> A new CBS News/New York Times poll finds that the wording of the question
> is key when it comes to determining whether Americans support allowing gays
> to serve in the military.
>
> In the poll, 59 percent say they now support allowing "homosexuals" to
> serve in the U.S. military, ...
>
> But the numbers differ when the question is changed to whether Americans
> support "gay men and lesbians" serving in the military. ...
This sort of thing is not new and should not be surprising. Words have power. That's why some are so objectionable, why euphemisms are used, and why wording is important.
If you asked about faggots and dykes, you'd get another set of numbers. If you asked about "gay men" and "lesbians" separately, they might be different again.