Language

A trend I find disturbing and heart-wrenching is a habit of WoW players, and probably gamers in general, to use words outside of their normal usage. Does that sound nit-picky? It's not, just a little ill-defined. Allow me to clarify. I'm talking about using the word "gay" as a pejorative. And of course the usual gamut of curse words that find their way into the public channels and voice chat. Now to be fair, I have no problem with a 'wtf" or a "shit!" once in a while, but if you start going off and throwing names at people I draw a line.
Those aren't really what most disturb me, however. No, the word that most disturbs me is not a pejorative, nor is it used to tear someone down (at least not intentionally). It is usually used in a self-congratulatory or self-deprecatory manner. So, what do I have against it? And what is this mysterious and offensive word?
The word is "rape." Usually I hear it used in a context of "we totally raped that boss" or "man that boss just raped us." Using this word in this manner is not okay. Let me repeat that. It is NOT OKAY. I realize a lot of gamers are guys, and they don't know the feelings that word can provoke even in those women who have no first-hand experience with rape (although I realize not all women are affected this way, don't get me wrong). For those of us who have suffered from rape or even non-violent abuse, hearing the word is akin to dousing our psyche in gasoline and throwing a match on it. Since when is okay to trivialize trauma? Since when is the suffering of others become a joke?
I guess I've written this whole post to say this: stop. Think before you allow words to come pouring from your mouth. And if you don't, and someone else politely asks you to stop, don't turn your vitriol on them. Grow up, and make the world a better place.