Gay Advocacy Group Objects to ‘South Park’ Episode

By Dave Itzkoff
South Park

Updated | 12:28 p.m. Fans of “South Park” are well aware that Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of that Comedy Central animated series, are not exactly delicate about their language on the show: one notorious episode from 2001 used a familiar vulgarity 162 times — so often that it conjured up an angry, rampaging dragon on the show. (Hence the term curse words.)

But an episode of “South Park” broadcast on Wednesday that centered on a different offensive word has elicited a more sober reaction.

On this latest episode, called “The F-Word,” the children of “South Park” decide that they will change the meaning of the word “fag” so that it will be used as a slur against burly, inconsiderate motorcyclists who ride loud Harley-Davidson bikes instead of against gay people. The children’s casual and frequent use of the word, which was broadcast unbleeped, offends adults and several gay characters on the show. But after the town learns the etymology of the word “faggot” (which began use as a derisive term for old women) and gains the approval of a dictionary official, their new meaning for the word is accepted.

But the episode did not sit easy with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, an advocacy group that monitors issues of gender identity and sexual orientation in the media. In a news release issued on Thursday night, the group asks for Comedy Central and the “South Park” staff to apologize for what it calls a “slur-filled episode.”

In a statement, GLAAD officials said they recognized that the episode was attempting to “use edgy humor to provide commentary on current issues.” They added: “Yet despite what the ‘South Park’ writers may believe, the definition of the F-word remains one that is harmful and derogatory to the LGBT community.”

The statement, which does not use the word directly, says that the epithet “remains a hateful slur that is often part of the harassment, bullying and violence that gay people, and gay youth in particular, experience on a daily basis in this country. It is an epithet that has real consequences for real people’s lives.”

It continues:

The creators of “South Park” are right on one important point: more and more people are using the F-word as an all-purpose insult. However, it is irresponsible and wrong to suggest that it is a benign insult or that promoting its use has no consequences for those who are the targets of anti-gay bullying and violence. This is a slur whose meaning remains rooted in homophobia. And while many “South Park” viewers will understand the sophisticated satire and critique in last night’s episode, others won’t – and if even a small number of those take from this a message that using the “F-word” is OK, it worsens the hostile climate that many in our community continue to face.

The GLAAD statement said it was told by Comedy Central that the network appreciated its concerns and would soon be in touch to discuss them with the group. A press representative for Comedy Central said that the network would comment shortly.

Did you watch the “South Park” episode, and if so, what did you think? Should its creators apologize for their use of an offensive word? Is it unacceptable even in a satirical context? Post a comment here and let us know what you think.

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nobo November 6, 2009 · 11:42 am

absolutely not, they go through the entire history of the word “fag” and are simply acting a catalyst for the words next progression in culture.

bob in al November 6, 2009 · 11:43 am

I saw the episode and laughed myself silly, as I do with most episodes of South Park. Parker and Stone are the smartest social commentarians of our time. If every group that found South Park offensive had their way, not a single episode would air.

Get a life. If you don’t like the program, change the channel.

Mark November 6, 2009 · 11:44 am

I am tired of everyone having such a thin skin that apologies must be asked for for every word. weather secular or faith based it is tiring to hear the same tune played. More people will watch something if if make astir and you just feed the ratings. Get over it.

Matthew MacKay November 6, 2009 · 11:46 am

It was a clever commentary on how words and their meanings evolve over time, and the commentary appears to me to be accurate. “fag” is an all-purpose word, and I would hazard that most people use it without the lgbt community in mind at all. WE have this debate about language and its harm, and I never buy it – take the disabled for example. “retard” becomes offensive, so we create a euphemism: mentally handicapped. Which then begins to take on the offensiveness that “retard” used to have and we get “developmentally disabled.” You can control language, but you can’t control thought. The problem is not the individual words, it is the hatred behind them.

The Poet McTeagle November 6, 2009 · 11:48 am

If they had used the “n” word instead of the “f” word, what would the response have been?

Luke November 6, 2009 · 11:49 am

While the repeated use of “fag” and, worse, “faggot” was a bit jarring, my real issue was the message that children don’t associate the f-word with gay people. While they may not actually mean to say that someone is gay, the entire reason the word is hurtful — especially to adolescent males — is that it is, indeed, implying that they are acting gay and that that is a bad thing.

