Pet Peeve: "That's so gay!"

I'm sure many of you have heard it used before, especially if you're a high school student:

"Class, this story needs to be completed and ready to present for class tomorrow." "That's so gay!"

"Ugh, I'm grounded all weekend. I know, it's so gay!"

"My mom bought my school supplies for me this year and I'm stuck with gay folders and stuff."

"Can you hang out tomorrow?" "No, I have to work." "Ew. Well, that's gay."

That drives me abosolutely insane, so I present to you an open letter to all people who think that "gay" is synonymous with "stupid":

Dear Youth of America (I sincerely hope your ignorance hasn't yet spread to other countries",

Why are you constantly using the word "gay" as a replacement for "stupid"? Is it because you don't actually know the definition? If not, here's how Merriam-Webster puts it:

• Main Entry: ¹gay
• Pronunciation: \ˈgā\
• Function: adjective
• Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French gai, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German gāhi quick, sudden
• Date: 14th century

1 a : happily excited : merry gay mood> b : keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits gay spring song>
2 a : bright, lively <gay sunny meadows> b : brilliant in color
3 : given to social pleasures; also : licentious
4 a : homosexual <gay men> b : of, relating to, or used by homosexuals gay rights movement> gay bar>

None of those definitions are anything close to "stupid." So, why do you keep mixing up the two? I'm sure some of you out there actually do hate gay people and think it's a "disease" that can be "cured", but I'll save that rant for another time. (I really hope you're not that ignorant, but anyway...) I personally know some people who have no problem whatsoever with the LGBTQ community, but they still use "that's so gay!" all the time. I know others who have no stance on the issue. The fact it: nobody should be using "gay" as a synonym for "stupid". Seriously, everyone. I would really like our generation to look more intelligent and well-spoken than this.

Sincerely,

An Enlightened Youth