Top 10 Ways to Respond to “That’s So Gay!”

Top 10 ways to respond to “That’s So Gay!”
 Compiled from responses gathered from participants of Keshet’s National Training Institutes

1. Don’t ignore it.
2. Take the individual aside and have a one on one conversation.
3. Illustrate why it is offensive (e.g. “Would you ever say “that’s so Jewish,” or “that’s so black”?)
4. Find out what they believe the word “gay” means.
5. Emphasize what the word “gay” actually means.
6. Illustrate the consequences their words could have on others (e.g. “What if someone, maybe one of your friends, is gay and heard you say that?”)
7. Use it as an educational moment: ask the individuals what they are trying to express and provide them with alternative language.
8. Explain why you are offended; when appropriate add a face to the issue (e.g. “My best friend is gay”).
9. Make it clear that that language is not acceptable.
10. Be preemptive and talk about LGBTQ inclusion so that people know it’s inappropriate to say “that’s so gay.”