by Shaeffer Smith

“That’s so gay!”

We’ve all heard it before, describing something undesirable. Maybe we’ve even said it ourselves.

“It’s retarded.”

Describing something stupid.

“I’m going to kill myself.”

Trying to portray a stressful, embarrassing or dramatic situation.

Our society speaks a different language. One of drama and political incorrectness. I have fallen into the same pattern, but I want to change. I have seen and heard the effects of certain phrases, and we, as a society, need to watch what we say.

I support movements like The Trevor Project, which tries to stop people from using “gay” as a synonym for undesirable, weird and crazy. Last time I checked, being gay is not undesirable or weird or crazy. By making comments like “Homework is so gay,” instead of bringing positivity to society, you might be ostracizing people who are actually gay, making them feel undesirable or weird or crazy. They face enough obstacles already without ignorant comments being made.

The same applies to using “retarded” as a word for something stupid. Mental retardation is nothing to be ashamed of, and people with disabilities are known to be very intelligent. Saying something like “My phone is retarded” because your phone isn’t working is inappropriate and unnecessary. This may sound dramatic, but technically, using “retarded” in that context suggests the idea that mentally handicapped people do not function correctly. They are people too, with hearts and minds and souls.

Finally, perhaps the worst of them all: “I’m going to kill myself.” Suicide is a serious subject that should never be joked about. It is understandable that you are embarrassed or stressed or upset, but suicide is never the answer. Nicki Minaj says, “Haters, you can kill yourselves” in her song “Check It Out.” Not only is that just a pointless thing to say, but one that dismisses suicide victims around the world. You should never tell someone you want to or are going to kill yourself unless you are serious. Life is precious, so suicide should never be joked about.

To be honest, I have used these phrases before. Most people have. But taking a moment to consider the situation and the power of our words gives us a different perspective. There are millions of other things we can say instead of phrases that could easily offend people. Take a minute to think about what you’re going to say. Do you really mean that?