homosexuality

[George Thompson]

My impression has been that the word is found offensive because -- historically, anyway -- it was a medical diagnosis, and therefore it assumed that the state is a sickness.

A single word to encompass both male and female would be useful.

I recall, when "gay" was first coming to the attention of heteros, a writer grumbling "if they are gay, what does that make me: morose?"

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.

----- Original Message -----
From: David Barnhart <dbarnhart at HIGHLANDS.COM>
Date: Saturday, January 29, 2011 8:25 am
Subject: homosexuality
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU

> In the news this morning I heard that the word _homosexuality_ is to be
> avoided as it carries negative connotations.
>
>
>
> DKB
>
>
>
> Barnhart at highlands.com
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org