Whatever words they call representatives of non-traditional orientation! Despite the fact that the entire progressive world considers Russia a country of homophobes, it was here that more than thirty years ago they came up with the most harmless nickname for homosexuals. Today you will find out why gays are called gay and where this popular expression came from. There are about a dozen different theories. Let's consider the most interesting ones.
Did not take root
The word "homosexual" is too long and evokes unpleasant associations, reminiscent of a doctor's diagnosis. "Gay" is shorter, but too unusual for a Russian-speaking person. No one will say “representative of a sexual minority” every time. It is much more familiar and pleasant to say "blue". Any resident of the former Soviet republics will immediately understand who the interlocutor had in mind. Why are gays called gay in Russia, although in many countries pink is considered a symbol of this movement? And there is no blue color on the LGBT flag at all - it was removed from there almost immediately.
Aristocratic version
It is generally accepted that homosexuality is the prerogative of high society. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine that an ordinary peasant could have such inclinations. Of course, there are exceptions to any rules, but still, it was the aristocrats who did not hide their preferences and did not particularly hide their essence in society. Nobles, officials, creative intelligentsia, tsarist officers - everyone who considered themselves to be people with a non-traditional sexual orientation, visited special salons and held stormy parties with invited artists. Despite the fact that homosexuality was banned in the country and could end up in jail, high society was not afraid of criminal prosecution. This is probably where the stable expression originates from, because “blue blood” flows in the veins of aristocrats.
Paris
Not the most popular, but very interesting version of why gays are called gay. If in Russia homosexuals were looking for each other in salons, then in Paris there were entire neighborhoods where people of non-traditional orientation not only walked, but also lived. It is not known why exactly, but such areas began to be called "blue". Perhaps this became known in Russia.
whips
Silver doves - this is what the members of this sect called themselves at the beginning of the last century. Orientation did not play a big role, but during the "zeal" (night worship), she practiced homosexual relations as part of the ritual. In the 1930s, mass persecution of whips began. Thousands of followers ended up in places not so remote. There they did not abandon their former views and gradually turned from silver doves into just “doves”, and then into “blue ones”. By the way, the expression "rooster" came from there. So other prisoners called whips insultingly. By analogy with their "bird" self-name.
There is another version of this as well. The expression "cooing like doves" used to be very common and could describe the manifestation of tenderness between people in love. Now no one talks like that anymore, because such analogies have begun to take on a negative connotation. Probably, homosexuals were also called doves, and later the word was simply transformed into “blue”.
Research
In the century before last, scientists became very interested in the nature of homosexuality. Men were subjected to unthinkable and sometimes inhuman experiments. The hypothesis that gays do not hear with the left ear failed, but there was something in common between all homosexuals - they liked the blue color and its shades. All this was described in detail in the book of Ch. Astamadiev "In the wilds of desires." It contains a description of a considerable number of experiments on gays. Everyone safely forgot about this, but when the times of persecution for non-traditional sexual orientation passed, people wanted to know more about this curious “deviation”. But where to get information? Of course, from pre-revolutionary books. The story about the liking for the color blue was revealed and a rather cute name for all homosexuals was born - “blue”.
folk version
It's no secret that for newborns they buy clothes and other useful things of a certain color: pink for girls, blue for boys. This custom has been going on for more than a dozen years and it has not yet been forgotten. Maybe this is where the answer to the question lies, why are gays called gays, and you should not look for pitfalls?
Foreign countries will help us
In American prisons, too, there are divisions into castes. At the beginning of the last century, prisoners called homosexuals blueribbon, which means "blue ribbon". The history of the emergence of this term is unknown, but it is likely that the first part of this expression took root in Russia. At least the theory of prison origin is the most common, and in which country this definition originated is not so important.
Another not very familiar expression came to Russia from the USA. Girl-boy - boy-girl. Saying "gelboy" is not very convenient, so the word was transformed into "blue".
In Russia, since Soviet times, gays have been called "gays". Historians do not have an exact answer. According to one version, homosexuality was common among aristocrats (people with "blue blood"), according to another, homosexual quarters in Paris were called "blue", and after that this word "migrated" into the Russian language. Historians also suggest that the new lexical meaning of the word "blue" was awarded by homosexuals themselves, who called each other "doves".
The English word "gay" has become international: it is understood in almost all countries of the world, but many languages also have their own names for LGBT people. We found out how and why gays are called in different countries of the world.
"Comrade" in China
If you enter the word "comrade" (同志 (tongchi)) in the Chinese segment of the Internet, the first search engine will display photos of guys embracing and gay sites. In youth slang, "comrades" are called guys with a homosexual orientation. Because of this, even local authorities decided to ban conductors in public transport from addressing passengers in this way.
A new definition appeared in the Middle Kingdom in the late 1980s. Then the "Hong Kong Comrades Film Festival" was held in Hong Kong, within the framework of which films about same-sex love were presented to the public. After that, in large cities, gays began to be called "comrades", and later lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals.
