by Gullscorer » 27 Sep 2013, 16:29
If a comment is not intended to be homophobic but is badly expressed and so comes across as homophobic, it is not homophobic. If the recipient of a comment perceives it to be homophobic and is offended, but the comment is not intended to be homophobic, then it is not homophobic, even if it appears to be so. Words and expressions can have more than one interpretation. One person may express him or her self badly, another may misinterpret the message, and so communication breaks down. But these are separate issues. Intention and motive are everything, when trying to judge whether somebody is or is not being homophobic. Or racist. Or sexist. Or whatever.
If a comment is not intended to be homophobic but is badly expressed and so comes across as homophobic, it is not homophobic. If the recipient of a comment perceives it to be homophobic and is offended, but the comment is not intended to be homophobic, then it is not homophobic, even if it appears to be so. Words and expressions can have more than one interpretation. One person may express him or her self badly, another may misinterpret the message, and so communication breaks down. But these are separate issues. Intention and motive are everything, when trying to judge whether somebody is or is not being homophobic. Or racist. Or sexist. Or whatever.