Current Events > How long have 'Sweet' been used as a derogatory term for gay people?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Two homophobes that I work with tend to use this in reference towards gay people. It's always odd when I hear it because I've always associated the word as a nice/sincere (and often times intimate) adjective that speaks positively about someone's character. Which is even odder when I hear them calling each other that...

This must be a new thing.
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Super old. Like I've heard it as a child and said it as a teen and I'm 28.
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This is news to me...
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I've never in my life heard it used that way.
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MacDaMurderer posted...

Super old. Like I've heard it as a child and said it as a teen and I'm 28.

Dang.

Monday posted...

I've never in my life heard it used that way.

Neither have I until I met these guys at work. They're so vocal about their dislike towards gay people. I'm always telling them that calling dudes sweet is probably counter productive for them.
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How is sweet being used in a derogatory manner?
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GATTJT posted...

This is news to me...

Monday posted...

I've never in my life heard it used that way.

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Gamer99z posted...

GATTJT posted...

This is news to me...

Monday posted...

I've never in my life heard it used that way.

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A_Good_Boy posted...

How is sweet being used in a derogatory manner?

it isnt, 2 people using it to make it derogatory does not make it derogatory for the rest of the world.
just like i use certain words for derogatory purposes.
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A_Good_Boy posted...

How is sweet being used in a derogatory manner?

He sweet
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dr_zomberg posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

How is sweet being used in a derogatory manner?

it isnt, 2 people using it to make it derogatory does not make it derogatory for the rest of the world.
just like i use certain words for derogatory purposes.

Well I suppose it's a good thing I wasn't asking you.
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"Sweet" isn't a direct derogatory term for gay people; in its pejorative form, "sweet" is usually a synonym for soft/weak/etc., which is obviously how these homophobic coworkers view gay people.
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MacDaMurderer posted...

Super old. Like I've heard it as a child and said it as a teen and I'm 28.

This. It's used a lot in the black community. Especially back in the day. No wonder most of y'all never heard of it. Most people on CE don't fit that criteria
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Gafemage posted...

"Sweet" isn't a direct derogatory term for gay people; in its pejorative form, "sweet" is usually a synonym for soft/weak/etc., which is obviously how these homophobic coworkers view gay people.

This. It's like "light in the loafers"

Never heard of this before. Wait, are you saying that Sean William Scott's character in Dude, Where's My Car is homophobic?!?
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A_Good_Boy posted...

How is sweet being used in a derogatory manner?

Like someone mentioned earlier:

"He's sweet."
"This dude in my neighborhood is sweet as fuck."
"I don't like being around sweet guys."
"You sweet ass motherfucker."
Etc.

Which is why I think it's the dumbest thing in the world to adopt as an insult because it doesn't sound insulting at all.

Gafemage posted...

"Sweet" isn't a direct derogatory term for gay people; in its pejorative form, "sweet" is usually a synonym for soft/weak/etc., which is obviously how these homophobic coworkers view gay people.

Yeah, I figured that was the case when I heard them saying it the way they do. I guess it's just a bit funny to me because to most people, it would sound like something else. Which would be both ironic and hilarious.
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Gafemage posted...

"Sweet" isn't a direct derogatory term for gay people; in its pejorative form, "sweet" is usually a synonym for soft/weak/etc., which is obviously how these homophobic coworkers view gay people.

This too
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I heard Steve Harvey use it once. It's similar to using the term "fruity" when talking about feminine men.

Oh another one. "He got a little sugar in his tank"
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I've heard more gay guys use it than anything, usually when talking condescendingly to someone.

Gafemage posted...

"Sweet" isn't a direct derogatory term for gay people; in its pejorative form, "sweet" is usually a synonym for soft/weak/etc., which is obviously how these homophobic coworkers view gay people.

Which has always been funny since a high percentage of the most hyper masculine he-beasts on the planet typically veer closer to homosexuality than any other orientation. Most heterosexual relationships naturally incorporate a level of femininity into the man's life to accommodate the woman. Gay men at the most extremes of masculinity don't have that element in their lifestyles; it's not necessary for the relationship to satisfyingly function. And they're prone to take partners who can keep up with their male urges, bravado, and sex drives. That leaves 99.9% of women out.

These guys are never small. They're generally like pumped up hairy tattooed rugby players who eat nails for breakfast and body slam each other through the tables they fuck on. And when they hook up, it just magnifies the hardcore masculine traits between them.

I'm saying many of the hardest toughest testosterone junkies in the world who figuratively bust down doors and pound any asses they want are not fucking women at all...
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Kitt posted...

A_Good_Boy posted...

How is sweet being used in a derogatory manner?

Like someone mentioned earlier:

"He's sweet."
"This dude in my neighborhood is sweet as fuck."
"I don't like being around sweet guys."
"You sweet ass motherfucker."
Etc.

Which is why I think it's the dumbest thing in the world to adopt as an insult because it doesn't sound insulting at all.

I agree. It actually sounds...sweet, the way they talk.

Raikuro posted...

I've heard more gay guys use it than anything, usually when talking condescendingly to someone.

I could kinda see this working though, if said sarcastically. Even then, sweet is just like...a phonetically hard word to intone sarcasm with.
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I remember back when I was kid too. However I stop hearing people use it before I even got into middle school. And I guess when I was kid that young I didn't notice it was slur. It wasn't like people would get mad and called gay people that. People would use it like this.. Did you know David is ______. Oh I didn't know that, oh well more girls for me. Still not something that should be done however.
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I used to hear it in high school 7 years ago. "sweet for it" was the common phrase used
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I've always used 'sweet' as meaning 'cool' or 'neat'
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These guys are never small. They're generally like pumped up hairy tattooed rugby players who eat nails for breakfast and body slam each other through the tables they f*** on. And when they hook up, it just magnifies the hardcore masculine traits between them.

Oh lord
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EverDownward posted...

I've always used 'sweet' as meaning 'cool' or 'neat'

But when describing as person, as in "He's sweet" it's usually synonymous with "nice" and "thoughtful"

It's possible to be used as a pejorative, much like "special" or "pretty" . Just pause before saying it! "He's so.... sweet."

But... it's odd for a word to be used as a pejorative by homophobes to both describe the object of their disdain and each other.
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