Societal Implications of (No Homo)

I am typing this in regards to a suffix that I've seen pop up in more and more places. This being the newly devised (no homo). I barely even know where to start. Actually, as I typed that sentence in word, it marked it as a fragment. I guess I'll start with a basic understanding of Latin. Homo is an abbreviation for homosexual, or people of the same sex attracted to each other. When in reality, homo is a prefix, it starts various other Latin words, homo sapiens, homo erectus, homogeneous, and many more that a Latin major could more readily list than I ever could.

In actuality, homo means same. That's why same sex attraction is homosexual, and a homogeneous mixture is of two things that have a uniform composition. So when I breakdown (no homo), it means not the same. Of course, this is something I misconstrued from actually using definitions and common sense. What this phrase is supposed to do is to assure you that the person saying said phrase isn't homosexual. Let me show a common example. "Man, I love you (no homo)". There are so many things wrong with that. This phrase means that when you say that, you assume the other person is automatically going to regard you as homosexual and block out everything you say. So in order to prevent that from happening, we just stick (no homo) on the end there and, boom, problem solved.

Now just even the thought that our society is so homophobic that we need to tack that on end of sentences, scares me. Makes me feel like I'll soon see it on business memos, or government documents. Just imagine that. "I feel the humanitarian aid this business is giving is touching so many people around the world (no homo)." That's another instance I see it in, where something could be thought of as sexual. It's the new age, stupider, less humorous, more direct (if possible) version of saying "That's what she said". And who thought it possible to come up with a more annoying phrase than that?!

I'd like to say that our society has become closer and we have grown less and less prejudice over the years, but something like this sometimes makes me think twice. It's actually gotten to the point that when I hear someone say this, or see it typed by someone, I think less of them. You should be able to say something about love or sex, and not have to say this after. You should be able to say you love someone of the same sex and not have to defend yourself (be it friendship love or otherwise). And who doesn't love to say something that could potentially sound dirty? That's right, no one. Euphemisms have feelings too! I'm going to start a revolt for sex jokes. Either that, or (dare I say it?) make a campaign to bring back "That's what she said". At least that has an air of humor behind it, and there have been plenty of good jokes I've heard from it. Just as long as we don't have to guard what we say or rebuke its potential humor. That, my friends, just isn't the same (no homo).