I also just looked at Wikipedia's page for the word "gay".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay


Interesting to see the gradual evolution of the word. At first meaning happy or carefree, evolving to carefree uninhibitedness and hedonism, to a broad term for sexual deviancy, to in the mid/late 1960's increasingly used as a widespread euphemistic term for homosexuality.

I recall hearing it the first time in the early 1970's, in particular the first time I heard it on television was during an episode of the TV series Alice, circa 1975. Where she was dating an NFL player who she really liked, and asked after several dates why he didn't come on to her sexually.
He smiles and says "Alice... I'm gay."
With a stunned look and a smile, she said "You don't mean just... jolly gay, do you?"

It was a very funny line.