Gay ??

[missmooncat]

When & why did the word gay meaning happy etc start meaning homosexual.Anyone have any idea
thanks

[Quizmonster]

The earliest-recorded specific use of �gay' to mean �homosexual', depending on which source you believe, appeared (a) in a Gertrude Stein piece - Miss Furr & Miss Skeene - published in 1922 or (b) in a dictionary of prison/underworld slang published in 1935 in the USA. Whichever it is, it was clearly an Americanism.
However, as far back as the 16th century, it meant "living a dissipated lifestyle" or uninhibited by the demands of normal morality. A man might then, for example, have been described as �a gay dog'...suggesting he had an inordinate interest in women.
In the 19th century, if a man or a woman was described as �gay', it meant he/she was a prostitute. They were so called because they dressed in bright clothing. In the USA, a �gay cat' - as opposed to a gay dog! - was a young tramp who attached himself to an older one for protection and, in return, provided sexual services. The �cat' element was perhaps an abbreviation of �catamite'. It is relatively easy, therefore, to see how it came to take on the homosexual meaning of today.
The word was not adopted by homosexuals themselves until the 1960s. The idea that it came from an acronym, GAY = Good As You, is an urban legend.

[Alltorque]

Real shame the word was hijacked. Used to be a great wine bar in Glasgow called The Gay Gordons. Would have a slightly different connotation now than it did then.

Also the old country dance of the same name.

[missmooncat]

thanks a lot for that
cheers

[spudqueen]

In the early 70's the word gay did not mean homosexual. Gilbert O'Sullivan wrote a song in which there is a line that goes something like 'I'm happy, blithe and gay' and he didn't mean that he was homosexual, in fact I think that line has taken some living down since.

[Quizmonster]

'Gay' certainly did mean 'homosexual' in the 70s, though there were doubtless still many who used it in its original sense.
There are lots of such words. To consider one in the same vein, what do you imagine a heterosexual friend meant if he said: "I feel a bit queer this morning"?

[manxbiker]

How many gay gordens are there in scotland (tongue in cheek)

[tomtech]

i always preffered the queer word to be honest. gay always meant happy when i was a kid, at least with queer you know where you are.