I bought this up in another thread but really, why is it fine to group all homosexuals together and say a phrase "the gays", "a gay"? It seems to be an American turn of phrase to use such expression.
We do not say "The hetrosexuals" or "a hetrosexual". We do not class ourselves by other sexual preferences, so why is being gay so special? I realise that Prop 8 has bought the issue of gay marraige to the forefront and my own opinions are known there (could not care less, why are irrational small minded people who worship an invisible being in the sky allowed to stop it?).
I just cannot understand wishing to be grouped by a sexuality, the same as I cannot understand (for example) being grouped by my choice of breakfast.
So could someone please explain to me why it is fine in America to refer to people who are gay as a collective "the gays" and why it is okay to refer to "a gay". I say this as a confused "a single", "a hetrosexual" woman who does not understand Yankish very well.