Gay facts for kids
Gay is a word whose original meaning was happy or joyful. In modern English it usually means homosexual. This meaning is more common now. The word "gay" describes a person who is physically attracted to people of the same sex. They are often also romantically interested in people of the same sex. This means males who like other males or females who like other females. The word "gay" can mean any homosexual person, but sometimes it specifically means homosexual men. Homosexual women are sometimes called "lesbian" instead.
Negative use of the word gay
Most people use "gay" only when talking about gay people's sexuality. Sometimes "gay" is used in an insulting way to mean that something is weak, stupid, or less important. For example, "That is so gay!" is used to say something looks or acts stupid. This inappropriate way of using the word "gay" is also considered offensive.
Sometimes people also use this to mean something is very colorful. This is because of the original meaning of the word. Sometimes even gay people themselves use the word this way.
See also
In Spanish: Gay para niños
