Talk:Gay

Regarding the pejorative use section...
A lot of these sources seem out of date (the earliest ref is from 2006, and the latest 2013). Language has changed a lot since then, especially if we are talking about school- and college-aged people. As such, I have added tags indicating that these sections and mention in the lead need updating. -- QueenofBithynia (talk) 12:45, 5 July 2022 (UTC)


 * On a slight tangent, I also think the quote from the BBC Board of Governors should be trimmed as the section is looking a bit like a WP:QUOTEFARM. But the issue of these sources being out-of-date is probably more of a problem. QueenofBithynia (talk) 12:52, 5 July 2022 (UTC)

Agreed. The use of sources that are like 10 or more years old is pretty weird considering how much social change occured in the 2010s. I added the 2021 GLSEN National School Climate Survey towards the beginning of that section to better support that it is commonly used pejoratively. I may add more up to date sources when I have the time. Urchincrawler (talk) 09:06, 3 March 2023 (UTC)


 * Added a source on the effects of pejorative use and a source on how emotional response varies depending on situation. The former is written in 2019, but I'm unsure if it resolves this issue as its data was collected in 2013. The later source is from 2021. Is this sufficient to remove the tags, or should they be kept up? Urchincrawler (talk) 06:39, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

"Gays" listed at Redirects for discussion
An editor has identified a potential problem with the redirect Gays and has thus listed it for discussion. This discussion will occur at Redirects for discussion/Log/2022 September 29 until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. Sangdeboeuf (talk) 23:39, 30 September 2022 (UTC)

Last paragraph of the introduction
Is the word gay when used as ridicule and mockery as stated in the last paragraph of the introduction:

"At about the same time, a new, pejorative use became prevalent in some parts of the world. Among younger speakers, the word has a meaning ranging from derision (e.g., equivalent to 'rubbish' or 'stupid') to a light-hearted mockery or ridicule (e.g., equivalent to 'weak', 'unmanly', or 'lame'). The extent to which these usages still retain connotations of homosexuality has been debated and harshly criticized.[needs update]"

always light hearted? I feel like it can be very offensive depending on the context, intimacy/relationship, and sexuality of the people involved. Am I wrong?

When a conservative father calls his gay son "gay" in a pejorative/derogatory way, as to denote inferiority or weakness, still light hearted?

PS.: I'm awful with commas, sorry if I misplaced some of them Fullmetal11 (talk) 01:49, 26 March 2023 (UTC)

The definition of gay can mean something different
back in the day many people referred to gay as meaning happy and joyful and it means something way different today like for example "poloboy is gay" back in the day it would've been a compliment but now its referred to as a insult for some people TheEDog2000 (talk) 05:56, 2 September 2023 (UTC)
 * The pejorative use of the word is discussed in the section Generalized pejorative use, and in the third paragraph of the lead. HiLo48 (talk) 06:13, 2 September 2023 (UTC)
 * In the History Section, it mentions "In English, the word's primary meaning was "joyful", "carefree", "bright and showy", and the word was very commonly used with this meaning in speech and literature." Is that the meaning you are referring to? Urchincrawler (talk) 22:16, 14 December 2023 (UTC)

"Gаy" listed at Redirects for discussion
The redirect [//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=G%D0%B0y&redirect=no Gаy] has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at  until a consensus is reached. Fram (talk) 09:41, 15 December 2023 (UTC)

History in Film
The 1938 film "Bringing Up Baby" was not the first use of the word in film. In the 1934 film "The Thin Man," starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, Powell bumps into and briefly embraces another man during a rather chaotic dance scene. As the other man exits, Powell comments, "I'm gay for this one," referring to the musical selection playing at the time. Jrwmd (talk) 16:25, 19 May 2024 (UTC)


 * Do you have a source? DonIago (talk) 16:44, 20 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Speaking of sources the one attributing the use of the word gay in Bringing Up Baby to being coded language doesn't seem very reliable.
 * I've read a book (canned goods as caviar: American film comedy of the 1930's) which protests that it definitely wasn't coded language. Protests poorly admittedly - but it seems relevant to consider if the whole section on history in film doesn't need some better sources.
 * not OP but I'll try and find a source on the use in "The Thin Man" -- I've definitely seen it mentioned somewhere before in the context/ double meaning of the word gay. 131.170.239.13 (talk) 05:13, 22 May 2024 (UTC)