![]() ![]() But if the response is “Oh, yes, I’m a very good friend of Dorothy,” he’ll know it’s safe to proceed.įolklorists study folk speech, which includes expressions, pronunciations, and grammatical forms shared by members of a particular group-whether the group is based on region, religion, ethnicity, occupation, kinship, or gender identity. To test the waters, he’ll ask, “Are you a friend of Dorothy?” If the response is a puzzled “Dorothy who?” he’ll know it’s wise to move on. One of my favorite examples from the mid-twentieth century is the phrase, “friend of Dorothy.” It might work like this: one man is attracted to another but isn’t sure if the feeling is mutual. Other community members could understand these codes, but not outsiders. ![]() During the years before greater openness and understanding, members of the LGBTQ community sometimes resorted to coded speech or behavior as a safeguard. (Photo by Authenticated News/Archive Photos/Getty Images)Ĭoming out as LGBTQ is often difficult even today, but throughout much of the twentieth century it could have dire legal and social consequences.
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