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{{short description|Homophobic slur}} | |||
{{Wiktionarypar|faggot}} | |||
{{italics title}} | |||
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{{Other uses|Faggot (disambiguation)}} | |||
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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}} | |||
'''''Faggot''''', often shortened to '''''fag''''', is a derogatory ] used to refer to ] but expanded to other members of the queer community.<ref>{{cite book|title=The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition|publisher=Houghton Mifflin|year=2000|isbn=0-618-70172-9|url=https://archive.org/details/americanheritage00edit_9}}</ref><ref>2008, Paul Ryan Brewer, Value war: public opinion and the politics of gay rights, page 60</ref> In American ] around the turn of the 21st century, its meaning extended as a broader reaching insult more related to ] and group power structure.<ref name='pascoe' /> | |||
The usage of ''fag'' and ''faggot'' has spread from the ] to varying extents elsewhere in the ] (especially the ]) through mass culture, including film, music, and the internet. | |||
'''Faggot''' or '''fag''', in modern ], ] and ] usage, is a generally ] term for a ] or effeminate man. Its use has spread to varying extents elsewhere in the English-speaking world. | |||
==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
The first recorded use of ''faggot'' as a pejorative term for gay men was in the 1914 ''A Vocabulary of Criminal Slang'', while the shortened form ''fag'' first appeared in 1923 in ''The Hobo'' by ].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MGsyEAAAQBAJ |title=Encyclopedia of Lesbian and Gay Histories and Cultures |date=June 13, 2021 |publisher=] |isbn=978-1-135-72870-0 |editor-last=Zimmerman |editor-first=Bonnie |location=New York |language=en |oclc=1263808583 |editor-last2=Haggerty |editor-first2=George E.}}</ref>{{Rp|page=301}} | |||
The origins of the word in this sense are rather obscure. | |||
The term faggot originated in late 16th-century English as an insult directed at women, particularly older women.<ref name="oed">{{cite web |title=Faggot |url=http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/67623 |work=The Oxford English Dictionary}}</ref> Its association with homosexuality likely stems from linguistic patterns that use feminizing terms( cf. ''nancy'', '']'', '']'') <ref name="etymonline">{{cite web |last=Harper |first=Douglas |author-link=Douglas Harper |title=Faggot |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=faggot |access-date=November 22, 2009 |work=The Online Etymological Dictionary}}</ref><ref name=morton>{{Citation | |||
It is often claimed that the derivation is associated directly with ''faggot'' meaning "bundle of sticks for burning", since homosexuals were supposedly burnt at the stake in medieval England. More accurately, they were doused in fuel and used in place of sticks for the burning of supposed witches. Admittedly the practice was not unknown elsewhere in Christian Europe, and burning was used in Britain for heretics and witches, but this ended centuries before the word ''faggot'' became associated with gay people. <ref> Morton, Mark (2005) ''Dirty Words: The Story of Sex Talk''. London: Atlantic Books; see also: www.etymonline.com. </ref> | |||
| last = Morton | |||
| first = Mark | |||
| title = Dirty Words: The Story of Sex Talk | |||
| place = London | |||
| publisher = Atlantic Books | |||
| year = 2005 | |||
| pages = 309–323}} | |||
</ref> to demean homosexual or effeminate men. The application of the term to old women is possibly a shortening of the term "faggot-gatherer", applied in the 19th century to people, especially older widows, who made a meager living by gathering and selling firewood.<ref name=morton/> It may also derive from the sense of "something awkward to be carried" (compare the use of the word ''baggage'' as a pejorative term for old people in general).<ref name=etymonline/> | |||
An alternative possibility is that the word is connected with the practice of ] in British ]s, in which younger boys performed (potentially sexual) duties for older boys, although the word ''faggot'' was never used in this context, only ''fag''. There is a reference to the word ''faggot'' being used in 17th-century Britain to refer to a "man hired into military service simply to fill out the ranks at ]", but there is no known connection with the word's modern usage.<ref name=etymonline/> | |||
More significantly, the word has been used since the late sixteenth century to mean "old or unpleasant woman". <ref> ibid. </ref> Female terms are often used with reference to homosexual or effeminate men (cf. ''nancy'', ''sissy'', ''queen'') and this seems the most likely derivation. | |||
The Yiddish word |
The ] word {{transl|yi|faygele}} ({{Lit|little bird}}), itself a pejorative term for a gay man, has been claimed by some to be related to the American usage. {{transl|yi|Faygele}} ({{IPA-yi|feɪɡələ|pron|small=no}}) is the nickname for a young girl named Faigie ('bird') after ]' wife Zipporah (] for 'bird'). The similarity between the two words makes it possible that it might at least have had a reinforcing effect.<ref name=etymonline/><ref name=morton/> | ||
There is an ], called an "oft-reprinted assertion" by Douglas R. Harper, creator of the ], that the modern slang meaning developed from the standard meaning of ''faggot'' as "bundle of sticks for burning" with regard to ]. Homosexuals were burned at the stake during the late Middle Ages as sexual intercourse between same-sex people was considered to be sodom and therefore punished. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Roelens |first=Jonas |title=The Sodom of the North. Homosexuals Were Burned at the Stake in Medieval Bruges |url=https://www.the-low-countries.com/article/the-sodom-of-the-north-homosexuals-were-burned-at-the-stake-in-medieval-bruges/}}</ref> There is speculation that the term fag derived from the British-English slang for cigarettes, which has been current in British English since at least 1888<ref>{{Cite web |title=fag {{!}} Etymology of fag by etymonline |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/fag |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=www.etymonline.com |language=en}}</ref>. The emergence of the slang term in 20th-century American English is unrelated to any historical death penalties for homosexuality; moreover, homosexuality in England and its colonies was never punished by immolation but instead by the accused being hanged and their property taken.<ref name=etymonline/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://statutes.org.uk/site/the-statutes/sixteenth-century/1533-25-henry-8-c-6-the-buggery-act/ |title=1533: 25 Henry 8 c.6: The Buggery Act |date=February 13, 2018 }}</ref> | |||
