- Definition
Someone who is gay is attracted to people of the same gender as themselves, for example, a woman who is attracted to other women.
A man who is married to another man is gay.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Think of having a crush on someone; being gay is when a boy has those special romantic feelings for another boy, or a girl has them for another girl.
Ask your child: What are some ways people show they love each other?
Common mix-up: Kids might hear 'gay' used as an insult and think it means something negative. It actually simply describes a person who is romantically attracted to people of the same gender, and it is an important part of who they are.
Examples
- A woman who is romantically attracted to other women can be described as gay.
- A TV show character who has a crush on a classmate of the same gender is gay.
gay is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
