How old were you when first encountered the word "gay?"

[TwisttheLeaf]

I don't remember ever not knowing the term, or hearing the term. My father made sure I knew it from the first signs I began showing an interest in boys. He made sure I knew it, and that he disapproved.

[Emiliano]

I remember hearing my sisters say it when they talked about boys. When I was a kid we had a gay neighbor across the hall, that was explained to me at some point by one of my sisters too. I remember that because her explanation led to some confusion in my mind later about what two gay men actually did with each other.

There also was/is? a free children's theater in the village and maybe it was in 3rd grade that my class took a field trip there. I remember my teacher prepping us about other people's lifestyles before we went. A kid in my class clarified it was because that's where all the gay people lived. I remember being really curious about the trip, but super bored by the play.

I don't think I was very sheltered from the word or the concept. So much so that it's really hard to pinpoint the first time I heard it.

[Confuzzled4]

Heard the word I was 8 years old, didn't hear anything about definition for a long time, too hard to say.

[VirgoMasquerade]

I knew about Gay and Lesbain males and females way before i knew about the words. Growing up ive always been around adults more so than other kids so i kinda heard a few things. My old best friends mother was lesbian? (bisexual?) so that was my step into lgbt families.

[LJay]

Probably sometime in the early 1970's. I do remember that when I was in junior high school [late 50's-early 60's the term was "queer." In those days, for some reason, you were queer if you wore green on Thursdays. Just another reason for kids to make fun of each other. Gay came along later.

[Shawn]

I met the word the first time someone yelled it at me as an insult

[Dan1980]

Some time in the late 1990s

[NativeSon]

I don't remember. I just remember being afraid of it.

Live and learn.

[Justaguy]

First time I heard the word gay was when I was about 9 or 10 and a kid in school called me it. I went home and asked my parents what it mean't....that was an awkward conversation.