Gay slang language
For generations the LGBTQ+ society has found unique ways to communicate. For superior or worse, that language is becoming mainstream.
In , RuPaul’s Drag Race season 3 saw need enough to include definitions for slang terms like “fishy” across the bottom of the screen. Watching this season for the first time in , I almost burst out laughing. The thought that a viewer wouldn’t know what “fishy” meant seemed absurd. But that’s what Drag Race, and other touchstones of queer culture,do: present its viewers to a slew of slang terms that quickly become ubiquitous. In , Bernie Sanders accused the DNC of throwing shade, and the phrase “Yass, queen” has permeated from Broad City gifs to Target merchandise. Queer slang has never been more visible in, and interactive with, mainstream Western culture.
Slang used in gay and queer spaces, while yet to be officially named, is considered an “anti-language”—the vernacular used by an “anti-society,” or a marginalized group within a society. Anti-languages generally aren’t full languages of their own, but “provide… a new and unlike re
What is Polari?
Polari is a more recent spelling. In the past, it was also known as Palari, Palare, Parlaree or a variety of similar spellings. It is mainly a collection of words, derived from a variety of sources but most strongly linked to an older form of slang called Parlyaree that was used by travelling entertainers, beggars and market stall holders. It contains bits of other languages and slangs including rhyming slang, assist slang (saying a pos as if it&#;s spelt backwards), Italian, French, Lingua Franca, American air compel slang, drug-user slang and Cant (an even older form of slang used by criminals).
It was a secret, informal form of communication, used by relatively powerless groups of people who were often on &#;the wrong side of the law&#;, so it was not written down or recorded. Nobody owned it and there were few standards so as a result there is little agreement on spellings, pronunciations or even meanings of many of the words. Some speakers developed new words in their own social groups or ad libbed it to make it even more difficult to understand. For those w
Polari: The Lost Language of Gay Men
What is Polari?
Polari is a more recent spelling. In the past, it was also recognizable as Palari, Palare, Parlaree or a variety of similar spellings. It is mainly a lexicon, derived from a variety of sources. Some of the most common comprise rhyming slang, backslang (saying a pos as if it's spelt backwards), Italian, Occitan, French, Lingua Franca, American airforce slang, drug-user slang, Parlyaree (an older form of slang used by tinkers, beggars and travelling players) and Cant (an even older form of slang used by criminals). Polari can be classed as a language variety, a sociolect, or an anti-language.
While it was mainly used as a lexicon, some of the more adept speakers were so good at it, that it resembled a language, with its own grammatical rules, distinct to English. In , Cambridge University labelled Polari as an "endangered language".
Who used it?
Mainly gay men, although also lesbians, female impersonators, theatre people, prostitutes and sea-queens (gay men in the merchant navy). It was not limited to homosexual men, however.
Polari &#; The Secret Gay Language
Why Was Polari Used?
In a culture where being openly gay could lead to imprisonment, violence, or social exclusion, Polari offered:
A instinct of safety and privacy
A way to identify others in the LGBTQ+ community
A shared cultural culture and in-group humor
It thrived in underground queer spaces like London’s gay clubs, drag shows, and West End theatres—becoming both a survival tool and a badge of belonging.
💬 Examples of Polari Language
Some Polari phrases and meanings:
“Vada the dolly dish” = Peer at the attractive man
“Bijou lallies” = Small legs
“Trade” = Casual sexual partner
“Slap” = Makeup
“Camp” = Flamboyant or exaggerated
“Butch/Femme” = Masculine/Feminine presentation
“Naff” = Uncool or rubbish
Polari was more than slang—it was a linguistic shield in a hostile world.
📉 The Decline of Polari
After the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales in , the need for secrecy lessened. Polari gradually faded from mainstream LGBTQ+ spaces. By the s, it was largely out