The Homosexual Rehtoric War (or crap I think about at work)

When I was in California I found myself smack dab in the middle of the homosexual rhetoric war. I shuffle through common phrases and sayings in my day to day vernacular, i choose a word or phrase and generally it's something I say to be ironic but it becomes apart of how I talk for usually a few months. When I was in Cali I had recently adopted the term "I'm straight" as in "Do you want more water?" "Naw I'm straight thanks though."

In the gay capital of the world (San Fransico) this term was not well received. It didn't start a huge brawl or anything but I could tell by certain looks and off hand remarks that it wasn't appreciated. I did my best to stifle myself but at this point the term was just second nature and it kept spilling out.

My question now, years later when I have nothing better to think about, is what does it matter? I can understand the concern with the term "straight" being used as a substitute for the word "good" as well as a term used to describe heterosexuals, i get that logic, but what I don't understand is, if you are going to be that nit picky why on earth are you not as sensitive about the other words attached to sexuality that if examined, are just as offensive.
We will take the term "Gay" for starters. From what I understand the word gay means happy, it became a way to describe homosexuals when people where trying to discreetly make light of someone else's flamboyant nature. "He's a bit gay isn't he?" It evolved into a scarlet letter whispered in dark corners and eventually the homosexual community just took the word and made it there own. If anything the term Gay should be considered a pejorative if you are to consider it's roots.

Really the only term for Homosexuality that actually means homosexual is "lesbian". But how sexist is that? Women are singled out in the homosexual spectrum, not only is it more acceptable for women to display homosexual behavior, due to the hypocritical nature of our male driven media, but the word that specifically means "a homosexual woman" has nothing but positive connotations. You can't hear the word "lesbian" on television without expecting some implication of how hot it is. I am a firm believer that idealized western sexuality is a farce of true intimacy and sensuality, but it is the accepted expression of sexuality and lesbianism has been ushered into that lexicon with open arms. Any step towards total acceptance is a good step but if I where a gay man I would be pissed at the contradiction and if I where a woman I would be pissed at the perpetuation of male fantasy fulfillment being the exclusive language of our societies sexuality and how that attitude plays into objectifying or excluding entire groups of people.

Really the only word that hasn't been tainted by rhetoric is "bi-sexual" and really that is it's own brand of sexuality that has only obtained a real name in open society very recently.

So either you can accept that words change grow and evolve, or you can stop bitching to me about your rhetorical pseudo concern. Unless a word is clearly used as an inflammatory statement or widely accepted as a epitaph I think we should all calm the hell down.