==British meanings== | |||
==="Faggot"=== | |||
The primary traditional meaning of the word, especially common in ] and the ], is a kind of pork meatball covered in ]. See ]. | |||
==Use== | |||
The word ''faggot'' is occasionally used in parts of ] to denote a silly or foolish person, presumably as an extension of its earlier association with old women. In the pilot episode of the 1960s British comedy '']'' from ], undertaker ] is killed in an accident at work. After the funeral, widow Ivy receives the condolences of her old friend Amy Jenkins, who says, "He heard the call. He answered it. And he fell in the line of duty. No man can ask for a better epitaph than that." Ivy thanks her, says good-bye, and then turns to her nephew, Billy, as soon as the door is shut and says in reference to Amy, "Silly old faggot! 'He heard the call?' 'He answered it?' The only call your Uncle Jeremiah ever heard was, 'Time, Gentlemen, please!'." | |||
=== |
===Early printed use=== | ||
The word ''faggot'' with regard to homosexuality was used as early as 1914, in Jackson and Hellyer's ''A Vocabulary of Criminal Slang, with Some Examples of Common Usages'' which listed the following example under the word "]": "All the fagots (sissies) will be dressed in drag at the ball tonight."<ref>Wilton, David / Brunetti, Ivan. Oxford University Press US, 2004. Page 176. {{ISBN|0-19-517284-1}}, {{ISBN|978-0-19-517284-3}}</ref> | |||
In British English the term ''fag'' (though not ''faggot'') most commonly means a ]. A military marching song popular with the ] during the ] featured the line ''"while there's a ] (]) to light your fag..."''. This is derived from the original meaning (] 1) of "fag-end" :"the last part of a piece of cloth", which by extension became used (] 2, 1st citation 1612) for "the last part or portion of anything". When cigarettes were invented, this was applied to the unsmoked part, and then came to mean the whole cigarette. But the various historic British uses of "fag" and "faggot" were always distinct. | |||
The word ''fag'' is used in 1923 in ''The Hobo: The Sociology of the Homeless Man'' by Nels Anderson: "Fairies or Fags are men or boys who exploit sex for profit."<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/hobosociologyofh00ande|title=The hobo : the sociology of the homeless man|last1=Anderson|first1=Nels|last2=Chicago Council of Social Agencies|date=1923|publisher=Chicago : University Press|others=Robarts - University of Toronto}}</ref> | |||
"]" was a term used for a junior boy who acted as a servant for a senior boy at ], near ], and other British public schools. This practice, known as "fagging", was ended in the 1970s. Since the homosexual meaning was not common in the UK at this time and seems to have been first attached to ''faggot'', not ''fag'', this is not a likely origin for the American use of the word. | |||
The word was also used together with another homophobic slur, '']'', by a character in ]'s 1928 novel ''Home to Harlem'', indicating that it was used during the ]. Specifically, one character says that he cannot understand: "a bulldyking woman and a faggoty man".{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} | |||
===The American Meaning in Britain=== | |||
===Use in the United Kingdom=== | |||
The use of ''fag'' and ''faggot'' to mean ''homosexual'' have become understood as an ] in ], primarily due to their use in ]s and ] imported from the United States. When Labour MP ] was heard supposedly using the word in a bad-tempered informal exchange with a straight colleague in the ] lobby in November 2005, he was criticised for using homophobic abuse. | |||
Originally confined to the United States,<ref name=etymonline/> the use of the words ''fag'' and ''faggot'' as slurs for gay men has spread elsewhere in the English-speaking world, but the extent to which they are used in this sense has varied outside the context of imported US popular culture. In the UK and some other countries, the words '']'', ''homo'', and ''poof'' are much more common as pejorative terms for gay men. The word ''faggot'' in the UK also refers to ]. In British English, 'fag' is common slang for a ], sometimes also used to describe a tedious task.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 25, 2022 |title=FAG | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fag |accessdate=May 31, 2022 |publisher=Dictionary.cambridge.org}}</ref> | |||
Use of ''fag'' and ''faggot'' as the term for an effeminate man has become understood as an ] in ], primarily due to entertainment media use in films and television series imported from the United States. When ] MP ] was overheard supposedly using the word in a bad-tempered informal exchange with a straight colleague in the ] lobby in November 2005, it was considered to be homophobic abuse.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lgbtgreens.org.uk/news/2005/mpsfaggotabusedisgraceful.aspx |title=MP's 'faggot' abuse 'disgraceful' |publisher=LGBTGreens |access-date=November 22, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014224030/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2005%2F11%2F10%2Fnblair110.xml|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/11/10/nblair110.xml|archive-date=October 14, 2007|title=Panic and a punch-up as Blair tumbles to defeat at the hands of his own party|author=Helm, Toby|author2=Jones, George|date=November 11, 2005|access-date=November 21, 2009|work=]|location=London|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
==Usage in popular culture== | |||
===Usage by youth=== | |||
"Fag" and "faggot" have historically been two of the most offensive terms that could be addressed to an American man or adolescent boy. Even so, in recent years, both terms have become employed by gay men in a defiant, self-consciously empowering or self-mocking way, much in the way some ]s have taken to using the word "]" among themselves. A common example of this would be usage of the term "]" to describe a woman who associates with (and may prefer as non-sexual social partners) gay men, though this use, too, was originally pejorative. When used as a ], however, it is still a powerful term of abuse. The term is often used by young people as a ] for words such as ] (i.e. "What a jerk!" becomes "What a faggot!"). Among many gay men, use of the term (especially by perceived outsiders) is considered offensive or impolite. The term has been used to describe lesbians or other homosexual women. | |||
