[Continental Soldier]

Sorry my question is somewhat off topic, but can anyone tell me how and when the word, "gay," was ripped from traditional language and slapped onto homosexual men? What was there about that word that made it the suitable choice for abnormal sexual behavior? How did that word go from, light, airy and delightful to perverse, diviant and disgusting? It used to be a very nice word.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Perhaps the Oxford dictionary would have a citation for it.

[L98Fiero]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay#History

Intersting.

[sionnsar]

can anyone tell me how and when the word, "gay," was ripped from traditional language and slapped onto homosexual men?

As to when, sometime from the late 60s to the mid 70s.

[beezdotcom]

I once heard a comedian do a rant about wanting the word "gay" back from the homosexuals. He gave a long treatise about how we could give them the word "fabulous" to use in return (this was before the show Queer Eye had been created). I kind of agree.

[Elsiejay]

Which is why I never use the word "gay" with reference to homosexuals/homosexuality. Of course this is a futile gesture, but at least for myself I am avoiding further contributing to the perversion of language. It is quite enough that the gift of sexuality is being perverted.

[Albion Wilde]

can anyone tell me how and when the word, "gay," was ripped from traditional language and slapped onto homosexual men?

Click here for a long, blow-by-blow account (you should excuse the expression).

Percy Dovetonsils (Ernie Kovaks)