Why is the word 'gay' used to describe homosexual people?

Question

Who first decided to use 'gay' which used to mean 'happy' and 'joyful'? And why can we still use 'gaiety' in the original sense of the word but we cannot use 'gay' without the sexual connotations?

Answer 1

"Gay", meaning homosexual, became established in the 1960's as the term preferred by homosexual men to describe themselves. It is now the standard accepted term throughout the English speaking world.

As a result, the centuries-old other meanings of the word "gay", meaning either carefree, or bright and showy, have more or less dropped out of natural use. The word "gay" cannot be readily used unselfconsciously today in these older senses without arousing a sense of double entendre, despite concerted attempts by some to keep them alive.

Gay in its modern sense typically refers to men (lesbian obviously being the standard term for homosexual women), but in some contexts it can be used of both men and women.

"Gaiety" (also "gayety") as an noun extension to the adjective 'gay' was never used by homosexual men in the same context as the word 'gay' and so has generally kept its original meaning.

Answer 2

'Gay' has been used in Britain for centuries to refer to anyone (homosexuals, prostitutes) who were outside of sexual norms. Gay people chose the word as a self-designation when they began to fight oppression, instead of 'queer','pansy', 'pouf' and all the other contemptuous terms used by straights in those days. ''Gay' was SUCH a lovely word until those people stole it!' the old guard mourn. Significantly they never bemoan the loss of the original meanings of words such as queer (= strange) or pansy (a flower) fairy (mythical being) They only get angry about a term homosexuals chose for themselves with no abusive connotation.

Answer 3

They are ashamed of their queer behavior and try to try to soften the homosexuality word or lesbian term
like Ellen Degenerate does by calling herself "gay". They are abnormal, period. If the majority of the USA
citizens were queer, our country would cease to exist, because of no babies to replace retiring workers.

Answer 4

Good question.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gay

Answer 5

i agree with TIMOTHY22