Dan Savage has come to the defense of San Diego CityBeat columnist Edwin Decker, who recently wrote a column lamenting the lack of flamboyant names for gay biker gangs.

After suggesting monikers such as “Hell’s Anals,” Decker received an outpouring of hate mail and a letter from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) asking him not to use the word “homosexual.”

Yesterday, Decker responded with a new post:

Is Ed Decker a homophobe? Not even close. For starters, I’ve written dozens of columns in which I ferociously argued for gay rights and viciously attacked its enemies.

“I do not recognize GLAAD’s authority over my vocabulary,” he continued.

That registered with The Stranger‘s Dan Savage, who wrote today, “This faggot’s got your back, Edwin. You have nothing to apologize for. Stick to your guns, breeder.”

The issue remains contentious, however, as evidenced by the spirited disagreement in the comment section of Savage’s post.