More rarely, Quean. A
derisive term for effeminate male homosexuals
that dates to the 19th Century (possibly earlier). Like many
derogatory terms, Queen is a nasty insult when used by non-gays, but in some
gay circles, the word is used in an
affectionate way. Still, many gays dislike being called Queens no
matter who does the calling because they resent the implication of effeminacy.
Thus, "that Queen" can be an insult or an
expression of endearment depending on who says it and about whom it is said.
Like many slang words for
homosexuals (see molly, for instance),
"Queen" first acquired a sexual meaning when it was applied to
loose women and prostitutes, probably in the 18th Century. As sodomy
became more closely associated with effeminacy and prostitution in England,
"Queen" gradually came into use for sodomites. By 1900, the
word was well established in English slang.
variation: Drag
Queen. A man who dresses in female clothes ("drag") to
impersonate a woman. Drag has many variations, some oriented toward
the emulation of female beauty (e.g. Julian Eltinge) and others calculated
to shock (e.g. Divine). Anatomical males who dress in women's clothes
and look like women because they experience their true gender as female are transsexuals,
not drag queens.
