# When did 'gay' come, almost exclusively, to mean homosexual? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 1, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-gay-come-almost-exclusively-to-mean-homosexual/527184 "2010-02-01T01:17:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-gay-come-almost-exclusively-to-mean-homosexual/527184/81 "2010-02-06T02:44:00Z")
> [@Visual\_Purple](#): > > My first thought for a quantitative answer was to look at the history of “Gay” as a name; basically, I figured it would have to disappear almost entirely at the point when the association with homosexuality became complete. [The Baby Name Wizard](http://www.babynamewizard.com/voyager#prefix=GAY&ms=false&sw=f&exact=false) will graph US prevalence of any name. “Gay” had its peak popularity in the 50’s, topping out at 371th most popular for girls. In the 60s, it dropped to the 500s. In the 70s, it had dropped out of the top 1000, and had essentially disappeared by what looks to be about 1978. So 1978 is my answer. I gotta say thats probably the best, most clever, most precise, and most statistically correct answer to this question. You can measure the social pulse of the nation with that one. And it seems to jib with all other folks guesstimates here. Good Job Visual Purple! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-gay-come-almost-exclusively-to-mean-homosexual/527184/82 "2010-02-06T04:07:40Z")
In _The Misfits_ (1961), Clark Gable’s character was Gay. _And_ shacked up with Marilyn Monroe’s character. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-gay-come-almost-exclusively-to-mean-homosexual/527184/83 "2010-02-06T06:07:18Z")
> [@Yssy](#): > > No it doesn’t. > It means they are resistant to change ala my 82 year old Mother who hates the fact that Gay no longer means carefree and the fact that Iran is no longer Persia and Tailand is no longer Siam…😉 Well let her know that its always been Iran in Iran. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-gay-come-almost-exclusively-to-mean-homosexual/527184/84 "2010-02-07T21:43:24Z")
My grandmother (who has been dead for several decades, so I can’t ask for further details) once told me that “cute” was slang for bowlegged when she was a little girl. Interesting how things change. ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-gay-come-almost-exclusively-to-mean-homosexual/527184/85 "2010-02-12T02:38:18Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > My Mother-in-law was lamenting the loss of the word’s meaning of carefree, fun, silly, and how in her day, they would have a gay picnic. I commented that while that was certainly a loss, there was a greater gain: We don’t have to have parades in honor of **Sodomite Pride Day**. Actually, I think that would be kind of awesome. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-gay-come-almost-exclusively-to-mean-homosexual/527184/86 "2010-02-12T18:20:35Z")
This poll showed a difference in how some people understand the terms: [New Poll Shows Support for Repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' - The New York Times](http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/new-poll-shows-support-for-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell/) ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-gay-come-almost-exclusively-to-mean-homosexual/527184/87 "2010-02-12T18:58:32Z")
> [@sjc](#): > > Actually, I think that would be kind of awesome. 😃 I’m sure a banner could be made. Get Ed, the mods and CL on board\*, and we can march in the Chicago Gay Pride parade: “ **Cecil and the SDMB support Sodomite Pride** ”. It would be priceless. - might as well sort out the middle east and global warming while we’re at it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-gay-come-almost-exclusively-to-mean-homosexual/527184.md?page=4)