Gay
Gay traditionally means "happy", but in Modern English it also means homosexual. This meaning is more common now. The word "gay" describes a person who is sexually attracted to people of the same sex instead of the opposite sex. They may also be romantically interested in people of the same sex. This means males who like other males or females who like other females.
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[change] Gay and straight versus homosexual and heterosexual
The word homosexual comes from the Ancient Greek word homos, meaning "same", and sexus, the Latin word for "gender". People usually use the word "gay" instead of "homosexual". The word heterosexual comes from the Greek word heteros, meaning "different", and sexus, the Latin word for "gender". The word "straight" is used more often than "heterosexual" when talking about people who are attracted to the opposite sex.
[change] Openly gay versus closeted
When a gay or lesbian "comes out", they are telling people they are gay. A person who has "come out" as being gay, is openly gay. Someone who is gay but has not come out is said to be closeted. For many years, very few people were openly gay, due to sodomy laws and many people not liking gays. During the cultural revolts of the Roaring Twenties and 1960s, many people were openly gay. Today, there are many people who are openly gay.
[change] Gay in LGBT
LGBT is an acronym that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. Together these people make up a community – a group of people who work together. This community works together against discrimination. Much of this discrimination comes from homophobia. The word "homophobia" means a fear of homosexuals. However, the word is not always used that way. Many homophobic people hate LGBT people, not fear them.
[change] Negative use of the word gay
Most people in the gay community use "gay" only when talking about gay people. Outside the gay community, it is sometimes used as slang to mean something is weak, stupid, or less important. People sometimes say, "That is so gay!" to say something looks or acts stupid. People also use the word "queer" in the same way. Sometimes people also use this to mean something is very colorful. This is because of the stereotype that gay men are very interested in fashion, clothing, and interior design; another possibility is that people are still using the word in its original sense, as the word gay originally meant "fun" or "joyful". Sometimes even gay people themselves use the word this way. When they do this, they may not think the way they use "gay" means "about gay people".