Liberal bloggers and journalists are sure that this fact can be called a "victory". At the moment, even in the official documents of the state, which has been ruled by the Communist Party since 1949, the definition of "comrade" is extremely rare. At the same time, until 1989, it was customary to call all citizens of the PRC "comrades". The first to use the appeal "comrade" was the "father of the nation", the revolutionary Sen Yat-sen. Literally, 同志 translates as "having the same goal."
By the way, the words "gay" and the abbreviation LGBT are also widely used in China.
Gay, queer and fagot in America
Translated from English "gay" - cheerful. In addition, the so-called young people leading a carefree lifestyle. For the first time homosexuals began to be called so in England and America in the 1920s. According to sexologist Igor Kon, American homosexuals themselves called themselves "gays", after which this definition has spread widely around the world. Some homosexuals are sure that under the word GAY the abbreviation "Good As You" is hidden (as good as you are). In addition, it is believed that only open homosexuals who take an active position can call themselves "gay".
There are other definitions in American slang: queer (queer) and fagot (fagot). These words are not found in scientific literature, but are actively used by Americans in colloquial speech. "Queer" literally translates as different. So called not only gays, but also those who have special sexual addictions.
Igor Kon wrote: "Queer" does not imply any specific, specific traits. It is an identity devoid of essence, which by definition is at odds with everything normal."
The word "faggot" is considered offensive by Americans. In the English-Russian dictionary ABBYY Lingvo it is translated as "faggot". For the first time gays were called "faggots" in North America, but now with the help of popular culture it is spread throughout the English-speaking world.
Young gay men in English are often called "Twink", and mannered homosexuals "Queen" (queen).
"Very hot" in Germany
In German, gays are most often referred to as "schwul" (schul). This word comes from the Low German language (a dialect of northern Germany) and was originally translated as "very hot". It was first used in this sense in the 19th century, and already in the 20th century the word "schwul" became widely used and entered dictionaries with a new lexical meaning.
There are several more synonyms, for example "Schwuppe" (shwupe). Literally translated as "blue fish". In the 1990s, some LGBT people began to call themselves that, and later the word "went to the masses."
Older gays in Germany are called "Oldie" (from the word old - adult), and homosexuals who hide their orientation, "Schrankschwuchtel" (literally translated as "gay living in a closet"). True, these synonyms for the word homosexual can be attributed to gay slang, which not all Germans own.
By the way, in Russian, in comparison with German, there are more synonyms for the word "gay" with offensive overtones and fewer names that would indicate the peculiarities of the social status of a gay or his age.
As philologists note, this is due to the fact that in Russia this topic was considered taboo for a long time and was discussed only among marginalized segments of the population, for example, in places of deprivation of liberty. Therefore, in Russian slang there are many offensive words associated with LGBT, and gaps have formed in the literary language.
Until now, it remains a mystery. There will be a good dozen versions. We analyze the most interesting ones.
"Aristocratic" version
Indeed, this is one of the most popular versions. It is believed that homosexuality was popular in the aristocratic environment ("blue blood") and because of this, the epithet "blue" spread to all gays. True, this version does not explain why homosexuals are called "gay" only in Russia.
"American" version
A number of researchers put forward a hypothesis that the "blue marking" of gays got into the Russian language from the American criminal jargon. In American prisons at the beginning of the 20th century, homosexuals were called blueribbon (“blue ribbon”). In some miraculous way, the term found its way into Soviet prisons in the 1930s: however, as a truncated translation - "blue". And already in the late USSR, in the 1970s, the word became mainstream and the main designation of homosexuals.
"Khlystovskaya" version
Some linguists believe that gays were first called pigeons, and over time, "bird" simply transformed into "color." But why were they called pigeons? There is a hypothesis that homosexuals got this name from a sect of whips, who called themselves "gray" or "silver doves". Many of the sectarians practiced homosexual relationships as ritual sex during the so-called "zeal". The poet Nikolai Klyuev, Sergei Yesenin's mentor and most famous whip, was perhaps the most famous openly homosexual in Soviet Russia.
The whips did not change their "habits" in Soviet prisons either (in the 1930s, thousands of sectarians ended up in camps during persecution). In the camps, the whips continued to call themselves "pigeons", and, probably, the criminals reduced the self-name of the sectarians to blue and began to call all homosexuals that way. It is interesting that there is a version that the jargon “rooster” (as people who occupy the lowest level in the prison hierarchy are called in the camps) “thieves” called whips as a mockery of their “pigeon” self-name.
Homosexuality (from the Greek and Latin words "same" and "sex"), also in a narrower sense - homosexuality - is the preference of representatives of one's sex (or gender) as an object of love relationships, erotic attraction and / or a sexual partner.
Why were homosexuals called “gays” in the USSR? It still remains a mystery. There will be a good dozen versions - we analyze the most interesting ones.
"Aristocratic" version
Indeed, this is one of the most popular versions. It is believed that homosexuality was popular in the aristocratic environment ("blue blood") and because of this, the epithet "blue" spread to all gays. True, this version does not explain why homosexuals are called "gay" only in Russia.
