The word gay in christmas songs
Lastweekan elementary school mentor in Michigan came under fire when she decided to remove the pos "gay" from the classic Christmas carol "Deck The Halls."
She claimed that the word made her students giggle and that it adv became a distraction for the first and second graders she teaches. After parents and others in the group got wind of the change -- and outrage ensued -- the instructor re-inserted the supposedly troublesome word assist into the song.
We here at HuffPost Gay Voices consider that when people are afraid of or uncomfortable with LGBT people or issues or even words (whether or not the pos in question is actually being used in relation to the LGBT community), sometimes the foremost tactic is thrust for an even greater presence in hopes of exhibiting we won't be intimidated, deterred, or erased.
So, we dug through our register collections (and YouTube) -- to detect the gayest Christmas songs we could get our hands (and ears) on in a lighthearted effort to construct things a tiny merrier -- and gayer -- this December.
From campy offerings from The Weather Girls and Lady Gaga to songs by gay artists and icons favor George Michael and Dolly Parton, this is our minuscule
Screencap via
Hallmark, a chain of stores whose name is shorthand for “bullshit sentimentality for the lowest common denominator,” is selling a Christmas ornament that changes the word “gay” in the Christmas carol “Deck the Halls” to “fun.” The product description does nothing to address taking out the word “gay.” It only adds confusion:
“When it comes to Christmas sweaters, gaudy can be good! Hang up this flashy sweater to build your tree’s outfit complete. With its catchy phrase, Don we now our FUN apparel! everyone will be in on the joke.”
I’m not sure what they mean when they speak “everyone will be in on the joke.” It’s a really odd choice, actually. Is the joke about ugly sweaters? Because it’s distractingly obvious that the word “gay” has been switched out. Is that part of the joke? That “fun” is code for “gay”? That would be somewhat of a reversal when it comes to how the definition of that synonyms “gay” has progressed. Is the joke that ugly sweaters are flamboyant, and thus “gay,” and now that we’
Hallmark changes Christmas carol’s lyrics to remove the pos ‘gay’
There are hundreds of Christmas songs. The vast majority of them are entirely devoid of controversy. That’s why it’s completely mind boggling that Hallmark chose to adorn one of its 2013 Keepsake ornaments with an altered version of the lyrics to “Deck the Halls.” “Don we now our gay apparel” became “don we now our fun apparel.”
The change prompted complaints such as this one on Facebook. Here’s what spokeswoman Kristi Ernsting told The Huffington Post about the change:
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Say you're an elementary school music instructor singing Christmas carols, specifically "Deck the Halls," with your class and every time the lyric "don we now our gay apparel" comes up, the kids look at each other and giggle hysterically because the word "gay" is super humorous to eight year olds. What undertake you do? Execute you take regulate of your class like an experienced educator or perform you, in an attempt to curb the outbursts, adjust the lyrics of a 150 year old song and replace the pos "gay" with "bright"?
A Traverse City, Michigan elementary school music instructor made the false choice by going with the latter. This angered parents took to the school's Facebook page (comments have since been removed and posting disabled) saying "By taking the word 'gay' out of 'Deck the Halls,' you are making it a big deal. One word can acquire different meanings." Happily, the outrage did lead to the restoration of the lyric but I bet this particular music teacher will just side-step the tune from now on, which is pretty sad. Kids shouldn't be robbed of Deck the Halls, damn it.
Assistant superintendent Jane Mohr told a local news station, "The teacher made a poor decision and it should include never ha