Serious question: Is theorizing that someone is gay a "homophobic" act?

[Writer]

If so, how?

[Taverner]

1. Methinks its all about context

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

11. Agreed.

If you honestly believe someone might be gay AND are not speculating because you believe it's a bad thing, then no.

If you're doing it to be destructive, then of course it is. That's because you're demonizing what it means to be gay in general.

[deaniac21]

19. Ergo, "Not that there's anything wrong with that".

[bunnies]

2. Is it intended to be an insult?

If so, then yes... as it would imply that being gay is a bad thing.

[JuniperLea]

3. I certainly hope not...

That would make all my gay pals homophobes... because when we sit around pubs or restaurants drinking, there's a lot of fellow-patron theorizing going on:)

[YOY]

4. Totally depends on your intention and the context.

General Observation: Tom Cruise is gay. Shows a good number of reasons why this may be true. Wouldn't bother me if he was.
General Observation: He is also a little crazy.
Postive Observation: He's also a semidecent actor (when he takes a decent role...I liked "Far and Away").
Negative Observation: He's one of those loony scamming Scientologists.

[izquierdista]

5. I'd call it tuning your gaydar...

...which isn't homophobic on face value. It's what one does after one finds the answer that makes it homophobic or not.

[benddem]

6. frequently

I ask my gay friends what their "gaydar" says. I don't think it is homophobic...especially if the person is an outright homophobe.

[noiretextatique]

7. using "gay" as an insult is offensive

however, i have no problem outing a public homophobe, e.g., the consevative california politician whose name escapes me at the moment. any gay person who supports an anti-gay agenda doesn't deserve the cover of the closet.

[Democrats_win]

8. Is gossip a good thing?

"If you don't have anything good to say about them, then don't say anything."

People would rather that their sexuality not be a part of gossip. (Especially if they're straight.)

[yardwork]

10. What do you mean, "especially if they are straight?"

I don't understand your post.

[yardwork]

9. If the implication is that being gay is bad or something to be laughed at, it is.

I would think that would be obvious.

[Lex]

12. Thanks for pointing this out.

I can't believe people don't get that.

[yardwork]

14. They don't want to get it. It would interfere with their juvenile senses of humor.

For some people it is the height of hilarity to speculate about other people's genitals. Normally, people outgrow this by the time they reach the 3rd grade.

[Withywindle]

15. What I really hate is when the people who do this

then turn around and try to pretend it's all one of the innocent motivations (right, like no one can tell what the intent was. Ha.) and the people objecting are "too sensitive" and "don't have a sense of humor."

I have a great sense of humor. When shit is actually funny. Which this played-out playground-bully shit isn't.

[Withywindle]

13. Motivation is everything.

If it's a friend of yours and you're theorizing because if so, you want that person to come out and be happy, it's not homophobic.

If you're gay yourself and you're wondering about someone because you're attracted to him/her, not homophobic.

If it's a celebrity with a lot of rumors around and you're basically positive or neutral towards this person but you wish there were more public figures who were out, not homophobic.

If it's someone you can't stand and you want to use orientation or gender identity as an insult (see "Mann Coulter," ad nauseum) then yes, homophobic. If you don't want to be called a homophobe, then just fucking stop it.

[hunter]

16. How do you like my rainbow flag?

I think it's pretty.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. Why is one 'theorizing'? If one has a long and storied history as a crotch sniffer ......

.... probably no harm and no foul.

If one sniffs only selected crotches, one might be ...... or one might not be ......

[cecilfirefox]

18. If your stereotyping, perhaps. Context.