| Revision as of 17:15, 24 November 2002 view sourceMontrealais (talk | contribs)Administrators23,059 edits Why the hell would "gay" be used as a pejorative at all if it weren't implying anything about the relative merits of different sexualities?← Previous edit | Revision as of 08:55, 25 November 2002 view source Khendon (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users1,712 edits It just is. I use it that way; many, many people I know (including gay people) use it that way.Next edit → | ||
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| It has been claimed that "gay" was derived as an acronym for "Good As You", but this appears to be a ]. | It has been claimed that "gay" was derived as an acronym for "Good As You", but this appears to be a ]. | ||
| The word "gay" is also used in a pejorative and derogatory sense meaning "bad", or "inferior", without necessarily implying anything about the sexuality of the person or thing so devalued. | The word "gay" is also used in a pejorative and derogatory sense meaning "bad", or "inferior", without necessarily implying anything about the sexuality of the person or thing so devalued (or the relative merits of different sexualities). | ||
| Related terms: | Related terms: | ||
Revision as of 08:55, 25 November 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 prefer sexual or romantic relationships with other 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.
The word "gay" is also used in a pejorative and derogatory sense meaning "bad", or "inferior", without necessarily implying anything about the sexuality of the person or thing so devalued (or the relative merits of different sexualities).
Related terms: Queer, homosexual, lesbian, lesbigay, LGB
See also: gay village, gay rights, gay pride, gay marriage, rainbow flag, political correctness, homophobia, Queer culture, Wikipedians/Queer