Faggot, used as a discriminatory term, has expanded beyond gay men. It is often used by the youth in online communities to describe any queer person or someone who differs from the norm. In some cases, the term is completely unrelated to homosexuality and simply used as an insult due to its negative connotation similar to gay. | |||
In ], former ] Majority Leader ] referred to openly gay congressman ] as "Barney Fag" in a press interview. | |||
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/power_plays/2002/03/mean.html|title=The Masters of Mean|date=2002-3-1}}</ref> | |||
Through ethnographic research in a high school setting, ] examined how American high school boys used the term ''fag'' during the early 2000s. Pascoe's work, culminating in a 2007 book titled '']'', suggested that these boys used the ''fag'' slur as a way to assert their own ], by claiming that another boy is less masculine; this, in their eyes, makes him a fag, and its usage suggests that it is less about sexual orientation and more about gender. One-third of the boys in Pascoe's study claimed that they would not call a homosexual peer a ''fag'', leading Pascoe to argue that ''fag'' is used in this setting as a form of ], in which boys ridicule others who fail at masculinity, heterosexual prowess, or strength. Because boys do not want to be labeled a fag, they hurl the insult at another person. Pascoe felt the ''fag'' identity does not constitute a static identity attached to the boy receiving the insult. Rather, ''fag'' is a fluid identity that boys strive to avoid, often by naming another as the fag. As Pascoe asserts, " is fluid enough that boys police their behaviors out of fear of having the fag identity permanently adhere and definitive enough so that boys recognize fag behavior and strive to avoid it."<ref name="pascoe">{{Citation | last = Pascoe | first = C. J. | title = ] | place = Berkeley and Los Angeles, California | publisher = University of California Press | year = 2007}}</ref> | |||
Originally confined to the United States, the homosexual sense of "fag" and "faggot" has been spread by American popular culture to other English-speaking countries, where it has partly displaced terms such as "]" or the British "]" as colloquial or abusive terms for gay men, particularly among heterosexual youth. However, the continuing use of "fag" and "faggot" with other meanings in the British isles has severely limited adoption of the American usage there. | |||
In the late 2010s and early 2020s, the ''faggot'' slur lost its original meaning when used by youth. Kids no longer associate the word itself with homosexuality rather it is commonly used as a synonym for the word ''stupid''. <ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The History and Impact of Anti-LGBT Slurs |url=https://www.adl.org/sites/default/files/cc-unheard-voices-l2-grades-6-and-up.pdf}}</ref> In a 2018 study completed by the Anti-Defamation League surveying Generation Z from Grade 6 and up, youth perspectives on the phrase "that's so gay" and homophobic slurs highlight concerns over its use as a synonym for "stupid," which respondents viewed as offensive and insensitive. Some believe it reflects a lack of awareness rather than intent to harm, yet it still evokes frustration and discomfort, pointing to a need for more thoughtful language. | |||
On ], ] American ] ] ] said that the former ] (]) was a "total fag", and that former ] (]) was a "latent homosexual", while being inteviewed by ]'s ]<ref>http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid35054.asp ] magazine - "When hate speech becomes accepted"</ref>. Coulter caused a major controversy on the ] community; and ] and other ] organizations demanded to know the reason why such an offensive usage of the word was permitted by the network. ] later responded in defense of Bill Clinton by calling Coulter an "evil, crazy bitch" on his '']''. | |||
===Use in popular culture=== | |||
The observational comedian ] once pointed out the fine distinction between "faggot" and "queer" from his youth. He said that "queer" meant homosexual, whereas "faggot" merely meant "unmanly". As he put it, "A faggot was someone who wouldn't go downtown on Saturday night and help beat up queers!" | |||
]' grandson and creator of the first "GodHatesFags" webpage, is also from the ], which regularly employs ] such as these using ''fag'' as slur.<ref>''The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament: Volume 1'' (1992), Warren W. Wiersbe, David C. Cook, {{ISBN|1-56476-030-8}}, {{ISBN|978-1-56476-030-2}}</ref>]] | |||
There is a long history of using both ''fag'' and ''faggot'' in popular culture, usually in reference to gay and bisexual men. ] and ]'s 1995 documentary '']'', based on ]'s ], notes the use of ''fag'' and ''faggot'' throughout Hollywood film history.<ref>''The Celluloid Closet''; (1995) Rob Epstein and ].</ref> The ] campaign has sought to stop ''fag'' and ''gay'' being used as generic insults.<ref> Susan Donaldson James, ''ABC News'', April 20, 2009.</ref> | |||
In the '']'' episode "]", when the Drunken Clam, the bar that ], ], ], and ] frequent, is purchased by British men, Cleveland states that all he knows about British English is that fag means ]. Peter then comments "Then, could somebody tell this cigarette to shut up?" | |||
====Theater==== | |||
The ] song ] makes notable use of the epithet 'faggot' in apparent reference to the singer ], although later version of song have the offending lines excised, and in live performances ] will use such ]s as "mothertrucker" in place of "faggot". | |||
In 1973, a ] called ''The Faggot'' was praised by critics but condemned by ] proponents.<ref>{{cite news | |||
|title = US unisex: continuing the trend | |||
|date = August 4, 1973 | |||
|page = 7 | |||
|newspaper = The Times | |||
|url = http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/ | |||
|ref = CS118061316 | |||
|author = Clive Barnes | |||
|quote = The theme of The Faggot is set at the beginning which shows ... one man picking up another in a movie house. | |||
}}{{dead link|date=November 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | |||
Larry Mitchell and Ned Asta's 1977 cult book ''The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions'' inspired a musical by composer Philip Venables and director Ted Huffman reinterprets world history from a queer perspective. <ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions |url=https://factoryinternational.org/whats-on/the-faggots-and-their-friends-between-revolutions/}}</ref> The term is used in a sense of reclamation. | |||
A song on New York punk band ]'s second album, ], is titled "Faggot." | |||
====Books and magazines==== | |||
