The word “gay” comes from the French word gay meaning “cheerful” or “exuberantly joyful” which appeared around the 18th century (Norton). The use of the word "lesbian" can be traced back to the year 1732, in the satire "The Toast" which used the word to categorize women who love women as much as men (Norton). The word "faggot" can be traced back to the 1920s and 1930s in the African-American neighborhoods of Harlem (Norton). Homosexual activity can also be traced back to ancient civilizations. In ancient Greece, an older male became a mentor to a younger male and participated in homosexual activities (Houston). The difference between now and then is the perception of those activities. It was normal for these activities to take place then, but now they are viewed with disdain