The mollies
were a subculture of London men that emerged early in the 1700s who were
noted for their outrageously effeminate dress and manners.
"Molly," a familiar form of the proper name Mary, was a slang word
for prostitutes at the time, and was quickly applied to the denizens of the
molly-houses, highlighting their effeminacy and their reputation as
"he-whores."
