0
- The word gay started meaning having same-sex attraction (referred to then as homosexual) around the 1920's, although there are some references to it in the late 19th Century.
- In the 1960s, it had the meaning of "homosexual" side-by-side with the meaning of "happy."
- By 1970, the meaning of "happy" was virtually extinct in common usage, except among older people.
- By the 1970s, the term gay extended to all aspects of the culture of people attracted to the same sex, and not just sexual behavior.
- By the 1990s, the term "homosexual" started shifting to a clinical or derogatory connotation, though was still preferred by some gay people.
- Today, the term gay exclusively refers to sexual orientation and the associated culture, and only survives with the meaning of "happy" in a small number of songs, such as "Deck the Halls" and in some obscure phrases like "The Gay Nineties" (a reference to the 1890s). The term homosexual is used mainly by opponents of gay rights, though it still survives among some people as a neutral or positive term.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
The term "gay" began to be used to refer to people attracted to the same sex in the mid-20th century. It emerged as a replacement for earlier terms like "homosexual" that were considered clinical or derogatory. The term gained widespread usage and acceptance during the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What does heterorsexual mean?
It means people are physically, sexually attracted to partners of the other gender, so boys like girls and girls like boys. People who are homosexual feel attracted to people of the same gender, bisexuals can and will feel attracted to people of both genders.
Who is gay?
people who are physically and/or emotionally attracted to members of the same gender are gay.
Is it gay if your acting?
To be "gay" means to identify culturally with people who are attracted sexually and romantically to people of the same sex. Unless this is true for you, then, no, acting does not mean you are gay.
Why do people kiss people from the same gender?
Because they are gay, or homosexual. This means they are attracted to people of the same sex.
Is there a term for someone who is ONLY physically attracted Not Emotionally to people of the same sex ie physically and emotionally attracted to women only physically to men What is the term?
Physically attracted to both must mean Bisexual, as this need not require emotional involvement.
How do I know if I'm homosexual?
If you feel sexually attracted to people who are your same sex, you are homosexual. If you feel attracted to people of your opposite sex, you are heterosexual. If you are attracted to both sexes you are bisexual.
How do you if youre gay?
Are you only attracted to people of the same sex
What are the effects of gay people?
You get attracted to the same sex. That's about it.
Does butterflies mean that you are gay?
Original answer restored:No. Being attracted to members of the same sex means that you are gay.
Why are some people not straight?
Sexual orientation is a complex aspect of human identity that can be influenced by a combination of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors. People may not identify as straight due to a combination of their inherent orientation, personal experiences, and societal pressures that shape their understanding of who they are attracted to. It's important to recognize and respect the diverse spectrum of sexual orientations that exist.
How do i find out if am gay or not?
You will know if you are gay if you are attracted to people of the same sex.
What does being bisexual mean?
Being "bi" or "bisexual" means that a person is sexually attracted to people of both genders. Heterosexual means that someone is attracted to the opposite gender. Homosexual means that someone is attracted to the same gender. Sexuality is only defined by a person's attractions.
