Gay usually refers to homosexual men or women. Gay sometimes also refers to the culture of homosexual men and women (as in "gay history"), to things perceived by others to be typical of gay people (as in "gay music"), or to same-sex relationships more generally (as in "gay marriage " or "gay unions"). Note that while Gay applies to men and women equally, the term lesbian is gender-specific: it is used exclusively to describe homosexual women. There is no corresponding word for gay men.
"Gay" describes sexual orientation and is usually chosen instead of homosexual as an identity label. Sexual acts between or among people of the same sex or
gender, regardless of their sexual orientation is known as gay sex. "Gay" is also used as a way to describe the "gay community" by both insiders and the mainstream media. The word "gay" may also describe an object of particular flamboyance or camp. "Gay" is also used as a nonspecific derogatory comment towards a person or object and is a term of abuse widely used by adolescents. Some homosexuals may prefer not to be referred to by this term, feeling that being known as "gays" depersonalises them and reduces them to little more than their sexual orientation. The terms they prefer use gay as an adjective only, as in "gay men".
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