Word Beginnings

Mama Lisa · Thu Jun 15 10:10 AM, 2006

Word Beginnings

TaterHead · Defender of Truth, Justice and the American GAY!

I don't know how the word "gay" got started, but I do know that the word "lesbian" began in ancient Greece, where on the island of Lesbos there were rumored to be women who were plotting to take over the whole Mediterranean area and do away with all men. This turned out to be a silly rumor about a secret sect of women that were worshipping the Greek gods APART from the temples and their influences. I believe that the "Religious Right" of Greece (the ones who ran the temples and their prostitutes) then found out about it and began spreading vicious rumors that these women were out to destroy all men, and begin a society where there were nobody but women in control. These rumors motivated the Greek goverment to "crackdown" upon the all-female sect and prevent it from meeting ever again.

Some things NEVER change...

aircargoman · Senior Member

I found an interesting definition

http://www.answers.com/topic/gay

When you think back to the 1940's or even back to the 1890's, or Paris.... gay was always about being happy, having fun, no worries. Gay Divorcee, Gay Paris... I believe that the term Gay did not really come into it's own until the late 1960's around Stonewall times. As per the definition it refered mostly to Gay Males. Anyway it sounds so much nicer than Homosexual. I think of mom when she always used my first and middle name when she was angry or when I was in trouble. Homosexual is always used in formal news settings or by the religious right who want to put us in a negative light.

Anyway, just my thoughts here.

Best Regards from SoCal

Dave