i laughed and cried also! that was bloody brilliant!!!

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Brighid (Bri) (member)
March 11, 2013 at 5:38 am Permalink Reply Report user

Hmmm…maybe I should stop saying it …really tho, this explains it all.

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Chelsea (member)
March 12, 2013 at 7:23 pm Permalink Reply Report user

favorite way of calling people out on this: simply repeat what they said as, “yes, your ______ is flamingly homosexual”

usually gets a giggle but also points out exactly what is being said.

also points to ash not only for this talk, but for the inclusion of sesame street and peanuts in things that are literally so gay. because they are. so gay.

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