Absurd statement of the day...

[conuly]

"I thought I was engaged in an intelligent and spiritual discussion of homosexuality based on biblical interpretations with a self-proclaimed Lesbian claiming the Bible supports homosexuality."

So, wait, what? All youse gay folks have to pass a test or something to be gay? And here I am thinking that your sexuality is one of those things that you kinda have to proclaim for yourself. Just, y'know, because.

Self-proclaimed is one of those terms that people really ought to stop using, because it doesn't mean what they think it means.

Comments

[snale.livejournal.com]

Of course, I agree that the term doesn't apply to situations like the one you mention -- whether a person is gay, or likes the color blue, or enjoys Marx Brothers movies. There are no credentials to prove these things, because they're simply preferences. As you say, "self-proclaimed" doesn't even make sense here, since there's no other way to know if someone is gay other than them telling you so.

On the other hand, "Self-proclaimed" can be useful. Like, say some yokel with a website claims he's a doctor and he recommends drinking 8 glasses of carrot juice every day to ward off cancer. I would think to myself, "this guy may not be a legit doctor" (no offense to carrot juice), and in writing about him, the quickest way of getting that across would be to call him a "self-proclaimed" doctor. I have no way of verifying if he is a doctor, and I suspect he hasn't got the credentials. Yes, it's an insult, but sometimes even insulting language can be useful.

Basically, I guess I feel that words (or phrases) themselves shouldn't be pulled out of circulation, just because people often misuse them. Even their misuse can be informative. In a way, it's a tell -- when people use language incorrectly, especially insulting language, they've shown their hand. Just from reading that one sentence you posted up there, I feel I can tell a LOT about the person who wrote it. :)

[conuly]

Well, I suppose the phrase *does* mean what you think it means, so you have the Official Conuly Stamp of Approval. *thwacks your head with a big rubber stamp* You can use that phrase if you so desire. This stamp is not valid for exchange or refund, void where prohibited.

[snale.livejournal.com]

Yay! I've been stamped! :)

[conuly]

Don't shout, or wave it about, or the rest will be wanting one too!