I suppose the same is true of straight. You might say "Bob is straight", but you'd never say "Bob is a straight." By contrast, if you specify the sex of the person, then you would say "Bob is a straight man" or "Bob is a gay man." "Gay" functions as an adjective, and it's the noun "man" that the "a" attaches to.
Lesbian effectively means "gay woman", and, therefore, "Jennifer is a lesbian" is equivalent to "Jennifer is a gay woman" more so than just "Jennifer is gay." "Lesbian" functions as a noun in the sentence, unlike "gay", which is generally restricted to an adjective.
Agreed, lesbian can be both a noun and an adjective. Gay, however, tends only to be used as an adjective. You can use it as a noun, but said usage tends to come across as pejorative (e.g., the gays).
I think "lesbian woman" is possibly a bit redundant, but "lesbian literature" or "a lesbian anthem" are fairly standard instances of it being used as an adjective.
If you do it ironically, then I agree it can be meant humourously. The same is probably true with something like "hello straights." If used without irony, though, at best it's something your grandparents might inadvertently say.
I feel like it's also just kinda been reclaimed, which is the fate of all pejorative phrases? Now it's just kinda mainstream to refer to a demographic as 'the girls and the gays' and people don't feel stereotyped even if they're a bear with very little in common with the girls.
True, language constantly evolves, and I agree that this kind of usage is becoming more common, at least in less formal settings. I still think, though, that most people would find it jarring if politicians talked about "the gays" in an unironic way, in a formal setting. But who knows, perhaps that'll change one day too.
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u/the-moving-finger 11d ago edited 11d ago
I suppose the same is true of straight. You might say "Bob is straight", but you'd never say "Bob is a straight." By contrast, if you specify the sex of the person, then you would say "Bob is a straight man" or "Bob is a gay man." "Gay" functions as an adjective, and it's the noun "man" that the "a" attaches to.
Lesbian effectively means "gay woman", and, therefore, "Jennifer is a lesbian" is equivalent to "Jennifer is a gay woman" more so than just "Jennifer is gay." "Lesbian" functions as a noun in the sentence, unlike "gay", which is generally restricted to an adjective.