| Revision as of 09:06, 6 August 2002 view source62.60.119.74 (talk) Gay and happy. Also it is a girl's name.← Previous edit | Revision as of 09:58, 6 August 2002 view source Mav (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users77,874 edits Taking out joke -- also, Misplaced Pages is not a dictionary -- the "joyfull" defininition is just that while the orientation one is an encyclopedic topicNext edit → | ||
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| Originally meaning "joyous" or "glad," <b>gay</b> |
Originally meaning "joyous" or "glad," <b>gay</b> has also come to refer to ]s other than ]. The term can be used inclusively or exclusively. The inclusive meaning refers to both men and women who prefer sexual or romantic relationships with their own sex (see ]). The exclusive meaning refers only to men who love men. Whether ]s are included in either of those meanings is a matter of debate (see ]). | ||
| Are you gay? | |||
| I'm not even happy. | |||
| ...and in the word 'gaiety'. It is also a girl's name. | |||
| In reference to homosexuality the term can be used inclusively or exclusively. The inclusive meaning refers to both men and women who prefer sexual or romantic relationships with their own sex (see ]). The exclusive meaning refers only to men who love men. Whether ]s are included in either of those meanings is a matter of debate (see ]). | |||
| Some people don't like this change of meaning, but the word gay has had a sexual meaning since at least the nineteenth century -- in Victorian England, female prostitutes were considered to be "gay". | Some people don't like this change of meaning, but the word gay has had a sexual meaning since at least the nineteenth century -- in Victorian England, female prostitutes were considered to be "gay". | ||
Revision as of 09:58, 6 August 2002
Originally meaning "joyous" or "glad," gay has also come to refer to sexual orientations other than heterosexuality. The term can be used inclusively or exclusively. The inclusive meaning refers to both men and women who prefer sexual or romantic relationships with their own sex (see homosexuality). The exclusive meaning refers only to men who love men. Whether bisexuals are included in either of those meanings is a matter of debate (see bisexuality).
Some people don't like this change of meaning, but the word gay has had a sexual meaning since at least the nineteenth century -- in Victorian England, female prostitutes were considered to be "gay".
It has been claimed that "gay" was derived as an acronym for "Good As You", but this appears to be a folk etymology.
Related terms: Queer, homosexual, lesbian, lesbigay, LGB
See also: gay village, gay rights, political correctness, Queer culture