The same way it impinges on his happiness, Owen, to KEEP IT A SECRET THAT HE IS GAY.
Comments
12 responses to “Just don’t say it”
Rob
FFS. How thick is that man?
GW
Interesting use of “sex” as a verb meaning “to have sex with”. (As opposed to “to identify the sex of” — an activity that Owen Jones seems to be bad at doing.)
Actually, he does have to say it, because too many stupid and/or malevolent people either don’t know, or pretend not to know, what “gay man” actually means.
In a way, it reminds me of that refined bit of legalese known as the “negative pregnant.” Let’s assume P is suing D on a claim that D owes P $3000. When D files the answer — the responsive pleading to P’s complaint — it’s not enough for D to enter a formal denial that s/he owes P $3000. That denial leaves open the possibility that D is not denying that there is a debt in some other amount. The denial (“negative”) holds the possibility (“pregnant”) that D is not denying the debt altogether. To forestall this implication, D answers by stating that s/he does not owe P $3000, OR ANY OTHER SUM.
The common assertion isn’t enough to establish a fact; the things that shouldn’t have to be said are actually essential to make the assertion complete.
I remember seeing a scene in some TV show — maybe Monty Python? Rumpole? — where one character goes to a massage parlor, and says, “I’d like a massage … (pause) and NOTHING ELSE.” They don’t understand your meaning unless you say both things.
Sackbut
It’s OK to say you’re demisexual, asexual, panromantic, sapiosexual, queer, and literally hundreds of other things, but to say you’re same-sex attracted is not OK, apparently. Or perhaps someone like OJ thinks “same-sex attracted” means something different, thus requires clarification, and the clarification uses forbidden language.
As The Smoke Rises Upwards
Owen Jones, the raging hypocrite, knows perfectly well that he wouldn’t touch a trans “man” with somebody else’s penis attached to a ten-foot pole.
I concede that it would be poor behavior for a gay man to deliberately approach a trans-identified female to let her know that he would never have sex with her. But gay men have every right to specify in online dating profiles that they want same-sex partners only and to restrict access to gay men’s events on the basis of sex. (Ditto for lesbians, of course.)
NightCrow
Re ‘sex’ as a verb:
sexi … [1950s+] to have sexual intercourse. – Chambers Slang Dictionary, ed. Jonathon Green, Edinburgh, 2008
KBPlayer
I understand that dating sites can be quite specific about kinks, fetishes etc however outlandish, and that is tolerated, even applauded as being in touch with your own desires, ready to experiment and the like. You can be as explicit as you like.
But stating “I am a man who only has sex with men” is suddenly unmentionable.
The use of “sex” as a verb that I’m aware of is in zoo and veterinary etc work – sexing an animal=determining what sex it is. This isn’t always obvious or easy. I remember watching the birds curator trying and failing with one bird of I don’t remember what species. It required probing, and even with probing he couldn’t tell.
Comments
12 responses to “Just don’t say it”
FFS. How thick is that man?
Interesting use of “sex” as a verb meaning “to have sex with”. (As opposed to “to identify the sex of” — an activity that Owen Jones seems to be bad at doing.)
I think it’s just a typo? Could be wrong.
Actually, he does have to say it, because too many stupid and/or malevolent people either don’t know, or pretend not to know, what “gay man” actually means.
In a way, it reminds me of that refined bit of legalese known as the “negative pregnant.” Let’s assume P is suing D on a claim that D owes P $3000. When D files the answer — the responsive pleading to P’s complaint — it’s not enough for D to enter a formal denial that s/he owes P $3000. That denial leaves open the possibility that D is not denying that there is a debt in some other amount. The denial (“negative”) holds the possibility (“pregnant”) that D is not denying the debt altogether. To forestall this implication, D answers by stating that s/he does not owe P $3000, OR ANY OTHER SUM.
The common assertion isn’t enough to establish a fact; the things that shouldn’t have to be said are actually essential to make the assertion complete.
I remember seeing a scene in some TV show — maybe Monty Python? Rumpole? — where one character goes to a massage parlor, and says, “I’d like a massage … (pause) and NOTHING ELSE.” They don’t understand your meaning unless you say both things.
It’s OK to say you’re demisexual, asexual, panromantic, sapiosexual, queer, and literally hundreds of other things, but to say you’re same-sex attracted is not OK, apparently. Or perhaps someone like OJ thinks “same-sex attracted” means something different, thus requires clarification, and the clarification uses forbidden language.
Owen Jones, the raging hypocrite, knows perfectly well that he wouldn’t touch a trans “man” with somebody else’s penis attached to a ten-foot pole.
I concede that it would be poor behavior for a gay man to deliberately approach a trans-identified female to let her know that he would never have sex with her. But gay men have every right to specify in online dating profiles that they want same-sex partners only and to restrict access to gay men’s events on the basis of sex. (Ditto for lesbians, of course.)
Re ‘sex’ as a verb:
I understand that dating sites can be quite specific about kinks, fetishes etc however outlandish, and that is tolerated, even applauded as being in touch with your own desires, ready to experiment and the like. You can be as explicit as you like.
But stating “I am a man who only has sex with men” is suddenly unmentionable.
The use of “sex” as a verb that I’m aware of is in zoo and veterinary etc work – sexing an animal=determining what sex it is. This isn’t always obvious or easy. I remember watching the birds curator trying and failing with one bird of I don’t remember what species. It required probing, and even with probing he couldn’t tell.
Bioarchaeology is one of my hobbies, and “sexing” (as well as “ageing”) skeletons is something we enjoy doing.
“no toad sexing”
old MIT joke
Karen:
Yep! I was just coming here to post this link about it.