The Ryan Thomas Collection

Two college clubs in San Diego are attempting to be provocative and creative, but failing miserably. The two gay and lesbian student clubs at two San Diego community colleges wish to advertise their groups as F.A.G.S. on campus. This acronym stands for Fellowship of Associated Gays Students, and has since been extended to include heterosexual allies with the addition of ” And Straight Allies.”

College officials have advised these groups, at both Mesa College and San Diego City College, that they are allowed to keep the name for now whilst student government sorts the situation out. However, school leaders are telling the GLBT group that they cannot emphasize the acronym, as many other students and faculty alike find it “patently offensive.”

The student group believes their free speech rights are being violated, as their advertising signs stating, “The FAGS are back.” were removed from campus. The gay and lesbian club states that they have three missions, the third being to redefine the word “fag” so that it no longer is a slur. Vice President of the gay and lesbian clubs on both community college campuses, Brande Faris, stated:

I thought it was a fabulous name. I think anything that challenges people’s paradigm and gets them to think outside the box, and at the same time reclaims what has been used as a hate word, is a positive thing.

The questions that arise from this include how these signs and the use of this acronym actually challenge people to think outside the box. Finding words that fit together to spell out this acronym may have challenged club members to think outside the box, but passerbyers are not really pushed to do the same. One also has to question how outside the box this student group really went. The actions of this group seem too easy and a cheap attempt for attention relatable to bigots who use the same word for their messages.

Whilst thinking outside the box, one also has to question their use of the word “fellowship” in their name, simply to get an “F” for the word. This word typically connotes a religious group, and yet this student club does not list discussing religion and being gay as one of their main missions. Yes, the word “fellowship” also describes any group coming together for a similar interest, but the common connotations of the word are typically that of religion. It sounds like this student group really had to stretch to get this acronym, which reinforces the idea that it was a cheap move for attention and controversy. Furthermore, the use of “fellowship” and “associated” next to each other is repetitious, for a fellowship has to be associated. There is no creativity in this acronym. I dare to question the “fabulous” status its VP declares it as.

It would have been more impressive if this student group thought outside the box in defending their choice in creating this name. Reps for the group ran to the First Amendment umbrella to take refuge, an easy move similar to the ease of using the word “fag” to rile people up. The First Amendment, however, does not necessarily protect taste and this naming choice is in poor taste.

Why the need to utilize such a hateful word? A word, that when yelled whilst physically attacking an individual, can help deem the crime a hate crime. Why reinforce such a dreadful word in the name of reclaiming it to make it a positive thing? A word that brings back disturbing memories for many of a time in life when bigots threw it out as means of tearing someone down. The student group’s effort are far from valiant and would be better placed in fighting the bigotry that supports this word’s use in society through more creative means.

Walking casually on a campus, the last thing people need to see is the word “FAGS” boldly placed across building pillars, notice boards and other common areas. GLBT individuals often have to work hard and on a very personal level to empower themselves against the use of this word. There is no need to expose them to it, whether it be an effort to own the word again or not. Why not let the the word simply die? This clubs efforts almost trivialize it rather than erase its background of bigotry. The violence that accompanies the use of the word “fags” are memories that do not need to be revived.

In the end, let the word “fag” die in a dark grave, with its death caused by a fight against the bigotry behind its use.

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