In a section titled "Curse Well" in the May issue, Esquire magazine offers ways for the hip and cool straight guy to use bad words to his best advantage -- such as urging him to hurl out terms like "shit-sniffing faggot." Nothing like a little gay-bashing to make a real man feel satisfied and successful, after all. Oh, and did I mention that it's their "How to be A Man" issue?
Now of course they will say it's all, um, tongue in cheek. But as a listener to the show pointed out to me when he tipped me off to the piece, would they use the N-word even in a half-joking manner? And how much are they really joking here? Why is it necessary to use the word "faggot" unless they like debasing those annoying homos at least a teensy weensy bit, getting off on the hot hate words? (They think "cocksucker" is a good one too.) Here's the line, with the pdf below that:
The purpose of swearing is to cause a small explosion...Let the context do the work. Calling your neighbor's nosy nine-year-old boy a prick or even a "shit-sniffing faggot" will have a leveraged impact...
Curent Esquire Magazine
UPDATE: Esquire issues "apology"
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