In a country like Colombia, which has somehow taught itself to use the word gonorrhea as a term of endearment, it is not surprising that the word marica (or faggot) has also indelibly established itself into our everyday jargon. Except for its obvious use as an insult or when reappropriated by the LGBT community, the word seems to mold itself to any situation. “Quiubo marica!” we yell to greet our friends. “Que maricada,” we say when we make a mistake. “Usted si es mucho marica,” we tell each other when we are doing something stupid. It’s so ingrained into our society that at times one could almost say the word has been utterly extracted from its ignominious past. But don’t be fooled. Personally, I loathe the word and find it offensive. So last week, when I saw that the hashtag #FuriaMarica (FaggotFury) had gone viral on Twitter, both my stomach and my mind started turning. The backstory of what had happened will shed light on more than just words.