Another example of the word's use in rock music is in the song "The Great Deceiver" by ]. The line "health food faggot" opens the album ], although no gay reference is intended: 'faggot' instead refers to a ] ]. | |||
]'s 1978 novel '']'' discusses the ] including the use of the word within and towards the community.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=faKCFSlFbKkC |title=Faggots |author=Larry Kramer |access-date=November 22, 2009 | isbn=978-0-8021-3691-6 | year=2000 | publisher=]}}</ref> A description of ]'s 1956 novel '']'' in the ] 1982 culture guide ''The Catalog of Cool'' reads: "Her fifteen-year-old heroine first balls a fag actor in H'wood, then makes it with some hermetic, filthy rich, hotel-bound Italian count."<ref name="nedelkoff">{{cite journal|title=Pamela Moore Plus Forty |first=Robert |last=Nedelkoff |journal=] |issue=10 |year=1997 |pages=104–117 |doi=10.1162/bflr.1997.10.104 |url=http://chocolatesforbreakfast.info/pamela-moore-plus-forty/pamela-moore-plus-forty-0/ |access-date=March 2, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028072321/http://chocolatesforbreakfast.info/pamela-moore-plus-forty/pamela-moore-plus-forty-0/ |archive-date=October 28, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="Sculatti1982">{{cite book|first=Gene |last=Sculatti|title=The Catalog of Cool|url=https://archive.org/details/catalogofcool00scul|url-access=registration |access-date=March 2, 2015|date=October 1982|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-446-37515-3}}</ref> | |||
In its November 2002 issue, the '']'', a ] magazine, caused controversy by its use and defense of the word in an editorial. During the correspondence between the editors and a gay reader, the editors clarified that they would only use the word to describe a "practicing homosexual". They defended the use of the word, saying that it was important to preserve the ] of gays and lesbians.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityofgod.net/courage-seattle/belgau-nor.htm |title=Sodom & the City of God |publisher=Cityofgod.net |access-date=November 22, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111010948/http://www.cityofgod.net/courage-seattle/belgau-nor.htm |archive-date=January 11, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
====Music==== | |||
=====1960s===== | |||
] uses the slur in his 1967 signature song "]", noting it as a potential way to avoid military induction at the time (Guthrie had removed the word from live performances of the song in the 21st century).<ref>Guthrie, Arlo (1967). " {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070521215056/http://www.arlo.net/resources/lyrics/alices.shtml |date=May 21, 2007 }}" (lyrics). '']''. Retrieved from the November 26, 2013. "And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them."</ref> | |||
] uses the slur in his 1969 song "I Kill Therefore I Am". In the song, which is written from the point of view of a hateful police officer, he uses the slur to describe the student activists who protested the ]. | |||
=====1980s===== | |||
The ] 1985 song "]" makes notable use of the slur ''faggot'',<ref> Mike Sealy, ''Seattle Weekly'', July 1, 2008.</ref> although the lines containing it are often excised for radio play, and in live performances by singer/songwriter ]. The song was banned from airplay by the ] in 2011 but the ban was reversed later the same year.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/canada-lifts-ban-on-dire-straits-money-for-nothing-20110901 |title=Canada Lifts Ban on Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing' |magazine=] |access-date=August 27, 2017 |archive-date=October 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014143810/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/canada-lifts-ban-on-dire-straits-money-for-nothing-20110901 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ironically, the song in context makes it clear he is actually mocking the jealous and ] nature of the antagonist in the song by adopting a third-person point of view to show the irony, bigotry, and ignorance of the character.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-01-14 |title=Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing' is not homophobic {{!}} Xtra Magazine |url=https://xtramagazine.com/power/dire-straits-money-for-nothing-is-not-homophobic-29970 |access-date=2024-03-13 |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Scocca |first=Tom |date=2011-01-14 |title="Money for Nothing" Is Not Really Insulting to Homosexuals, Unless They Are Unlucky Enough to Be Working-Class Homosexuals |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2011/01/money-for-nothing-is-not-really-insulting-to-homosexuals-unless-they-are-unlucky-enough-to-be-working-class-homosexuals.html |access-date=2024-03-13 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}</ref> | |||
In 1989, ], lead singer of the band ], created a controversy when he wore a T-shirt with the ] slogan "AIDS: Kills Fags Dead".<ref>Michael Musto. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070322195624/http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0022,musto,15284,15.html |date=March 22, 2007 }}, village voice, 2000.</ref> | |||
=====2000s===== | |||
The 2001 song "]" by ] and ] uses the phrase, "God hates fags where we come from." The song is about ], a gay man from ] whose 1998 murder brought national and international attention to hate crime legislation at both the state and federal level. | |||
In December 2007, ] caused controversy by editing the word ''faggot'' from their broadcasts of the ] and ] song "]", deeming it potentially homophobic; however, the edit did not extend to other BBC stations, such as ]. Following widespread criticism and pressure from listeners, the decision was reversed and the original unedited version of the song was reinstated, with clarification from Andy Parfitt, the station controller, that in the context of the song the lyrics had no "negative intent".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7149525.stm |title=Radio 1 censors Pogues' Fairytale |work=BBC News |date=December 18, 2007 |access-date=November 22, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Times Online |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article |title=Radio 1 reverses decision to censor Pogues hit"3071042.ece |location=London }}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | |||
=====2010s–2020s===== | |||