Sadly, we have not progressed as far as P&S seem to think we have.

alboyjr November 6, 2009 · 11:49 am

To paraphrase the late, great George Carlin; there are NO bad words…bad intentions? bad subtexts? Yes, but words in and of themselves are not hateful. Having not sen the episode, I can not comment, but I am familiar with South Park. It is called satire for a reason; get over it people. Much like those who were dreadfully offended by the recent Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, you are free to change the channel or turn the television off.

herbie November 6, 2009 · 11:50 am

Coming from such a pro-gay people cartoon the F-word was used to redicule intolerant bigoted people. Very good South Park! And it ends up getting GLAAD some media exposure so it is a win all around.

Iris Heyes November 6, 2009 · 11:51 am

This is beyond silly and stupid, the biggest users of the word is the LGBT community itself. I dare GLAAD to spend an evening in one of our bars and not here the word multiple times between LGBT patrons. Don’t bother, it can’t be done. GLAAD needs exposure……….and apparently an issue. Too bad, I thought there were plenty of important issues out there. They need new leadership.

Patrick November 6, 2009 · 11:51 am

Okay, yeah right, I’ve got a bridge to Brooklyn to sell you. They’re throwing their complaints to the wind; South Park takes on far more terrifying organizations than GLAAD, like stoking Islamic terrorists and far more dangerously, mocking Scientology. I doubt that they’re going to get anything approaching an apology… if they get a response at all.

RW November 6, 2009 · 11:51 am

Didn’t “queer” used to be a derogatory name for homosexuals–and yet today many gay groups embrace the term. Why don’t they do the same thing with fag–which, by the way, any British person will tell you means “cigarette.” It’s just a word. The only power it has is the power you allow it to have.

Bravo to South Park.

Adam November 6, 2009 · 11:51 am

As a gay male, I cannot disagree more with GLAAD. They are still in the stone ages and need to understand that the way to progress is to address these issues head on. If we cannot accept the usage of these terms we should be fighting all media that uses terms that could possibly be offensive to any group, but that would destroy our freedom to speech and undermine all that the GLBT movement has accomplished in the last 30 years.

Scott November 6, 2009 · 11:55 am

South Park has long had openly gay characters and has bashed homophobes on several occasions. If you get past the over-the-top jokes, South Park has consistently made the case for inclusivity, whether it’s related to sexual orientation, skin color, religion, etc.. GLAAD looks foolish complaining about one of television’s most open-minded shows.

Ron Mexico November 6, 2009 · 11:55 am

I love south park. I loved it when I was a little kid and would laugh at the funny curse words, and love it now when I delve into their deep social commentaries that are always ‘so true’. This issue is no different. I’ve noticed the f’word has been used much less in years, but it recently has been used as a more general slur. And it’s about time. Like South Park says, the word’s definition is constantly changing, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts its change now.
GLAD should be praising South Park for the fact that the majority of people that watched it will now be using the word to comment on obnoxious people. Eventually this use will grow. Look at how many sayings have been started by South Park and have stuck, “scissor me timbers” “screw you guys, I’m going home” and countless more… South Park’s possibly the most influential show of our generation, and this new definition is bound to stick.

NM November 6, 2009 · 11:56 am

I watched it and before seeing this article, thought it was actually a positive thing for the gay & lesbian community. The F word, while still used in current vernacular as directed toward this community, actually no longer ONLY means that at all and I felt that is what SP was trying to bring to light. It’s not an insult anymore to the G&L community – it’s used in many, many other ways more often, currently. AND one of the points of the show was to explicitly show just that – the younger generation is not using ‘our’ insults the way we once did. If you want the word to stop being used derogatorily toward this community, perhaps people should stop claiming it as an insult to their own? The point of the show was to get the usage replaced in the dictionary – but hey, G&L’s, if you want to keep it – keep it, I guess. It doesn’t mean what it used to, and the only way the kids will keep using it as a homosexual slur is if you keep claiming it is one. I don’t see how GLAAD doesn’t see that.
SP always puts the PC crowd in the spotlight, and thank goodness someone does. By the way, I have voted on many occasions & written to policymakers about legalizing gay marriage & enabling gay rights & recognition in many spheres, so I don’t feel guilty at all for saying this. If we’d all stop trying to categorize people, it wouldn’t be an issue. But to ask for an apology from a cartoon? Free speech people – just like you & I are using when we get out there and protest for gay rights. Pick your battles (better).

