so i just did some extra credit on the book, Dude You're a Fag by C.J. Pascoe and I wanted to talk about it here and about some of the realizations i had while doing it. There is one quote in particular that struck a note with me " the abject identity must be constantly named to remind individuals of its power. similarly, it must be constantly repudiated by individuals or groups so that they can continually affirm their identities as normal and as culturally intelligible" (Pascoe 15:2007) This quote put the dynamics of high school in perspective for me.  i never looked at the constant torment that individuals (especially males) who were thought to be homosexual endured in high school as a power struggle, but it makes total sense now. High school is such a chaotic time for everyone, obviously because its a time of growth, development, while kids are trying to find themselves. of course it would feel 'good' for someone who is unsure about who they actually are to ridicule and torture someone who they believe they are not. i now look back on instances in high school when i saw some of my friends being called a 'fag' because the 'jocks' thought they were homosexual as proof that the so called popular 'jocks' were just as insecure and unsure of themselves as anyone else. obviously I'm not justifying their behavior, i myself was subjected to endless torment in high school. I'm just saying that it makes a little more sense looking at it through this lens.... your thoughts?