'Gay' for homosexual took away the innocence of the original meaning of the word gay.
From Partridge (1961) A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (in two volumes): "Gay. (Of women) leading an immoral, or a harlot's, life: 1825, Westmacott (OED), In C. 20, coll., on verge of SE.--2. Slightly intoxicated; ob. C.19-20; Perhaps orig. a euphemism.--3. Impudent, impertinent, presumptuous: US (--1899), anglicized in 1915 by PG Wodehouse, OED (Sup.)." Also, gay house == brothel; gay in the arse == (Of women) loose; to lead a gay life == to live immorally; the gay instrument == the male member; gaying it == sexual intercourse.
The word gay, like many a word in many a language, has many a meaning, yet nobody rails against the multiple meanings of set. Long ago, I came to the conclusion that it's not the word or its meanings that folks are uncomfortable with but the referent.
homosexual
The word was coined inthe mid-19th century. Many have railed against the word, which like telescope, is a mix of Greek (homos) and Latin sexualis. Somehow they think that one oughtn't to mix roots from the Classical languages. Some think the homo is the Latin for 'man, mankind', but that word would yield hominiphobia I suppose which still others might mistake for a 'fear of grits'.
