Thread: Do Lesbians fully embrace the identifier "Gay" for their sexuality? Or has...

..."Gay" come to mean only males? I see more and more distinctions being made in the Alternative Lifestyles community that females prefer the term "Lesbian" versus "Gay" and that the term "Gay" may more often refer to males.

Originally, I thought "Gay" referred to either gender who preferred a homosexual lifestyle. But in practice and in the vernacular of the modern world, I'm seeing "Gay" applied more consistently to males but not females such that it appears female homosexuals prefer the term "Lesbian" over "Gay".

Is this accurate?

If accurate, why the division? Might it be that the political agenda of Lesbians is different from that of Gay Males such that they prefer the distinction of having their own word to describe their sexuality rather than being lumped into the category that includes males?

Another way of asking this question would be, "If you are a Lesbian, are you offended when someone calls you 'Gay' ?"
For further clarification, I am not offended by the use of any of the terms above. My question was posted to improve my own understanding and sensitivity so I don't call someone something they don't prefer. I'm trying to be politically correct, if doing that still holds merit in some circles.

Personally I would rather be called gay, I think it's a non offensive term. I do refer to myself as lesbian on this site to clarify who I am, but my partner doesn't care for the word so I don't use it around her. The odd thing is over the years many titles or labels change, yet I can remember back in 1958 being asked if I was gay and it carried the same connotation as it does now.