] used the word in numerous works, such as "]" (2013), along with an inflammatory lyric containing the term being removed from "]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/30017271/Eminem/Rap+God|title=Rap God Lyrics.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8473186/eminem-homphobic-slurs-accountable|title=billboard Eminem criticism|magazine=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/Eminem-fall-lyrics|title=Fall lyrics, see about. genius.com}}</ref> | |||
A number of rappers have also used the slur in songs supporting the LGBT community. In 2012, ] used the word ''faggot'' in the song "]" in reference to the use of the homophobic slur in ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Same Love lyrics |url=https://genius.com/Macklemore-and-ryan-lewis-same-love-lyrics |website=Genius |access-date=February 17, 2022}}</ref> ]'s 2022 song "]" is also supportive of the LGBT community; however, it sparked controversy for its repeated use of the slur, as well as for ] his transgender uncle.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kornhaber |first1=Spencer |title=The Impossible Ambition of Kendrick Lamar's New Album |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2022/05/kendrick-lamar-mr-morale-and-the-big-steppers-album-review/629879/ |website=The Atlantic |date=May 18, 2022 |access-date=September 19, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Factora |first1=James |title=Why Kendrick Lamar's "Auntie Diaries" Has Polarized the LGBTQ+ Community |url=https://www.them.us/story/why-kendrick-lamars-auntie-diaries-has-polarized-the-lgbtq-community |website=them |date=May 16, 2022 |access-date=September 19, 2023}}</ref> | |||
====Television==== | |||
In November 2009, the '']'' episode "]" dealt with the overuse of the word ''fag''. The boys use the word to insult a group of bikers, saying that their loud motorcycles ruined everyone else's nice time. Officials from the dictionary, including ], visit the town and agree that the meaning of the word should no longer insult homosexuals but instead be used to describe loud motorcycle riders who ruin others' nice times.<ref>{{cite web |title=South Park episode guide |url=https://southpark.cc.com/guide/1312/ |publisher=South Park Studios |date=November 2, 2009 |access-date=November 2, 2009 }}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The episode is a satire on the taboo of using the term, as it goes against ].<ref name=avclub>{{cite news |author=Genevieve Koski |date=November 4, 2009 |title=The F Word |url=https://www.avclub.com/south-park-the-f-word-1798207343 |work=The A.V. Club | |||
|access-date=November 7, 2009}}</ref><ref name=glaad>{{cite web|date=November 5, 2009 |title=GLAAD protests 'South Park' f-bomb episode |url=http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/11/glaad-protests-south-park-fbomb-episode.html |work=James Hibberd's The Live Feed |access-date=November 7, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091107225343/http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/11/glaad-protests-south-park-fbomb-episode.html |archive-date=November 7, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
==Reclamation== | |||
] spray-painted on her car, an owner of a ] named it the "]" and embarked on a trans-American road trip to raise awareness of ] and ]. The journey was documented in a film of the same name.<ref name=vanity>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/online/style/2009/01/fagbug.html#comments |title=The Heartwarming Story of Fagbug |last=Berk |first=Brett |date=January 8, 2009 |magazine=] |access-date=July 1, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530141233/http://www.vanityfair.com/online/style/2009/01/fagbug.html |archive-date=May 30, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=oscar>{{cite magazine|url=http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/current/archive/2007/12/19/driven-by-desire-and-her-fag-bug.aspx |title=Driven to Spread Awareness |last=Raymundo |first=Oscar |date=December 19, 2007 |magazine=] |access-date=December 13, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725085424/http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/current/archive/2007/12/19/driven-by-desire-and-her-fag-bug.aspx |archive-date=July 25, 2008 }}</ref>]] | |||
Some ] individuals have ] the term as a neutral or positive term of self-description.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/lifestyle/article/faggot-meaning|title=Want to reclaim 'faggot'? Great, but be careful how you use it|website=British GQ|date=July 6, 2019|language=en-GB|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=October 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016102718/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/lifestyle/article/faggot-meaning|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2017/8/02/21-words-queer-community-has-reclaimed-and-some-we-havent|title=21 Words the Queer Community Has Reclaimed (and Some We Haven't)|date=August 2, 2017|website=www.advocate.com|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref><ref>Gordon, Zach. . ''Universiteit van Amsterdam'', 2019.</ref> Queer slur reclamation focuses on reinforcing in-group solidarity, restricting the use of the reclaimed slur to members of the targeted group. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jeshion |first=Robin |date=2020-03-04 |title=Pride and Prejudiced |url=https://doi.org/10.1163/18756735-09701007 |journal=Grazer Philosophische Studien |volume=97 |issue=1 |pages=106–137 |doi=10.1163/18756735-09701007 |issn=0165-9227}}</ref> | |||
In 2009, Erin Davies’ car, displaying a Pride flag, was defaced with homophobic slurs resulting in a 58-day tour across the U.S. and Canada, keeping the graffiti as a conversation starter about LGBTQ+ experiences with intolerance. This journey led to her documentary ''Fagbug'', an 80-minute film highlighting homophobia and the LGBTQ+ community’s resilience in reclaiming and addressing derogatory terms. Davies’ work exemplifies LGBTQ+ culture’s longstanding efforts to transform slurs into tools for education and empowerment. <ref name=":1" /> | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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* ] | * ] | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist|30em}} | |||
<div class="references-small"> | |||
<references/> | |||
==Further reading== | |||
</div> | |||
* ]. ''That's Mr. Faggot to You: Further Trials from My Queer Life'', ], 1999. | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{Wiktionary|faggot}} | |||
* on The Straight Dope. | |||
* on ]. | |||
* on Urban Dictionary. | |||
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{{Portal bar|LGBTQ|Language|Society}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 11:06, 2 January 2025
Homophobic slurFor other uses, see Faggot (disambiguation).
