Just as the terms and meanings of "sex," "sexuality," and "gender" (along with basically all of the others that make up our world) are social constructions and are entirely susceptible to change, I realized that so are the terms that go along with these statuses.
The attached episode of South Park, which in my opinion is fairly comical (*note: the video is mildly controversial, but it is not my intention to upset or insult anyone by adding it), is a validation of my previous statement in the form of a satire. They point out that the term "fag" was used by labourers, and in more recent times has been used as a disparaging term against homosexuals. Homosexuality receives a fair amount of jabs because it is seen as the unnatural sexual preference (which we in Intro. to Lit. Theory class now know to be untrue). "Fag" then became used as a common insult on heterosexuals intended to mock those of "abnormal" sexuality. As of late, "fag" has become an invective, or sometimes even a jesting between friends, word against anyone deemed to be upsetting, or a "loser," without any purpose to harm homosexuals. According to the South Park's "The F-Word" episode, heterosexual "losers" are called "fags," while homosexual "losers" are specified as "gay fags."
Obviously the "f-word" can still be hurtful to homosexuals who have felt its wrath in the past, but this video just shows how arbitrary the term "fag" is and it's insolidity as an insult. So if you have about 20 minutes to spare, check out this link and let me know if you agree with what I am saying :).
http://www.xepisodes.com/southpark/episodes/1312/The-F-Word.html
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