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'Gay' Is Among a List of 'Words With Negative Connotations,' According to USDA

'Gay' Is Among a List of 'Words With Negative Connotations,' According to USDA

gay Georgia

A cattle farmer in Gay, Georgia, found out why 'gay' is a problem

Photo via Wikipedia

A cattle farmer in Gay, Georgia, was denied a government issued transport license by the US Department of Agriculture because his hometown fell under a list of "words with bad connotations," according to Atlanta's Fox 5 report. That's right: a federal office of the United States considers the word "gay" to be problematic... especially when cattle farmers are concerned.

According to the report, Gene King applied for a transport license to transport his cattle over state lines, and when he called to check on its approval status, King was informed that his application contained a banned word. A phone operator informed him that he should change his hometown to "Bay" on the form if he wished to transport his cattle. After refusing, King was still eventually able to move the cows. But the government was really weird about it.

King explained to the FOX 5 I-Team reporter Randy Travis why the name can be confusing in conversation:

"I have gay friends."
"Here in Gay, Georgia?"
"No, not in Gay, Georgia."
"You have gay friends outside of Gay."
"Outside of Gay, yeah."

While we can't say we're surprised that another discriminatory act has taken place in the South, we must say the situation is pretty odd. And the USDA agrees -- an investigation into what happened is currently underway. And yet the government still refuses to share why "gay" made a list of bad words, and what else may have earned a spot on the list.

Gay, Georgia, was founded in 1882, named after William F. Gay, and it was incorporated in 1907. About 100 people live in the community about an hour south of Atlanta. Twice a year they organize a popular festival once referred to as the Gay Fair. Now it's known as the Cotton Pickin Festival.

Honestly, though, we're just hoping the cows got where they needed to go.

Watch the news report below:

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