"American" version
A number of researchers put forward a hypothesis that the "blue marking" of gays got into the Russian language from the American criminal jargon. In American prisons at the beginning of the 20th century, homosexuals were called blueribbon (“blue ribbon”). In some miraculous way, the term found its way into Soviet prisons in the 1930s: however, as a truncated translation - “blue”. And already in the late USSR, in the 1970s, the word became mainstream and the main designation of homosexuals.
"Khlystovskaya" version
Some linguists believe that gays were first called pigeons, and over time, "bird" simply transformed into "color." But why were they called pigeons? There is a hypothesis that homosexuals got this name from a sect of whips, who called themselves "gray" or "silver doves". Many of the sectarians practiced homosexual relationships as ritual sex during the so-called "zeal". The poet Nikolai Klyuev, Sergei Yesenin's mentor and most famous whip, was perhaps the most famous openly homosexual in Soviet Russia.
The whips did not change their "habits" in Soviet prisons either (in the 1930s, thousands of sectarians ended up in camps during persecution). In the camps, the whips continued to call themselves "pigeons", and, probably, the criminals reduced the self-name of the sectarians to blue and began to call all homosexuals that way. Interestingly, there is a version that the jargon "cock" (as they call in the camps people occupying the lowest level in the prison hierarchy) "thieves" called whips as a mockery of their "pigeon" self-name.
Whatever words they call representatives of non-traditional orientation! Despite the fact that the entire progressive world considers Russia a country of homophobes, it was here that more than thirty years ago they came up with the most harmless nickname for homosexuals. Today you will find out why gays are called gay and where this popular expression came from. There are about a dozen different theories. Let's consider the most interesting ones.
Did not take root
The word "homosexual" is too long and evokes unpleasant associations, because it resembles a doctor's diagnosis. "Gay" is shorter, but too unusual for a Russian-speaking person. No one will say “representative of a sexual minority” every time. It is much more familiar and pleasant to say "blue". Any resident of the former Soviet republics will immediately understand who the interlocutor had in mind. Why are gays called gay in Russia, although in many countries pink is considered a symbol of this movement? And there is no blue color on the LGBT flag at all - it was removed from there almost immediately.
Aristocratic version
It is generally accepted that homosexuality is the prerogative of high society. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine that an ordinary peasant could have such inclinations. Of course, there are exceptions to any rules, but still, it was the aristocrats who did not hide their preferences and did not particularly hide their essence in society. Nobles, officials, creative intelligentsia, tsarist officers - everyone who considered themselves to be people with a non-traditional sexual orientation, visited special salons and held stormy parties with invited artists. Despite the fact that homosexuality was banned in the country and could end up in jail, high society was not afraid of criminal prosecution. This is probably where the stable expression originates from, because “blue blood” flows in the veins of aristocrats.
Paris
Not the most popular, but very interesting version of why gays are called gay. If in Russia homosexuals were looking for each other in salons, then in Paris there were entire neighborhoods where people of non-traditional orientation not only walked, but also lived. It is not known why exactly, but such areas began to be called "blue". Perhaps this became known in Russia.
whips
Silver doves - this is what the members of this sect called themselves at the beginning of the last century. Orientation did not play a big role, but during the "zeal" (night worship), she practiced homosexual relations as part of the ritual. In the 1930s, mass persecution of whips began. Thousands of followers ended up in places not so remote. There they did not abandon their former views and gradually turned from silver doves into just “doves”, and then into “blue ones”. By the way, the expression "rooster" came from there. So other prisoners called whips insultingly. By analogy with their "bird" self-name.
There is another version of this as well. The expression "cooing like doves" used to be very common and could describe the manifestation of tenderness between people in love. Now no one talks like that anymore, because such analogies have begun to take on a negative connotation. Probably, homosexuals were also called doves, and later the word was simply transformed into “blue”.
Research
In the century before last, scientists became very interested in the nature of homosexuality. Men were subjected to unthinkable and sometimes inhuman experiments. The hypothesis that gays do not hear with the left ear failed, but there was something in common between all homosexuals - they liked the blue color and its shades. All this was described in detail in the book of Ch. Astamadiev "In the wilds of desires." It contains a description of a considerable number of experiments on gays. Everyone safely forgot about this, but when the times of persecution for non-traditional sexual orientation passed, people wanted to know more about this curious “deviation”. But where to get information? Of course, from pre-revolutionary books. The story about the liking for the color blue was revealed and a rather cute name for all homosexuals was born - “blue”.
folk version
It's no secret that for newborns they buy clothes and other useful things of a certain color: pink for girls, blue for boys. This custom has been going on for more than a dozen years and it has not yet been forgotten. Maybe this is where the answer to the question lies, why are gays called gays, and you should not look for pitfalls?
Foreign countries will help us
In American prisons, too, there are divisions into castes. At the beginning of the last century, prisoners called homosexuals blueribbon, which means "blue ribbon". The history of the emergence of this term is unknown, but it is likely that the first part of this expression took root in Russia. At least the theory of prison origin is the most common, and in which country this definition originated is not so important.
Another not very familiar expression came to Russia from the USA. Girl-boy - boy-girl. Saying "gelboy" is not very convenient, so the word was transformed into "blue".
