08-29-2012, 12:24 PM
Gay comes from the French "gai" which means happy, and joyful. It was applied to homosexuals, I'm guessing, because we often seemed to be joyful, fanciful and happy (even when maybe we were not...) like clowns, able to make people laugh at witty repartee and make fun of ourselves (and others)) because of this outsider's eye.
The word "gay" used to mean just that before it was applied to homosexuals as an epithet. The sad thing about the way the word has evolved is that what might have given homosexuals some credit (positive connotations for being able to generate joy and fun) is now negative and means 'lame', 'retarded' or some other disrespectful thing, which honestly retrieves the positive to make us look like fools. Why should we accept that connotation?
I vote for it to be reinstated in its original meaning and if it has to be applied to homosexuals, then let it be for their ability ot generate joy and fun.
The word "gay" used to mean just that before it was applied to homosexuals as an epithet. The sad thing about the way the word has evolved is that what might have given homosexuals some credit (positive connotations for being able to generate joy and fun) is now negative and means 'lame', 'retarded' or some other disrespectful thing, which honestly retrieves the positive to make us look like fools. Why should we accept that connotation?
I vote for it to be reinstated in its original meaning and if it has to be applied to homosexuals, then let it be for their ability ot generate joy and fun.
![[-]](https://gayspeak.com/images/duende_v3_local/collapse.png)
