Faggot=Loser=Catchy Song by MSI

Upon reading Ken Corbett's piece on the establishment of manhood in boys and the use of the word "faggot" the first thing that came to mind was one of my favorite songs by Mindless Self Indulgence. The song playfully deals with the concept of a boy trying to understand and come to terms with the fluid, blurry nature of his own sexuality in an environment which expects him to be, but even more so, act straight. The interesting thing about the song is although you get the sense that the subject enjoys the gay sex he's partaking in, he both never really wanted to be straight and devalues himself for it. One of the first lines denotes the subject attempting to "consume" the hetero-normative culture he lives in, but his inability to resist his homoerotic urges. What the song portrays is part of what Corbett was alluding to in his piece; by assigning the title of "faggot", a term consistent with being gay--a characteristic which one isn't in control of, to a boy/man as both description and chastisement for attributes which one is more so in control of, ie manner of speaking, athletic ability, it denotes the cultural belief that homosexuality is not only something which a gay person decides to take onto themselves, but also that it is something that can be changed. Therefore, by "choosing" to be homosexual they are rebelling against and rejecting the majority system of thought and culture and deserve to be punished and mistreated as any member of society that breaks its rules does. It essentially transforms a homosexual into a common criminal.

Not only this, but as the song progresses it calls into question whether or not the subject is actually enjoying being openly homosexual and experiencing gay sex or that there no way to return to being straight; "I could have been a star, it freaks me out when I sound just like my mom. I could've rocked the spot, instead of being just another faggot like I am. I played that shit straight, blowin' suckas to the side hopin' I get laid, now everybody knows, no way in hell I can ever live it down." As Corbett denoted, the power of the titling someone as a "faggot" is that it not only speaks to someone's character, like calling a woman a "bitch" or a financially cautious person a "jew", it completely strips that person of the ability to affiliate themselves with anything outside of the umbrella of what a "faggot" is. Commonly, "faggot" and "masculine" don't coincide with each other, they clash therefore making it impossible for a boy/man who is called a "faggot" to claim his masculinity. In response, he must then either isolate himself or associate himself with the assumed converse of masculinity; femininity. Being a "faggot" and being a "feminine" man can live together peaceably; this being a unfortunate, forced resolution to the identity conflict created by calling someone a "faggot." Perhaps this is the reason that the repetitive hook of the song (which is actually very catchy so hopefully you guys listen to it) only asks the listener to please "dig me now, fuck me later, and sing it to the tune of faggot faggot faggot."

--Jheanelle G.