Is "homosexual" too clinical?

[Hardheaded1]

The article here (http://www.outsports.com/2015/1/12/75322...orts-wrong) tries to assert that "homosexual" is a term used in a sort of war of words, that it deliberately is employed to make gays sound "all about sex."

What bunk. Homosexual and heterosexual are sexual terms. They speak to sexual orientation. And yes, sexual orientation is about sex. I'm attracted to men sexually. It doesn't mean I don't have women and men friends who are platonic.

"Gay" is slang, and finding itself more and more preferred, often paired with "culture" or "lifestyle." I'm sorry, but I don't believe either is appropriate. I can be a watermelon-seed-spitting hick in Birmingham, Alabama, or a high-toned architect in Vancouver, and I'm still homosexual, but may have almost zero other culturally shared ties. And the lifestyles could not be more different. Both terms are weak euphemisms to speak to the homosexual attraction.

Likewise, two gay men could be both out, but one in a monogamous and sedate LTR while the other may be out five nights a week at bars or clubs, and they likewise may have almost no overlap in values or lifestyles.

I've no beef with identifying self or others as gay, nor using a slang term as the predominant one to describe sexual orientation, but that doesn't mean trying to suppress the use of a technical term is acceptable. I am homosexual. I am attracted to men in an erotic manner. That doesn't mean I have signed up to liking Lady Gaga, raves, abstract impressionism, pride parades, drag queens or any other incidental aspect of SOME gay men.

What I see is the progressive acceptance of gays in America is threatening to some who have grown accustomed to defining gay culture, when in fact, what they are protecting is but a splinter within the much larger homosexual population.

Take away my homosexuality, and I don't have any particular common culture with other homosexual men.

[MikeW]

[MENTION=21866]Hardheaded1[/MENTION] "Gay" became popular prior to "homosexuality" being declassified as a mental disorder by the APA.

However, I agree with you. To me "gay" has always been rather trite and dismissive. For people struggling to feel comfortable with their sexuality in a heteronormative world, there's nothing particularly "gay" about it. Or, rather, to the extent that it is gay--as in lighthearted and carefree, this often seems forced and affected--to me even more confusing.

So, I actually prefer "homosexual" and always have for pretty much the reasons you've stated. Often when coming out to straight people I say, "I'm a homosexual," not "I'm gay."

[Rareboy]

I usually refer to myself as a homo and others as homos.

I am not gay...I'm apparently too protestant for that....I'm not queer....I'm not a faggot.

I am homosexual...or homo for short.

And happy and proud to be one.

[kidchameleon]

Edit: okay, so I may have posted the wrong thing here, on account of my incompetence with tabs...

As I was going to say, I've always personally considered Homosexual and Gay to be akin to Felid and Cat; in that one is the "scientific term", and the other is the term "we the people" actually use. I mean, I would never dispute my homosexuality, but when people actually refer to me as a homosexual they are met with a very bemused look - and often a sarcastic response - because it's not really a word I expect to hear in everyday conversation.

[ShiftyNJ]

I just say I'm into dudes, or that I have a boyfriend, depending on the context.

[Virge]

wow! You guys made my morning! I really don't like calling myself gay because........ too many people who aren't gay associate the word with ...........



Instead of.......



I prefer the word homosexual most the time... and like Shifty -- with new people, lots of time I just say..."and here's my guy" and leave it up to them to through out a stereotype label and then deal with it according to the situation.

[Darius]

I have 3 brothers, all straight, the only difference between them and me is that I am not straight.
We share the same lifestyle, culture, religion, politics, etc. We're more alike than different.
I never understood why this one difference should put me into another class of people.

[Cuddly]

I find faggot offensive. Gay, homo or homosexual sits fine with me.
Bender or buttpirate will make me laugh.

Also we totally had this conversation 2 months ago.

No, I don't consider homosexual to be too clinical. And I'm fine with the label. I put a label on everybody, so why shouldn't I have one?
Homosexual male pharmacy student -> me
Heterosexual female pharmacy student -> friend
Homosexual male not-sharing-this-information -> husbear

Blabla.

I really don't consider the label to make me any different, than anybody with a different label. I'm just one of many and you need to call me something, so why not call me homosexual?
I am all for not hurting others' feelings, but beating around the bush with crazy terminologies to describe an individual that could be described with a single word, is just so frustrating.
For instance, I have no idea what's the accepted way of describing a person of dark skin originating from America. Is it afroamerican? What if he/she doesn't have an afro? That's so weird. Is black accepted? Or is that offensive? Because you know.. .. well... is there any reason for that to be offensive? Nigger (to my knowledge) used to mean black slave, so understandably that's offensive.

[JCasey]

Perhaps one day soon, we can all be referred to by our given names, leaving stereotypic labels out of the equation. That being said, until that day, I don't mind the word gay, primarily because most of the other words are used in hate speech put downs. Calling someone a homosexual in a condescending tone, to me is much easier than doing so with the word "gay", unless you say he is "a gay" or use other descriptive words afterward. I think that some lawn chair pseudo-psychologist types like to use homosexual to infer the original clinical meaning, to which I would be offended. Perhaps one of our friendly neighborhood vloggers could do a video asking college students which words they prefer. "If he/she were attracted to the same sex, would you rather have a friend called "gay" or a "homosexual"?? I think that "gay" would win out.



That's my 2 cents (1.34 cents after taxes)

[Buzzer]

For me, yes, it's about as awkward as referring to myself as an organism. It feels like it belongs in a technical, clinical or medical discussion and not in casual social identification. I also think political opponents of gay people use "homosexual" with a certain tone that imparts a discussion of a disease or an animal, and is dehumanizing.