It’s just too easy to be misunderstood, especially with social media. I don’t think they should be used,” says Molly Rubenstein of Swisshelm Park. “Oh, I don’t know how to feel about that,” adds Alanah Crytzer of South Side. “I wouldn’t be happy if that was a logo on my picture. Yeah, I wouldn’t be,” notes Crytzer.īut, of course, on social media it’s easy to manipulate photos to do just that.

“If you’re doing it for yourself, then I feel like it’s fine because it just expresses who you are,” says Sofia Sanders of Shadyside. There are groups that want to own their own words, offensive words, and use it.īut only they can use it, and not anybody else.> Some words are not equally offensive to everyone. “If it’s being used as a form of hate speech or to bully someone or to out someone who is not comfortable with doing that, then I don’t think it’s a good thing,” says Bryan of the Delta Foundation.īut Bryan says the four-letter h-word has been “reclaimed” by many in the gay community just like the word queer.