Faggot, often shortened to fag, is a derogatory slur used to refer to gay men but expanded to other members of the queer community. In American youth culture around the turn of the 21st century, its meaning extended as a broader reaching insult more related to masculinity and group power structure.
The usage of fag and faggot has spread from the United States to varying extents elsewhere in the English-speaking world (especially the UK) through mass culture, including film, music, and the internet.
Etymology
The first recorded use of faggot as a pejorative term for gay men was in the 1914 A Vocabulary of Criminal Slang, while the shortened form fag first appeared in 1923 in The Hobo by Nels Anderson.
The term faggot originated in late 16th-century English as an insult directed at women, particularly older women. Its association with homosexuality likely stems from linguistic patterns that use feminizing terms( cf. nancy, sissy, queen) to demean homosexual or effeminate men. The application of the term to old women is possibly a shortening of the term "faggot-gatherer", applied in the 19th century to people, especially older widows, who made a meager living by gathering and selling firewood. It may also derive from the sense of "something awkward to be carried" (compare the use of the word baggage as a pejorative term for old people in general).
An alternative possibility is that the word is connected with the practice of fagging in British public schools, in which younger boys performed (potentially sexual) duties for older boys, although the word faggot was never used in this context, only fag. There is a reference to the word faggot being used in 17th-century Britain to refer to a "man hired into military service simply to fill out the ranks at muster", but there is no known connection with the word's modern usage.
The Yiddish word faygele (lit. 'little bird'), itself a pejorative term for a gay man, has been claimed by some to be related to the American usage. Faygele (pronounced [feɪɡələ]) is the nickname for a young girl named Faigie ('bird') after Moses' wife Zipporah (Hebrew for 'bird'). The similarity between the two words makes it possible that it might at least have had a reinforcing effect.
There is an urban legend, called an "oft-reprinted assertion" by Douglas R. Harper, creator of the Online Etymology Dictionary, that the modern slang meaning developed from the standard meaning of faggot as "bundle of sticks for burning" with regard to burning at the stake. Homosexuals were burned at the stake during the late Middle Ages as sexual intercourse between same-sex people was considered to be sodom and therefore punished. There is speculation that the term fag derived from the British-English slang for cigarettes, which has been current in British English since at least 1888. The emergence of the slang term in 20th-century American English is unrelated to any historical death penalties for homosexuality; moreover, homosexuality in England and its colonies was never punished by immolation but instead by the accused being hanged and their property taken.
Use
Early printed use
The word faggot with regard to homosexuality was used as early as 1914, in Jackson and Hellyer's A Vocabulary of Criminal Slang, with Some Examples of Common Usages which listed the following example under the word "drag": "All the fagots (sissies) will be dressed in drag at the ball tonight."
The word fag is used in 1923 in The Hobo: The Sociology of the Homeless Man by Nels Anderson: "Fairies or Fags are men or boys who exploit sex for profit."
The word was also used together with another homophobic slur, bulldyke, by a character in Claude McKay's 1928 novel Home to Harlem, indicating that it was used during the Harlem Renaissance. Specifically, one character says that he cannot understand: "a bulldyking woman and a faggoty man".
Use in the United Kingdom
Originally confined to the United States, the use of the words fag and faggot as slurs for gay men has spread elsewhere in the English-speaking world, but the extent to which they are used in this sense has varied outside the context of imported US popular culture. In the UK and some other countries, the words queer, homo, and poof are much more common as pejorative terms for gay men. The word faggot in the UK also refers to a kind of meatball. In British English, 'fag' is common slang for a cigarette, sometimes also used to describe a tedious task.
Use of fag and faggot as the term for an effeminate man has become understood as an Americanism in British English, primarily due to entertainment media use in films and television series imported from the United States. When Labour MP Bob Marshall-Andrews was overheard supposedly using the word in a bad-tempered informal exchange with a straight colleague in the House of Commons lobby in November 2005, it was considered to be homophobic abuse.
Usage by youth
Faggot, used as a discriminatory term, has expanded beyond gay men. It is often used by the youth in online communities to describe any queer person or someone who differs from the norm. In some cases, the term is completely unrelated to homosexuality and simply used as an insult due to its negative connotation similar to gay.
Through ethnographic research in a high school setting, CJ Pascoe examined how American high school boys used the term fag during the early 2000s. Pascoe's work, culminating in a 2007 book titled Dude, You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School, suggested that these boys used the fag slur as a way to assert their own masculinity, by claiming that another boy is less masculine; this, in their eyes, makes him a fag, and its usage suggests that it is less about sexual orientation and more about gender. One-third of the boys in Pascoe's study claimed that they would not call a homosexual peer a fag, leading Pascoe to argue that fag is used in this setting as a form of gender policing, in which boys ridicule others who fail at masculinity, heterosexual prowess, or strength. Because boys do not want to be labeled a fag, they hurl the insult at another person. Pascoe felt the fag identity does not constitute a static identity attached to the boy receiving the insult. Rather, fag is a fluid identity that boys strive to avoid, often by naming another as the fag. As Pascoe asserts, " is fluid enough that boys police their behaviors out of fear of having the fag identity permanently adhere and definitive enough so that boys recognize fag behavior and strive to avoid it."
