I think that reducing the word to "f" word in the same way we reduce another to "the N word" is entirely new to me. The word faggot has surely not reached that same level.
I guarantee you that the young I know (nor anyone anymore) uses the "N" word.
Lots of folks use "faggot" all the time....especially the young. And, as I said, a faggot is a "flaming gay," the mind-boggling effeminate kind.
That's certainly not true. African-Americans have taken the term for internal use. Did you ever see the scene in Rush Hour where Jackie Chan tries to follow Chris Tucker's lead and ask a bunch of black guys, "What's up my n----a?"?
(I also have been called a n----r as an insult, but that's another story.)
"Lots of folks use "faggot" all the time....especially the young."
In my family we don't talk that way; never did. I'm sorry, but to me its common and unacceptable, like many words in "common" usage today. For a woman to use such a word is truly outrageous. I'd suggest that either she was not "bien elevee" or forgot what she her parents taught her.
If one wants to put done the likes of Edwards, it might be better to observe that he likely bought his own silver! :)