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Mary Ann Swayney

Lyndsey Knowles

English 111

2/20/18

That’s So Gay!

Many words have many definitions. Some good, some bad. Over time some

words that started out meaning something good, were evolved into meaning something

bad. For example, the word, Gay, when you hear the word, “Gay”, what do you think of?

Personally, when I hear the word, gay, I think of someone as being homosexual. But, that

was originally not the case.

The word gay arrived in English during the 12th century. From the French word,

Gai. The word’s primary meaning was joyful, carefree, bright and showy. The word was

very commonly used with this meaning. For example, the 1890’s are often referred to as

the Gay Nineties. It was not until the 20th century that the word began to be used

specifically “homosexual”. Even though it had earlier sexual association. The word may

have had associations to immoral behavior as early as the 14th century. By the late 17th

century it had developed the specific meaning of “addicted to pleasures and dissipations.”

In extension of the primary meaning of carefree, a gay woman was a prostitute, a gay

man was a womanizer, a gay house was a brothel and a gay boy was a young man or boy

serving male clients. Also, a gay cat was referred to a young male who commonly

exchanged ‘services’ for protection.

The word gay was thrown around in plays and movies in the 1930’s and 1940’s

referring to the meaning of homosexuality. But, the word continued to be used with the
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dominate meaning of carefree. As shown in the Oscar winning musical film, The Gay

Divorcee (1934); A film about a heterosexual couple. Bringing up Baby (1938) was also

another film using the word, gay. The first film to use the word gay in reference to

homosexuality. In a scene where Cary Grants’ character’s clothes has been sent to the

cleaners, he is left to wear a woman’s feather trimmed bathrobe. When another character

asks about his appearance, he replies with, “Because I just went gay all of a sudden!”

This was a major film at the time, most people probably would’ve thought that the word

was referring to cross-dressing or meaning, just doing something frivolous.

Shifting back to the original meaning. I’m sure everyone has seen or heard of the cartoon,

The Flintstones. A show about a modern stone age family and their friends. Nothing

really to do with homosexuality at all. But, the theme song titled, Meet the Flintstones,

composed in 1961; the very last line says, “We’ll have a gay old time”. As a child that

word, phrase, or the meaning of it never even occurred to me. I was just a kid watching

cartoons. Of course, they used this word for its original meaning.

When I was in the 7th grade, some boys were goofing around, teasing the girls of

course. One of the boys said, “You’re so gay”. My friend says, “Yeah, I’m gay. I’m

happy”. We all kind of just turned and looked at her and she says, “That’s what it means.

Gay means happy. Haven’t you ever seen The Flintstones?”. Intrigued, that day after

school, I went home and watched The Flintstones. And, I listened to the theme song.

Recently Hallmark changed the wording on one of their ornaments. Originally it

said, “Don we now our gay apparel”. Coming from the popular Christmas song, Deck the

Halls. It was changed to, “Don we now our ‘fun’ apparel”. The song dates back at least

200 years and was written during the time when the term gay meant, festive, colorful or
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bright and was synonymous with the cheer of a holiday season. In recent decades, the

definition of gay has shifted to relate to mainly homosexuality. Hallmark didn’t want to

spark confusion among their modern customers. The 60’s marked the transition of the

dominate meaning of the word gay, to that of “carefree” to the current meaning of

homosexuality.

In addition to being used mainly to mean homosexuality and carefree, it is often

used to mean, lame, rubbish or dumb. I asked a friend of mine, who is homosexual, how

he felt about the word. Is the word, “gay” politically correct nowadays or does he prefer

the term, homosexual? Is he offended by it? Did it offend him when people used it as an

insult? He said, that he has always heard the word used in a derogatory way and that it

never really bothered him. Even today.

There are many tv shows that circle around the gay culture. Queer Eye for

Straight Guy, Modern Family (titled accurately), Drag Race. Just to name a few. There is

even a cartoon, The Loud House, about a boy named Lincoln and his 10 sisters. Lincoln

had a best friend named, Clyde. Clyde has 2 fathers. 15 years or even 10 years ago, you

wouldn’t have seen that. Especially not in a child’s cartoon.

When someone “comes out”, its usually not that big of a deal nowadays because

it’s so common. Actors, musicians, athletes. It’s more acceptable. But, not always. There

are still a few people who do not accept that way of life and don’t approve of it.

The word “gay” will always offend people. I’m sure it will always be used in a

negative way. The word, today, has pretty much lost its original meaning. But, the men

and women who are gay/homosexual/lesbian, whatever they desire to be called, they are

living the original meaning. Happy and carefree.

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