Intro+First+Draft+MK

When someone is called a ‘fag’ or something is considered ‘gay’ the meaning is clear: these things are considered bad. Growing up in Canada no one wants to be called these things because they are supposed to be insults. How then, can these same hurtful words be used in a positive way? While there are many examples of songs where this homophobic language is used t hurt, there are also others where it is used in a positive way. Consider the song “I’m still your fag” by Broken Social Scene. The title itself is shocking, someone declaring there homosexuality and their love, for the whole world to hear. Moreover he is using the word that I am sure others have used against him ‘fag’. In this context though, it is a love song, where the word’s meaning is changed. The singer is using this word in the same way as ‘the haters’. He is using ‘fag’ as a reminder of the painful history behind homosexuality. But rather then use this history to establish power over someone by hurting them, he is using the word to try to heal his own pain through love. That is why the same case can be seen with ‘nigger’, where black people use the word in a positive way, to show friendship. Everything has positives and negatives, that is the truth. And the truth is that ‘niggers’ and ‘fags’ are human beings, just like anyone else, capable of both good and bad. Words can be hurt and heal because of the people who are using the words. It all comes down to how that person is using the truth of the word.