This is really neat. Notable hollywood-types are using tools at their disposal to get people to stop saying, “that’s so gay.” They point to statistics in schools (similar to the bullying statistics meticulously produced by the Sikh Coalition) as a clear indicator that this proactive campaign is needed.

At minimum, the ads will get kids and adults thinking about the issue, which is a positive step.

As a Sikh, I applaud these ads as they promote unity and respect for all. I think the Sikh community can learn a lot from this — imagine we had a similar campaign targeting slurs like ‘Osama’, ‘terrorist,’ and ‘towelhead.’

Aside: Speaking of “Towelhead,” don’t you think the folks that made this ad campaign would respectfully oppose a movie titled, “That’s so gay”? Obviously they would.

Some Sikhs say that we shouldn’t be doing these sorts of things, we should learn how to take a joke, and that expressing concern makes us look bad. But the core issue, as these ads point out, is the experience of children in schools. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Again, the ads have a positive effect, and we can learn from it as we stand in solidarity against ignorance and hatred.