In the late 2010s and early 2020s, the faggot slur lost its original meaning when used by youth. Kids no longer associate the word itself with homosexuality rather it is commonly used as a synonym for the word stupid. In a 2018 study completed by the Anti-Defamation League surveying Generation Z from Grade 6 and up, youth perspectives on the phrase "that's so gay" and homophobic slurs highlight concerns over its use as a synonym for "stupid," which respondents viewed as offensive and insensitive. Some believe it reflects a lack of awareness rather than intent to harm, yet it still evokes frustration and discomfort, pointing to a need for more thoughtful language.
Use in popular culture
There is a long history of using both fag and faggot in popular culture, usually in reference to gay and bisexual men. Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman's 1995 documentary The Celluloid Closet, based on Vito Russo's book of the same name, notes the use of fag and faggot throughout Hollywood film history. The Think Before You Speak campaign has sought to stop fag and gay being used as generic insults.
Theater
In 1973, a Broadway musical called The Faggot was praised by critics but condemned by gay liberation proponents.
Larry Mitchell and Ned Asta's 1977 cult book The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions inspired a musical by composer Philip Venables and director Ted Huffman reinterprets world history from a queer perspective. The term is used in a sense of reclamation.
Books and magazines
Larry Kramer's 1978 novel Faggots discusses the gay community including the use of the word within and towards the community. A description of Pamela Moore's 1956 novel Chocolates for Breakfast in the Warner Books 1982 culture guide The Catalog of Cool reads: "Her fifteen-year-old heroine first balls a fag actor in H'wood, then makes it with some hermetic, filthy rich, hotel-bound Italian count."
In its November 2002 issue, the New Oxford Review, a Catholic magazine, caused controversy by its use and defense of the word in an editorial. During the correspondence between the editors and a gay reader, the editors clarified that they would only use the word to describe a "practicing homosexual". They defended the use of the word, saying that it was important to preserve the social stigma of gays and lesbians.
Music
1960s
Arlo Guthrie uses the slur in his 1967 signature song "Alice's Restaurant", noting it as a potential way to avoid military induction at the time (Guthrie had removed the word from live performances of the song in the 21st century).
Phil Ochs uses the slur in his 1969 song "I Kill Therefore I Am". In the song, which is written from the point of view of a hateful police officer, he uses the slur to describe the student activists who protested the Vietnam War.
1980s
The Dire Straits 1985 song "Money for Nothing" makes notable use of the slur faggot, although the lines containing it are often excised for radio play, and in live performances by singer/songwriter Mark Knopfler. The song was banned from airplay by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council in 2011 but the ban was reversed later the same year. Ironically, the song in context makes it clear he is actually mocking the jealous and homophobic nature of the antagonist in the song by adopting a third-person point of view to show the irony, bigotry, and ignorance of the character.
In 1989, Sebastian Bach, lead singer of the band Skid Row, created a controversy when he wore a T-shirt with the parody slogan "AIDS: Kills Fags Dead".
2000s
The 2001 song "American Triangle" by Elton John and Bernie Taupin uses the phrase, "God hates fags where we come from." The song is about Matthew Shepard, a gay man from Wyoming whose 1998 murder brought national and international attention to hate crime legislation at both the state and federal level.
In December 2007, BBC Radio 1 caused controversy by editing the word faggot from their broadcasts of the Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues song "Fairytale of New York", deeming it potentially homophobic; however, the edit did not extend to other BBC stations, such as BBC Radio 2. Following widespread criticism and pressure from listeners, the decision was reversed and the original unedited version of the song was reinstated, with clarification from Andy Parfitt, the station controller, that in the context of the song the lyrics had no "negative intent".
2010s–2020s
Eminem used the word in numerous works, such as "Rap God" (2013), along with an inflammatory lyric containing the term being removed from "Fall".
A number of rappers have also used the slur in songs supporting the LGBT community. In 2012, Macklemore used the word faggot in the song "Same Love" in reference to the use of the homophobic slur in cyberbullying. Kendrick Lamar's 2022 song "Auntie Diaries" is also supportive of the LGBT community; however, it sparked controversy for its repeated use of the slur, as well as for deadnaming his transgender uncle.
Television
In November 2009, the South Park episode "The F Word" dealt with the overuse of the word fag. The boys use the word to insult a group of bikers, saying that their loud motorcycles ruined everyone else's nice time. Officials from the dictionary, including Emmanuel Lewis, visit the town and agree that the meaning of the word should no longer insult homosexuals but instead be used to describe loud motorcycle riders who ruin others' nice times. The episode is a satire on the taboo of using the term, as it goes against political correctness.
Reclamation
Some LGBTQ+ individuals have reclaimed the term as a neutral or positive term of self-description. Queer slur reclamation focuses on reinforcing in-group solidarity, restricting the use of the reclaimed slur to members of the targeted group.
In 2009, Erin Davies’ car, displaying a Pride flag, was defaced with homophobic slurs resulting in a 58-day tour across the U.S. and Canada, keeping the graffiti as a conversation starter about LGBTQ+ experiences with intolerance. This journey led to her documentary Fagbug, an 80-minute film highlighting homophobia and the LGBTQ+ community’s resilience in reclaiming and addressing derogatory terms. Davies’ work exemplifies LGBTQ+ culture’s longstanding efforts to transform slurs into tools for education and empowerment.
