It may have come from a nineteenth century French slang word, 'gaie.' What is Gay? The term 'gay' was initially a slang term developed to overcome some of these negative associations. Homosexuality is still the correct term clinically, but even though homosexuality is no longer considered immoral, some people feel there are still negative overtones to the word given its origin. The term 'homosexuality' 1 was first used by Victorian scientists who considered same-sex sexual attraction and behavior a 'moral deficiency.' 2 Homosexuality is considered to be same-sex sexual attraction and behavior and 'gay' is a synonym of homosexuality. While 'gay' can be thought of as a synonym to 'homosexual,' there is more to the meaning of gay than that. The term 'gay' may be confusing and even foreign to some, forcing people to ask, 'What is gay?' or ' Am I Gay?' And while some might think the definition of 'gay' is simple, to many, it actually isn't.
