In response to hoody47's comments perhaps it is true that the comparison with the slave trade is is too strong and not as focussed as necessary. I think the main point that I had tried to make was how, like the slaves, the control of their destiny was taken out of their own hands. The distrust of gay men and women is deep rooted and the heritate of homosexuality is exactly this, the history of deaming homosexuals as unfit for social acceptance. Reclaiming the heritage would mean that gay men and women promote a positive position in society, one based on equals. 
 
Separately, looking briefly at the terms "that's gay" was an instance of looking at how homophobia can be more subtle and I therefore disagree that a person who calls something gay doesn't think what effect that term has. Yes, perhaps they are not using it maliciously but they are indeed using it with full understanding of the connotations. 
 
Rob 
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