‘Faggot’ Used On Twitter More Than 10.5 Million Times A Year

The word “faggot” has been used on Twitter 2.4 million times in an 83 day period, bringing the usage to a statistical average of more than 10.5 million (10,554,216) times a year, according to a new university study out of Canada. The study’s results accompany a new campaign and website, NoHomophobes.com, which tracks and displays in real time all the tweets that include the word “faggot.” An advertising campaign will begin as well.

“The website, designed to serve as a ‘social mirror,’ captures the homophobic language that exists in Twittersphere and counts tweets that use the terms: ‘Faggot’ (2.4 million), ‘So Gay’ (800,000 tweets), ‘No Homo’ (800,000 tweets) and ‘Dyke’ (300,000 tweets),” a press release from the University of Alberta’s Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (iSMSS) states:

“We never imagined the scale of casual homophobia that actually exists on social media,” says Dr. Kristopher Wells, the Institute’s Associate Director. “The use of homophobic language remains one of the few socially acceptable forms of discrimination in our society and make no mistake, leads to isolation, bullying, beatings, and tragically youth suicide,” says Wells.

Homophobic language is still prevalent and can be heard everywhere in our society. Whether it is used directly as a weapon against sexual and gender minorities or passively as a pejorative term, the prevalence of “casual homophobia” persists. It continues to grow and reinforces a belief in our society that it’s okay to use this kind of discriminatory speech with friends, in school, at work, and in the locker room.

The NoHomophobes campaign encourages people on Twitter to use the hashtag #nohomophobes “when they see or experience casual homophobia on Twitter, and challenge their friends, colleagues, or family members who use it.”

“Our Faculty sees the impact of homophobic language and bullying first hand and educators everywhere should be committed to creating safer schools and communities for young people,” says Dr. Fern Snart, Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta. ”The use of homophobic language only serves to hurt, stereotype, and further isolate sexual minority students and we need to take a stand; ignoring such language is not an option.”

“Our use of casual homophobia must end. We are all responsible to put a stop to it. The lives of our youth, and the humanity of our society depends upon it,” says Dr. Wells.

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