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Send this to anyone who says "that's so gay".

By JAMILA RIZVI

‘That’s so gay.’

It’s the catch cry of teenage boys across the English speaking world. When one of them fumbles the footy at training – they’re ‘gay’. When a mate comes to school with a less-than-cool new haircut – it’s ‘gay’. When the teacher assigns extra trigonometry homework – that’s ‘gay’.

Catching the bus to work each morning, I’m surrounded by them. Boys-about-to-become-men but still in uniforms and pulled up socks, mucking around with each other, teasing and wrestling as only teenage boys do – and calling each other ‘gay’.

Again and again. It’s the ultimate insult.

And even though these boys aren’t really thinking about the fact that they’re using homosexuality as a derogatory label – that is exactly what they’re doing. And ‘gay’ shouldn’t be allowed to casually become an entrenched part of our young people’s negative vernacular.  Words matter.

Comedian Ash Beckham agrees. Ash is a lesbian and her take down of the word ‘gay’ being used out of context will have you bounding up onto your desk and fist pumping along as she speaks.

Take a look – and bring your most vocal and appreciative whoop or whistle with you: