Talk:Faggot (disambiguation)

Etymology
We need a pop culture refrence added about southpark attempting to get the official definition changed to refer to harley riders as shows like this tend to get wikipedia defaced —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.223.85.65 (talk) 01:31, 7 November 2009 (UTC)


 * Faggot is a pejorative slang term used to refer to a gay man. Apparently when those charged with faggotry were burned at the stake, accused faggots were thrown into a fire, likening them to firewood/fuel. Given that faggot referred to bundles of sticks used as firewood, homosexuals came to be known as "faggots". Reputable sources, however, have been found to debate over the validity of this particular explanation.

This is not true. The first use of the word in English to refer to a male homosexual dates from 1910-1915, according to my Random House Unabridged, and there are several online sources that corroborate this (for example,, which debunks the Inquisition bit, and or ). Antandrus (talk) 15:29, 17 September 2005 (UTC)


 * All of which is useful, but beside the point. Faggot (slang) is where this sort of information should go, even if it were true, and we've covered the topic there already. This is simply redundant here, and this anon has tried to inject this into Fag, Faggot and Faggot (slang). -Harmil 06:16, 18 September 2005 (UTC)

To Rhobite in response to the following message: Please stop removing information from faggot and faggot (slang). Multiple users have reverted your edits - the burning at the stake etymology is probably false. In addition, please read Three revert rule - you seem to have violated the rule. Rhobite 18:03, 18 September 2005 (UTC)

I will comply with your request. I would like to remind you, however of Wikipedia's recommendation for resolution of disputes:

Use of edit summaries in disputes If a content dispute develops, proper use of edit summaries is critical. Edit summaries should accurately summarize the nature of the edit, especially if it may be controversial; if the edit involves reverting previous changes, it should be marked as a revert in the edit summary. However, edit summaries are not the place to carry on debates or negotiation over the content. Doing this will actually exacerbate the situation, because it naturally encourages the other party to respond in the same manner - in other words, by making an edit and using the edit summary - and what might have been productive dialogue instead becomes an edit war. The proper place to discuss changes to article content is on the talk page.

You and I have both fallen into the "edit war" scenario as referenced above. Although, as you state it, "the burning at the stake etymology is probably false" this does not mean it is absolutely false. As there are many people who subscribe to the burning at the stake scenario as a possible explanation, including it as a possible origin of the word "faggot" should be included for the sake of being thorough. My edit did state that "IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED" the burning at the stake theory. This is a true statement. I also included that "REPUTABLE SOURCES DEBATE" as to whether or not the explanation was valid. This is also a true statement. There is therefore no valid reason I can see to remove my edit. I made no claim that the theory has been proven true. My only intention was to share information. Perhaps you should have reworded my edit if it seemed misleading. I don't feel, however, it merited deletion.

It seems that there are those among you who have contributed a great deal to Wikipedia, and for this you should be thanked and your efforts greatly appreciated. I would suggest, however, that adopting an "alpha male" stance in controlling the edits of others is contrary to the spirit of Wikipedia. Wikipedia suggests, rather than deleting the edits of another, improve upon them. It is my understanding that the purpose of this wonderful thing known as Wikipedia is to share knowledge, not censorship.

As I have no desire to engage in further conflict over something so trivial, you will be pleased to know that I will not attempt to edit the page again.

Best wishes to you.


 * Censorship? You're the one who is removing valid information from this disambig page. I asked you to stop removing the line "Faggot is a pejorative slang term used to refer to a gay man." I'm glad to hear that you're complying with this request, but please don't accuse others of censorship when you're the one who is removing statements from this page. In the future, it would be helpful if you could supply a reference for your claim that homosexuals were burned at the feet of witches. Rhobite 21:03, 18 September 2005 (UTC)

Straight people trying to rewrite LGBTQ+ narrative seems to me quite disrespectful. Homosexuals were indeed burned at the stake as their sexual practices were considered to go against Abrahamic religion laws and the natural order. Pollux geminae (talk) 10:26, 13 June 2020 (UTC)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_by_burning Pollux geminae (talk) 11:27, 14 June 2020 (UTC)

