Have you ever said something that may have not been exactly appropiate, but your so accustomed to saying it that it slipped out?

Recently, while sitting in class, I was playing around with a friend of mine and called him gay a little to loud. He's not gay, but their is a gay male in my class. Seconds after saying it I paused, covered my mouth, and looked in the boy's direction. To my suprise he didn't pay it any attention.

Maybe, he's so used to it that it does not let it show it bothers him. Although he did not show it affected him, I have no way of knowing of how he feels inside. I don't think people realize that word used as a tease could hurt him as much as if one was constantly called ugly, fat, stupid and/or other hurtful words. Everyone should take other's emotions to heart and ask themselves, "What if that was me? How would i feel?" Just as you may feel it's right to be smartest, the best or the funniest, a homosexual may feel it's right to be who they are. Maybe we could take a lesson from them and learn to express ourselves openly and be who we are thereby improving ourselves. One 1st step for myself is learning to control my tounge by thinking before I speak and possibly that could be the step for you too.