Language query

[magid]

Tonight I said some variant of the sentence "Mean people suck," and was told that this is an anti-gay sentiment. It's the first time I've heard this; I've always thought of it as neutral slang. Have I been being unintentionally rude to gay people for years now? Or is that a minority understanding of this usage?

Comments

That's Mr. Sucks to you!

[pinkfish.livejournal.com]

Good heavens! I haven't heard this one in ages!

The argument, of course, is that the reason why "sucking" is bad, is because gay men suck (one another's cocks), and gay people are bad. I could well imagine that's where "this sucks" meaning something bad originally came from.

When this discussion came up on soc.motss about a decade or more ago, my recollection is that the vast majority of gay people commenting felt that this was too remote a connection nowadays to worry about. There were a few outliers, as I recal, but they were the exception not the rule.

In any case, I use "sucks" in this way, and I don't worry about it being an anti-gay epithet.

Re: That's Mr. Sucks to you!

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the explanation. The argument was alluded to, and I felt rather obtuse for never having assumed that was the origin, rather than slang that had started some way or another and is occasionally retro-fitted with more innuendo.

I won't worry, then, though I'll try to remember not to use it around the person who brought it up, since it's obviously a linguistic trigger.

Re: That's Mr. Sucks to you!

[pinkfish.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, in the same friends list as this posting from you, another friend (a gay man) wrote:

I'm at SFO and can I just tell you that Terminal 3 sucks ass and NOT in a good way?!

alluding to the fact that the comment "this sucks ass!" could be construed as positive, in very different circumstances.

Re: That's Mr. Sucks to you!

[fairdice.livejournal.com]

In the late '80s, Bloom County ran into this peeve also, when a character proclaimed "Reagan sucks!" There was a flurry of complaints , some papers refused to run the strip, etc. Breathed made fun of it in some future strips, as I recall, with Opus(?) loudly proclaiming that the etymology had to do with sucking eggs, thank you very much.

Me, I'm partial to the version often used by my grad-school officemate: "Boy, that sucks sharp flinty rocks."

Re: That's Mr. Sucks to you!

[danger-chick.livejournal.com]

As for origin, I think it might be Calvin and Hobbes. At least that's the first time I heard that phrase uttered.

PS

[magid.livejournal.com]

And thanks for clarifying so quickly!

*confused look*

[missdimple.livejournal.com]

Huh? Where did they get that crazy notion?

Re: *confused look*

[magid.livejournal.com]

See what Pinkfish wrote above for an explanation.

[tapuz.livejournal.com]

I'm going out on a limb here, but I think that these days that pejorative interpretation will mainly come from Americans in their early-mid 20's...?

[magid.livejournal.com]

Maybe, but the person in question is in the 30s...

[danger-chick.livejournal.com]

My mom (mid 50s) really hates that word "suck" in its many forms (sucks, sucker), because of its association with blow jobs. She does not mind fuck nearly as much, but I might not say that around her much.

[laurens10.livejournal.com]

My mom, also in her 50s, hates the word "suck" as well because of similar associations. I was really surprised at her reaction when I used it once in conversation.

[magid.livejournal.com]

I've never noticed a reaction from my parents, one in her 60s, the other in his 70s. I wonder what happened to the 50ish generation...

[rethought.livejournal.com]

I guess the idea that it is pejorative only works if you believe that gay people are the only ones performing acts of sucking. ;)

I suppose it could be pejorative for both women and gay men, but I've never used it that way. I've always used the 'and not in a good way' line. I think it's amusing. (But, then again, I think that 'Holy Testicle Tuesday, Batman' is funny...so, maybe I'm just odd.)

[magid.livejournal.com]

I guess the idea that it is pejorative only works if you believe that gay people are the only ones performing acts of sucking.
Everyone's done it.... at least as a baby :-)

[spwebdesign.livejournal.com]

It's curious that some people think only gay people perform oral sex. When people tell me I suck, my stock response is, "Yes, and quite well, I've been told." Then again, when they're far more explicit and say "suck my dick," my response is usually, "Come here, big boy." So maybe…hmmm…

[rethought.livejournal.com]

Yes, and quite well, I've been told.
I'm totally taking that response. :D

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

You could always say that originally, the phrase was "suck all the oxygen out of the room," which got shortened to "sucks" due to generally laziness. (I made that up, but it seems plausible.)

[fairdice.livejournal.com]

I believe the canonical "I made that up, but it seems plausible" etymology is that it comes from "egg-sucking dog," a canine who should be guarding the hen-house but is sucking on the job.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

Oh - that makes sense.

[the-meanwhile.livejournal.com]

Yes!

I was trying to remember where "sucks" came from. "Sucks" is definitely considered a bad word and I now remember that the really bad-*ss teenagers when I was little used to say, "you can go suck eggs!" and it was hideously insulting, the worst thing that could be said.

I am sure by then no one knew they were talking about dogs. Now it's shortened to "sucks" and no one knows we are talking about eggs.

I have never, ever heard anyone say that "sucks" has anything to do with perjorating (?) gay people. There are many generational and occupational reasons why I would be likely to know if it was.

Whoever says that has their own associations, misconstrued as everyone else's, that's all!