[Tom24146]

‘Gay’ is a word whose meaning has changed over the course of my lifetime. As a child, I used the word gay in exactly the way you describe–and I sometimes still do. Words have multiple meanings sometimes; gay used to mean ‘happy’ or ‘lively and fun’, and it still does in France (although they have borrowed the English meaning of ‘homosexual’ as well). It may seem that, when used as you describe, it is derogatory to gay people. In my mind, I can feel the distinction; if I refer to an event as ‘gay’, I am not automatically making the mental connection with homosexuality. If this happens, it is on a subconscious level, for I didn’t know that gay meant homosexual until later (my parents referred–rarely– to gay people as queer). Words have multiple meanings, and it is unfortunate that a mildly-derogatory word like ‘gay’ (‘That movie was so gay’) also refers to a group of individuals. As I said, the meaning has changed over my lifetime; that is the nature of language. We must choose our words carefully, yet also be sensitive to the policing of language.

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Name : Tom24146, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 34, City : Paris, State : NA, Country : France, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

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