Another two pence
These arguments appear to be grasping at straws (pardon the ironic metaphor). I have a book called "Slang and Its Analogues", a 1970 reprint from a book originally published ca. 1900. It says that centuries ago a woman who had been judged a heretic and/or of being promiscuous, and had recanted (thus escaping the proverbial stake), was required to carry around the bundle of sticks called a "faggot", as a reminder that her previous words (and her own self) were worthy only of being burned. Meanwhile, there is the term "fag", applied to a schoolboy who does menial work for an upperclassman. It should be fairly clear from both words how the two converged and came to be applied (presumably by "masculine", straight men) to any "effeminate" or "weak" male, whether he was literally homosexual or merely "unmanly". The book does not pull any punches, yet it says nothing about homosexuals being burned at the stake. Wahkeenah 13:05, 23 February 2006 (UTC)

the word "fag" has been changed many times in the past 200 years and in the latest episode of south park the meaning has once again changed. The official dictionary's editor comes to south park an finds the word fit to change. So according to the epsode (the f-word)the official meaning to the word "fag" is .....

..."a person who ether rides a motorcycle up and down your street all day.... or a person who is a complete "dick" to you in traffic".

Anti-gay slang etymology and witch burnings

 * When witches were burned, men accused of being Gay were dipped in oil, set afire, and used as the faggot to light the burning pyre.


 * a lengthy discussion of the slang term and is origins

Sam Spade 17:03, 22 September 2005 (UTC)

I didn’t realize Wikipedia existed for this long CKdracula (talk) 01:33, 5 September 2022 (UTC)

Mindless Self Indulgence song
Mindless Self Indulgence has a song named "Faggot", which is probably just as notable as any song by the band (it's even mentioned by name in the band's article here). I'm sure it's not worth it's own article, but I'd say a brief mention is warranted in this instance. Afrobean 17:30, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

"...bundle of sticks, tied with  twine,..."
Do any of you recall that some reference materials in the 1970's had had something akin to "...bundle of sticks, tied with twine,..."? It does seem that the word "twine" might help to tie this page together better. Shall "twine" ever be accepted in the meat  of this page? Met twine?

I, further, have a smolder[wr]ing desire to include  cigar  &  cigarette.

I may milk it; but, I shall not add "got  fag" to faggot.

Thank You,

&#91;&#91; hopiakuta Please do  sign  your  signature  on your  message. %7e%7e  Thank You. -]] 17:25, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

Faggotry
i find it wrong that north american slang is given at the very beginning. what it actually means is a 'bundle of sticks' and that we should begin with. then we might also add faggotto is a way to refer to bassoons in classic orchestras. not all of us are pubertating 14 year olds.79.216.208.190 (talk) 13:34, 8 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Homosexual is the most common meaning of faggot, hence that meaning belongs at the top of the page. Nietzsche 2 (talk) 11:35, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

"Homosexual"
"homosexual" is very seldom used in a pejorative manner. (unlike "homo")  In fact, "gay" is more used pejoratively much more often. It's better to use the proper technical term. Jwray (talk) 17:59, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Homosexual is almost certainly used, instead of gay or LGBT, and usually is employed by the Christian right to dehumaize and demonize LGBT people to a sexual act rather than a political and cultural minority. Gay or often LGBT is the mainstream preference with the main exception in scientific contexts and for that we have non-heterosexual and Men who have sex with men, etc. -- Banj e  b oi   19:26, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

spelling mistake
there are two spelling mistakes, and a general mistake here "a pejorative for gay amd effeminate men, or those presummed to be gay, used mainly in North America"

"amd" needs to change to "and" "presummed" needs to change to "presumed" ", used mainly in North America" needs to be removed, as this term is used worldwide in English speaking communities.
 * Yes check.svg Done fahadsadah (talk,contribs) 08:23, 17 April 2009 (UTC)

Inconsistent grouping
The page mixes grouping by etymology and by area/category. This makes identification a bit confusing in this rather large list. For example, I look into "Culture section" but see no "ashen faggot" there. I will try to rearrange to my best understanding. Staszek Lem (talk) 22:25, 9 October 2016 (UTC)

Additional slang
Both faggot & fag were used as slang for "cigarette," "cheroot," and "thin cigars" (like a tiparillo). 2600:8800:204:C400:11F4:E06E:8ED0:3F65 (talk) 20:19, 18 October 2022 (UTC)