¡DON'T CALL ME GAY!

There was a time when the word gay meant light-hearted and carefree. There was even a time when the word gay meant homosexual. But over the last few years, the word gay has slowly transformed into the ultimate playground insult for anything deemed tacky or uncool. It should come as no surprise then that many young LGB people are choosing to ditch the word entirely, even when referencing their own sexuality. Instead, restrictive labels such as lesbian, gay and bisexual are actively being dissolved in favour of a more casual approach to sexual identity.

Sexuality doesn’t need to be defended or justified. We have created change as a society, a really brilliant change. Please just open your minds and begin to think equal. Everyone is allowed to be individual. Though this new coming-out narrative is far from the norm though and raises many problems of its own. But if young people wish to define sexuality in more fluid terms then they must also accept that orientation can potentially move in either direction. Veering towards the straight side of the spectrum should be just as acceptable as a step towards the more sparkly side of the rainbow.

Additionally, it would seem rather naïve for many to assume they can leave behind the trappings of traditional definitions just because they don’t quite match their liberal-minded attitudes. Millions of people still depend on those imperfect labels for support and comradeship and, in a world where the battle for equality rages on, it’s unlikely that the word gay could ever truly become redundant. On the other hand, there are only so many letters you can superglue to sexuality umbrella before it inevitably implodes upon itself. The younger generation may seem prepared for this eventuality, but the rest of us might need to rethink our views if we are to understand the next chapter of queer culture.