Gay label is getting totally old?

Now that popular culture (music, movies, internet, etc.) has made the word gay something to be used as a negative observation, maybe we should come up with something more positive and contemporary?

Any new and fresh ideas? :sunny:

How about yag (gay backwards)? Truman Capote suggested this as a better choice.

Or maybe humansexual?

QP

 

I'm older than the gay label, I was never totally happy with hijacking the word, it doesn't really describe me at all. I was labelled as queer as a teenager and because I had no wish to argue the point it came to define me, although when asked I describe myself as homosexual, a clear unequivocal description of who I am.

 

I Am A Damn Site Older Than You Openfield, And I

Am Totally At Home With The Term "Gay"....

Back When I Was A Teenager, The Insulting Term Was "Poofter",

Then Many Years Later It Turned To "Faggot"....

The Hyjacking Of The Gay Word By The Current Generation Will Be Short

Lived.

There Is No Substitute Word, So Given Time, Gay Will Once Again Be

Cool...:2thumbsup:



Cheers Glen.

 

Damn, I agree with you 100 %! :2thumbsup:

I never cared for the word gay. It used to mean happy and carefree. And I knew too many gay men (myself included) that were far from happy and carefree. Especially given how common it used to be for homosexuals to be mocked and demeaned by a large portion of society.

I always hated the word faggot (still do). Mainly because of the origin of the word: History tells us that gay men were actually used to help get a good fire going when some poor soul was being burned at the stake.

So that leaves homosexual and queer. :2thumbsup:

I prefer queer. Although homosexual leaves little room for doubt, it seems a bit too clinical for comfort to me.

Lately (when asked if I'm gay) I just say I'm humansexual. I just like how the word looks and sounds. And poets do like to play around with words. But in a good way.

QP

 

I hope you're right, Glen. The sooner the better. :sunny:

QP

 

I am perfectly fine with being acknowledged as gay.

 

Why a label or title at all? In my opinion, that plays a huge role in the division of people. I try to see everyone as another human being regardless of sex, religion, economic status, race, ethnicity or anything else. And for the record, so you don't have to ask, they label me as bisexual, but I don't. I just say I'm open to various forms of sexual pleasure and leave it at that for those that need to know.

 

Maybe it's just the people I am around, but I don't hear people saying things such as "that's so gay" nearly as often as I used to. I suspect people are beginning to move on.

I haven't found any word to describe my sexual orientation that is really perfect. Homosexual is a bit too clinical in most circumstances. I don't like the other meanings of queer, so I never use that word. I figure gay is the least worst of what I have to choose from.

I don't really like labels, but there are times when I find it handy to have a word to describe that one single component of who and what I am. If I want to explain why I am not married after all these many years or why a certain actor attracts me in a certain way, I find that gay says what I want to say.

 

Personally I don't know why some people feel a need to label others as gay or hetro, who cares really, most people have more substance to them than their sexual preference.

 

Very well said. And I totally agree.

I just started thinking about this issue because I still hear folks describing something as "gay" when they think it is odd or bad.

And I don't think it is odd or bad to be gay. In fact, I think it's okay. Period.

So I guess that's why I like humansexual better as a label for gay folks. It's totally positive. :sunny:

QP

 

It also gives the impression that you find all humans regardless of gender, sexually attractive... I'm not sure that gay folks generally would like that as a label for themselves. lol

 

I agree, I prefer the labels hot or non-hot

Or hung or hamster

Your mum

Only if they are non-hot or hamster

 

Exactly. I totally agree with you.

But why settle for the least worst?

Maybe it's time for something new? Something more positive? I'm just curious. :sunny:

QP

 

LOL. I love that! Gay people are hot and hung. Now how cool is that! :2thumbsup:

QP

 

only problem is we have so many labels for sexuality as it is, that the waters are insanely muddy. a majority of people are not going to bother to research what you mean if a bunch of terms are being thrown around. I had to look up genderqueer, pansexual, ECT. as much as gay might not be the best pleasing to call yourself, but changing that makes the glbtq community look wishywashy. pansexual is a term that sticks up my craw hc its pretty well "bisexual but more accepting".
unfortunately when someone sees a group identified as different or less desirable then they use whatever label that group is called as an insult. Mentally handicapped people used to be called morons, idiots, imbeciles, and retards. Its playing a game of moving target. Gay has lost that edge because we hijacked it and people stopped using it when it stopped being "bad".

 

And it goes on and on. For example, the LGBT community used to be called the GLBT community. Now it's LGBTQ - which I am totally comfortable with. Yet many gay folks dislike the word queer. So why add the Q?

It's not my mission in life to force the world to see me as an equal (based on my sexuality). However, I am at a loss when someone asks me if I'm gay. I'm attracted to men, but I don't actually have sex with anyone, and I never was a big part of the gay community.

In fact, apart from going to gay bars during my youth - I've tended to have more straight friends than gay. So I guess that's why I don't care much for the word. It's such a small part of the person I am. It really is quite subjective.

QP

 

true, sexuality is only part of who someone is, sounds like in your case less so than usual. I used to let my sexuality define me almost whole-heartedly but found it kept other from really knowing me, now that im married and in a st8 relationship its even less esp BC its not broadcast and not as easy to point out.
people do tend to gravitate towards differences people have from them and make it.more or an issue than what it truly is.

 

It's not so much a label as it's your identity.

If you're gay, you're gay (homosexual if you don't like the word).
If you're Bi, then you're Bi
If you're hetero then you're hetero.

If hetero's can proudly walk down the street then so should we. I used to think that it's no ones business but hetero's don't have to hide or feel uncomfortable if they're dating. It's all out in the open for them so why not us?

 

Years ago I had many gay friends. They always knew some hot girls! I've been mistaken as being gay many of times. Just the circles I spun with I guess.

I feel gay is the perfect term because there are so many more negative ones. Gay means happy! I almost experimented once... the guy owned a plane and had a million in the bank. If I didn't turn for that I knew I was straight.

I'm straight.

 

Noooooooo, Tell Me It Is't Soooooooo..:bigcry::bigcry:...:banghead:



Tears Glen.