See also
References
- The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin. 2000. ISBN 0-618-70172-9.
- 2008, Paul Ryan Brewer, Value war: public opinion and the politics of gay rights, page 60
- ^ Pascoe, C. J. (2007), Dude, You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press
- Zimmerman, Bonnie; Haggerty, George E., eds. (June 13, 2021). Encyclopedia of Lesbian and Gay Histories and Cultures. New York: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-135-72870-0. OCLC 1263808583.
- "Faggot". The Oxford English Dictionary.
- ^ Harper, Douglas. "Faggot". The Online Etymological Dictionary. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
- ^ Morton, Mark (2005), Dirty Words: The Story of Sex Talk, London: Atlantic Books, pp. 309–323
- Roelens, Jonas. "The Sodom of the North. Homosexuals Were Burned at the Stake in Medieval Bruges".
- "fag | Etymology of fag by etymonline". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
- "1533: 25 Henry 8 c.6: The Buggery Act". February 13, 2018.
- Wilton, David / Brunetti, Ivan. Word myths: debunking linguistic urban legends Oxford University Press US, 2004. Page 176. ISBN 0-19-517284-1, ISBN 978-0-19-517284-3
- Anderson, Nels; Chicago Council of Social Agencies (1923). The hobo : the sociology of the homeless man. Robarts - University of Toronto. Chicago : University Press.
- "FAG | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary". Dictionary.cambridge.org. May 25, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
- "MP's 'faggot' abuse 'disgraceful'". LGBTGreens. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
- Helm, Toby; Jones, George (November 11, 2005). "Panic and a punch-up as Blair tumbles to defeat at the hands of his own party". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
- "The History and Impact of Anti-LGBT Slurs" (PDF).
- The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament: Volume 1 (1992), Warren W. Wiersbe, David C. Cook, ISBN 1-56476-030-8, ISBN 978-1-56476-030-2
- The Celluloid Closet; (1995) Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.
- 'That's So Gay': Words That Can Kill Susan Donaldson James, ABC News, April 20, 2009.
- Clive Barnes (August 4, 1973). "US unisex: continuing the trend". The Times. p. 7.
The theme of The Faggot is set at the beginning which shows ... one man picking up another in a movie house.
- ^ "The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions".
- Larry Kramer (2000). Faggots. Grove Press. ISBN 978-0-8021-3691-6. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
- Nedelkoff, Robert (1997). "Pamela Moore Plus Forty". The Baffler (10): 104–117. doi:10.1162/bflr.1997.10.104. Archived from the original on October 28, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- Sculatti, Gene (October 1982). The Catalog of Cool. Warner Books. ISBN 978-0-446-37515-3. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- "Sodom & the City of God". Cityofgod.net. Archived from the original on January 11, 2009. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
- Guthrie, Arlo (1967). "Alice's Restaurant Massacree Archived May 21, 2007, at the Wayback Machine" (lyrics). Alice's Restaurant. Retrieved from the official Arlo Guthrie web site November 26, 2013. "And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them."
- Mark Knopfler a Bigger Gay Icon Than George Michael? Ten reasons why. Mike Sealy, Seattle Weekly, July 1, 2008.
- "Canada Lifts Ban on Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
- "Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing' is not homophobic | Xtra Magazine". January 14, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- Scocca, Tom (January 14, 2011). ""Money for Nothing" Is Not Really Insulting to Homosexuals, Unless They Are Unlucky Enough to Be Working-Class Homosexuals". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- Michael Musto. "La Dolce Musto" Archived March 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, village voice, 2000.
- "Radio 1 censors Pogues' Fairytale". BBC News. December 18, 2007. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
- "Radio 1 reverses decision to censor Pogues hit"3071042.ece". Times Online. London.
- "Rap God Lyrics".
- "billboard Eminem criticism". Billboard.
- "Fall lyrics, see about. genius.com".
- "Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Same Love lyrics". Genius. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- Kornhaber, Spencer (May 18, 2022). "The Impossible Ambition of Kendrick Lamar's New Album". The Atlantic. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- Factora, James (May 16, 2022). "Why Kendrick Lamar's "Auntie Diaries" Has Polarized the LGBTQ+ Community". them. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
- "South Park episode guide". South Park Studios. November 2, 2009. Retrieved November 2, 2009.
- Genevieve Koski (November 4, 2009). "The F Word". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
- "GLAAD protests 'South Park' f-bomb episode". James Hibberd's The Live Feed. November 5, 2009. Archived from the original on November 7, 2009. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
- Berk, Brett (January 8, 2009). "The Heartwarming Story of Fagbug". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on May 30, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
- Raymundo, Oscar (December 19, 2007). "Driven to Spread Awareness". Newsweek. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2008.
- "Want to reclaim 'faggot'? Great, but be careful how you use it". British GQ. July 6, 2019. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- "21 Words the Queer Community Has Reclaimed (and Some We Haven't)". www.advocate.com. August 2, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- Gordon, Zach. "Who Can Say Faggot? A Two Part Study on Online Slur Reclamation". Universiteit van Amsterdam, 2019.
- Jeshion, Robin (March 4, 2020). "Pride and Prejudiced". Grazer Philosophische Studien. 97 (1): 106–137. doi:10.1163/18756735-09701007. ISSN 0165-9227.
Further reading
- Ford, Michael Thomas. That's Mr. Faggot to You: Further Trials from My Queer Life, Alyson Books, 1999.