Gay

Gay describes a person attracted to others of the same gender. It is used most commonly for men who are attracted to men, though women and nonbinary people also use it, and it has long served as a broad label for same-sex attraction generally. The word originally meant carefree or merry, and by the late 1800s it carried hints of loose morals. Over the early 20th century it took on its same-sex meaning within queer communities, and by the 1960s it was the word gay men favored for their own orientation. Major LGBTQ+ groups and style guides now recommend gay over older clinical terms like homosexual. Being gay is a normal and healthy way of being human.