Language...

I'm just starting putting together an article for the 2012 edition of Past2Present. I'm looking at the reactions to the use of the word 'gay' to describe lesbian and gay people. From my visit to LAGNA on 6 October last, I found snippets in their file Ra - Language from as early as 1963.

A couple of favourites...

• From The Evening Standard of 27 June 1986: a reference to HUGs - 'Heterosexuals Unafraid of Gays'. I'm happy to say that I know a lot of HUGs. Lovely people... kind to their mums... (just teasing)
• From a letter in the Bournemouth Evening Echo of 19 November 1986: "What really annoys me is this ridiculous and wrongful use of the word “gay”... It’s about time the church spoke up about this,...". Quite what the church has to do with usage in the English language is not made clear.

Warm regards

Chris