Gene November 6, 2009 · 11:56 am

i saw it, i’m gay – and i thought it was hilarious and spot on.

while i can understand GLAAD’s conservatism, i would acknowledge that this South Park episode was more of a step towards “solution” than perpetuating the problems of the F-word.

as i watched the episode, in both shock and admiration, i was happy and impressed that they took on the issue. although completely over the top, i think their heart and politics are in the right place, and i took no offense.

clive hirschhorn November 6, 2009 · 11:57 am

For Heaven’s sake! Isn’t time GLAAD lighten up a bit, show they have a sense of humour and and stop being so darn politically correct?

PJ in BOS November 6, 2009 · 11:57 am

GLAAD needs to lighten up and realize that South Park is doing the gay community a huge favor. Picking a fight with folks who are partial to the gay rights movement is truly a misguided effort. It also calls in question the leadership of GLAAD.

MikeLT November 6, 2009 · 11:57 am

I’m gay and was not offended. What I saw in the episode, was a group (the bikers) not wanting to be called “fag” because they felt it was demeaning. That is the underlying message here. It is an offensive word, and no one wants to be called it.

While some may feel “fag” doesn’t necessarily mean “gay”, tell that to young children (who think they’re gay) who are called the word by bullies… then go home and kill themselves (this happened at least twice this past summer).

South Park has their own way to get a message across.

Tom H. November 6, 2009 · 11:57 am

People who are secure in who they are don’t worry about labels. We live in a free country. Tolerance and diversity are all about accepting various and perhaps differing viewpoints even if you find them offensive.

HadesScorn November 6, 2009 · 11:58 am

Watched it, loved it. Matt and Trey have done an excellent piece on HOW language changes. While I don’t have a problem with motorcyclists myself, the episode captured perfectly how a word itself can harm nothing, only the meaning behind it can. I’m not surprised that GLAD had a problem with it, but they appear to have somehow missed the point of the show.

Donald Ham November 6, 2009 · 11:58 am

As someone who has heard himself described as “fag” with evil intent AND with great affection, I think South Park is right on.

Love ya, GLAAD, mean it…but ease up, OK?

jheron November 6, 2009 · 11:58 am

I’d be willing to bet that none of the responders here were gay teenagers.

You’re all right. We shouldn’t be so thin-skinned. The issue being brought up by GLAAD is that the number of dead gay teenagers who commit suicide because their lives were made miserable by bullying just likely increased due to South Park. I’m sure that was not the intention, but just like with the marriage debate, straight white guys think that their world is the same one everyone else lives in.

T November 6, 2009 · 11:59 am

Amazing… Did they really not get the point of the episode? Their statement suggests they did but that they’re unwilling to give anyone else any credit for being able to get it. As a gay man, I’m more than a little annoyed that a group that supposedly represents my interests should have wasted their time picking this particular battle to fight.

And if there are people out there stupid enough to think that their poor behavior is mandated simply because a bunch of animated cut-out characters say it’s OK, then they’re probably stupid enough that they’d use that word no matter what they see or don’t see on TV. Part of living in a pluralistic society is accepting that there are unapologetic homophobes in our midst, moving on, and aiming our pleas for equal rights at those who WILL “get it”.

TheChaplain November 6, 2009 · 11:59 am

The greatest irony is that clearly the GLAAD representatives did not even watch the whole episode. If they had, they would have recognized a scene where a representative of the gay community uses the exact same argument against the boys’ campaign (hence their drive to get the official dictionary definition changed). The whole point of the episode was to illustrate that words only hurt us when we let them–by the end, the bikers embrace their new label, declaring their “faginess” proudly. The easiest way to take the sting out of a slur is to co-opt it’s usage, and Parker and Stone continue to be brilliant at doing just that.