The word "Gay"
 

Factual answers on a postcard please, but does anyone know when/why the word "gay" changed from meaning "happy" to homosexual?

just wondering....?

I usually trust Wikipedia for this sort of thing. There's a few screenfuls on the etymology of the word 'gay' at the beginning of the article I linked to above. Short answer, "when" was in the 1920s. "Why" is hard to say, but "how" is described in the article.

Thank you kindly sir, seems to be quite in depth

Living in the SF Bay Area, I first became aware of "gay" as a synonym for homosexual about 1968-1970, in junior high and high school. The term was new enough to our area hat we'd joke about it: "You look happy. Are you feeling _gay?" (snort, snort).

We already knew all the old pejorative nicknames for homosexuals, and had known them for years. So I'd hazard an opinion that "gay" for homosexual became part of the larger culture around that time, in the late 60s.

Rodney - do you know *how* it came about?? I just wondered if it was so called "gays" were perhaps acting so happy all the time (camp?)

I've got no clue; but your theory is as good as any.

Not that all gays are drama queens; but those that do act that way are most identifiable as gay to us straights. And thus set the stereotype.

That said, I've always enjoyed friendships with gay men, especially with committed couples. A gay man basically has to invent himself in this society; he can't stay the way he was raised, because it doesn't fit him; so he has to find a life that does fit -- even though some people might not approve. Those who have managed to do that, and find a good life, know who they are and are very comfortable in their own skins. They're great company.

The last year or so I've started noticing young people (high school age) using gay as a descriptive for stupid or inappropriate. Like, "That was pretty gay of you!" when someone locked his keys in the car. Is this usage new?
Lindy

Nope. It's been like that for at least as long as I've been in school. So, at least since 1990, but I would imagine it goes back much farther.

Gay as in "lame, stupid, unfun" has been around for a long time.

Doesn't have to do anything with homosexuals.

Kind of like how saying nigger-rigged has nothing to do with black people.

Oh wait...

Uh... what?

Using it to mean, "lame, stupid, unfun" came about as derogatory uses to bash gays as being "stupid", "bad", etc. It has everything to do with being a bigot against homosexuals.

Well-played, sir.

I have never heard of the expression "nigger-rigged"

I have. Manys a time. A more PC cousin of that term is "Jerry Rigged", courtesy of WW II vets who fought in Germany.

It means a crappy work around situation, as in something a person of reduced capacity would create. I heard both frequently growing up in the south. Part of the yuckyness that went along with the nice climate and beaches.

I think South Park is responsible for the recent popularity of gay meaning "lame". Which is kind of odd, because of the whole Big Gay Al thing, which seemed to be a positive episode about being gay.

Perhaps but with the new generations not knowing where the word usage came from, has kind of lost its connection to them on how it was used to bash homosexuals. When I was kid, there was alot of us who often said "Oh that's just gay" and didn't know that the word usage was originally used as a derogatory for homosexuals.

Or, it could mean a clever and inventive way of improvising to accomplish something with reduced or insufficient resources.
Lindy