Fairytale of New York

This song by the Pogues simulates an argument between two lovers. The female partner calls the male partner 'a cheap, lousy faggot'.

Obviously, the term 'faggot' is awful. As such, people often protest its use in this song, saying it encourages bad language. Some even want the word bleeped out (if they even allow the song to be played at all).

In arguments, people will call each other offensive words. Derogatory terms are often flung about in these contexts. Hence the female partner using this word is a realistic portrayal of an argument.

The word being in the song doesn't negate the fact that the word is terrible. It's important to remember this. Having the word doesn't condone its use in life.

But the idea of removing something because it's bad? Then things like theft, assault and murder would be absent from fiction, the news, conversations with our loved one.

Terrible things should be challenged in real life. They should also be acknowledged as bad when used in fiction. Fiction allows us to see and recognise what's bad without harming people.

But redacting such things from existence just mean we ignore the problems they cause, rather than dealing with the problems like adults. How can we guard against what's wrong unless we know what's wrong?

Also, people easily forget things they ignore. So redacting the 'faggot' just allows people to forget the harm it can cause.

Such an approach benefits no-one.