By then, the "carefree" nature of the word became used to refer to people with unrestrained morals and prone to decadence and promiscuity as such, a prostitute became known as a "gay woman", a womanizer as a "gay man", and a brothel as a "gay house". It was not until the 1600s that the term took on a sexual meaning. Dating back to the 12th century, it came from the Old French word "gai", meaning "joyful, happy pleasant, agreeably charming forward, pert light-colored" and was a commonly used term within literature.
The word "gay" has had many meanings over the years. The word "homosexuality" comes from the Greek homos, which means "the same". 2.2.3 International Bear Brotherhood Flag.
However, controversy has arisen surrounding the use of the word "homosexuals" to refer to gay people, as it has been considered an outdated term that is derogatory and offensive to many lesbian and gay people due to its usage by anti-LGBTQIA+ individuals to imply that gay people are somehow diseased or psychologically/emotionally disordered. īeing gay is also referred to as "homosexuality" and thus forms the counterpart of " heterosexuality", the sexual attraction to individuals of the opposite gender. While some may know that they experience same-sex attraction from a young age, it can take others decades to figure it out or be comfortable enough with their identity to acknowledge it to themselves and others. There is not just one way to experience same-sex attraction, nor is there a set period in life to discover that you experience it. Thus, having had sexual intercourse with someone of the same gender does not make anyone gay by definition. "Gay" as an identity is defined by the attraction and self-identification as such rather than having had any sexual experience with people of the same gender. In a broader sense of the word, gay can also be used as an umbrella term to identify any LGBTQIA+ individual, though some note that doing so excludes other sexual orientations and gender identities and should thus be avoided. Queer and bisexual are also among the terms used for those who are attracted to members of the same gender. This is most commonly associated with men, as a gay woman may prefer to use the term " lesbian" instead.
Gay is an adjective referring to those with an enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to people of the same gender.