South Park Tries and Fails to Redefine “The F-Word”
November 5, 2009
Last night’s episode of Comedy Central’s long-running animated comedy South Park featured rampant use of the anti-gay slurs “f*g” and “f****t” as Cartman, Stan, Kyle and Kenny attempted to drive a local biker gang out of town.
In “The F-Word,” life in South Park has been disrupted by a loud and disruptive biker gang. Cartman ultimately takes it upon himself to inform the gang that “everyone thinks you’re total f*gs.” When the South Park kids then tag “F*GS GET OUT” all over town, first the gay residents and ultimately the entire town take offense at the anti-gay rhetoric. When the mayor gathers all of the kids together to ask why anyone would spray paint such hateful anti-gay messages, the kids are taken aback, not realizing that the F-word was hurtful to the LGBT community.
Stan: “Why would we want gay people to get out of town?”
Cartman: “Oh, they think we meant gay f*gs.”
Kyle: “Oh, hey that’s not very nice mayor. Just because a person is gay doesn’t mean he’s a f*g.”
It is then revealed that, to the children of South Park, “f*g” does not refer to gay people at all but rather to people who “ride a loud Harley up and down the streets ruining everyone’s nice time.” Thus, a “gay f*g” is only a “f*g” if he is an obnoxious biker and a straight person who is considering buying a motorcycle is “bike-curious.” Eventually, the boys convince the head dictionary editor to change the definition of the F-word to read:
“Fag n. 1. An extremely annoying, inconsiderate person most commonly associated with Harley riders.
2. A person who owns or frequently rides a Harley.”
GLAAD disagrees. Though the writers of South Park attempted to craft a commentary on the shifting meaning of words, the fact of the matter is that the F-word is and remains a hateful slur that is often the last word heard by LGBT people as they fall victim to hate crimes. Just this year, 11-year-old Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover of Massachusetts hung himself, unable to endure further anti-gay bullying at school which included constant use of the F-Word.
South Park was right on one point: all too commonly, more and more people are using the F-word as a seemingly benign insult, unaware or unconcerned about the word’s anti-gay meaning. However, the spread of the word in this manner does not make it okay to use. Mickey Rourke and Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson recently learned this lesson as GLAAD reiterated the need for all uses of this slur to end.
GLAAD encourages you to contact Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, as well as Comedy Central, to share your personal stories of the negative impact the F-word and other anti-gay slurs have had on your life. It is important that the people behind South Park realize that the F-word is not just a harmless insult; it is a hateful word with often violent consequences.
South Park Studios Official Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/southpark. (You will have to become a “fan” in order to leave a message.)
Steve Albani
Comedy Central SVP, Corporate Communications
(212) 767-8695
steve.albani@comedycentral.com
Lisa Leingang
Comedy Central SVP, Programming
212-654-5866
lisa.leingang@comedycentral.com
Comedy Central Comment Line:
(212) 767-8600
**UPDATE: CALL TO ACTION: Tell South Park’s Creators About the Harms Caused By Slur-Filled “The F-Word”
Related Posts:UPDATE: Chiefs Suspend Larry Johnson
October 29, 2009
The Kansas City Chiefs released a statement yesterday announcing Larry Johnson had been issued a two-weeks suspension for “Conduct Detrimental to the Club”. He can return to practice and other team activities on November 9, the day after the Chiefs play the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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Since this is a bye week for the Chiefs, Johnson will only sit out one game. In addition, he will not be paid for the duration of his suspension. The two week hiatus amounts to a loss in compensation for the running back, equivalent to about $660,000.
Johnson’s agent, Peter Schaffer, told the Kansas City Star that “we respectfully disagree this punishment doesn’t fit the action.” He plans to file an appeal with the Chiefs on behalf of Johnson.
The National Football League has not weighed in on Johnson’s status yet and may or may not discipline him separately.
GLAAD will continue to follow this story and provide updates.
Related Posts:UPDATE: Larry Johnson Apologizes for Use of Gay Slur
October 28, 2009
Kansas City Chiefs running back, Larry Johnson, issued a statement yesterday apologizing for his use of anti-gay epithets:
“First of all, I want to apologize to the fans of the Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of the NFL, Commissioner Goodell, the Chiefs organization, Coa
ch Todd Haley, his staff, and my teammates for the words I used yesterday. I regret my actions. The words were used by me in frustration, and they were not appropriate. I did not intend to offend anyone, but that is no excuse for what I said.”
“I also want to apologize to all the kids who view athletes as role models. I was not a good role model yesterday and hopefully I can become a better role model. We all make mistakes, and the challenge is to learn from them. I will do my best to learn from this one as I move toward becoming a better person, teammate, and member of the Kansas City Chiefs team and community.”
Currently, the NFL is reviewing the situation while Johnson has been asked to refrain from participating in practice and other team activities.
In response, Jarrett Barrios, GLAAD’s president, explained that “Larry Johnson’s apology sends an important message that there is no excuse for using anti-gay epithets. We are continuing to call on the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs to use this unfortunate incident as a way to educate and start a dialogue with players and fans regarding the dangers of homophobia in sports.”
Related Posts:GLAAD Demands Action Against NFL Player Larry Johnson’s Use of Homophobic Slurs
October 27, 2009
Larry Johnson, a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, has uttered several anti-gay slurs within the past couple of days. GLAAD is demanding that the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League take disciplinary action.
Johnson’s tirade began with a Twitter post about his head coach, following a loss to San Diego. According to the Kansas City Star when reporters approached Johnson about his comment, he uttered a gay slur under his breath while telling them to “get out of here.”
Soon after, Johnson was at it again on Twitter, fighting with a fan. Yahoo Sports monitored the conversation and caught Johnson using the anti-gay slur again.
Additionally, Outsports.com explains that Johnson’s use of the phrase “Christopher Street boy” to describe the fan is yet another anti-gay slur.
Several other media outlets are covering Johnson’s hateful words. ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown described Johnson’s comment as insensitive, and NBC Action News Kansas City reported that his inflammatory remark crossed the line. Local CBS and ABC news channels are also following this story.
“All too often this is the word that is used to ridicule and harass young gay and transgender athletes on local sports fields across America” said Jarrett Barrios, President of GLAAD. “Professional athletes who use this word need to be held accountable for giving a license to youth to bully their peers. NFL officials and the Kansas City Chiefs need to take disciplinary action to condemn this and future uses of all anti-gay epithets.”
We are reaching out to the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL and will keep you updated.
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