Columnist Dan Savage this week used the word “f*ggot” to refer to the gay conservative group GOProud.

GOProud this week announced their endorsement of Mitt Romney for president, even though the governor supports neither marriage equality nor the repeal of DOMA. In response, Savage wrote:

“The GOP’s house f*ggots grab their ankles, right on cue. Pathetic.”

This isn’t the first time Savage has used the word. He used to start every sex advice column with “Hey, F*ggot,” as a way to “reclaim the term.” GOProud itself has used the term inappropriately too, as the article linked above from the Advocate points out:

“I’ve just about had it with f*ggots who line their pockets with checks from antigay homophobes while throwing the rest of us under the bus,” wrote cofounder Jimmy LaSalvia about a gay adviser to Rick Perry back when the Texas governor and presidential candidate aired an antigay ad.

LaSalvia later said he should not have used that word. And he called on Savage to issue a similar apology while saying there’s a big difference between what he and Savage said.

“I don’t hold myself up as the ‘Antibullying Czar,’” LaSalvia said. “There’s nothing wrong with having a glass of wine, but you are the head of the Prohibition Party, then you probably shouldn’t buy a winery.”

As responses to Savage’s tweet using the f-word will show, a lot of people are upset with him for his word choice. Once again, it seems like this guy is taking advantage of his privileged position in gay culture, failing to think twice about the impact of his words. I’m saddened, but not surprised.