Fag hag

Fag hag

A fag hag is a slang term for a woman who either associates mostly or exclusively with homosexual men, or is best or good friends with a gay man or men. It originated in gay male culture in the United States and was historically an insult. [cite journal |last=Moon |first=Dawne |title=Insult and Inclusion: The Term "Fag Hag" and Gay Male "Community" |journal=Social Forces |volume=74 |issue=2 |pages=487–510 |date=1995 |doi=10.2307/2580489] Some women who associate with gay men object to being called fag hags, [cite news |last=Matarazzo |first=Heather |title=Who you callin' a fag hag? |work=The Advocate |date=2005-03-29 |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2005_March_29/ai_n13610077 |accessdate=2008-03-09 ] while others embrace the term. [cite journal |last=Maitland |first=Sara |title=Fag-hags: A Field Guide |journal=Critical Quarterly |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=19–25 |date=1991 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-8705.1991.tb00939.x ] cite web |last=Cho |first=Margaret |title=On Being a Fag Hag |work=PlanetOut |publisher= |date= |url=http://www.planetout.com/entertainment/books/features/2001/05/cho.html |accessdate=2007-01-06 ] The male counterpart, men who have similar interpersonal relationships with lesbian women, are called dyke tykesfix|link=Wikipedia:Contents|text=citation needed or Dutch boys; furthermore people who associate with gays, lesbians, and bisexuals may be called fruit flies, [cite journal |last=Newall |first=Venetia |title=Folklore and Male Homosexuality |journal=Folklore |volume=97 |issue=2 |pages=136 |date=1986 |url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0015-587X%281986%2997%3A2%3C123%3AFAMH%3E2.0.CO%3B2-E ] regardless of their sex.

Usage

Fag hags are frequently stereotyped as outgoing women who are seeking a substitute for heterosexual relationships, or who are secretly sexually attracted to gay men.Dawne, 492-494.] cite journal |last=Thompson |first=Deborah |title=Calling All Fag Hags: From Identity Politics to Identification Politics |journal=Social Semiotics |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=37–48 |date=2004 |doi=10.1080/1035033042000202915 ] In fact, many women who identify as fag hags are already in romantic relationships, either with straight men or with women but appreciate the alternative experience of socializing with gay men.

In interviews with gay men and self-described fag hags, the most common theme is safety. [John Williams. "Straight Women, Gay Men: A Special Relationship". New York: Dial Press, 1980.] A rich relationship can develop between a straight woman and a gay man without sexual tension. The fag hag relationship allows the participants to separate intimacy and sexuality. The term fag hag can also mean a gay icon.Fact|date=February 2007

Cultural references

* In the film "Fame" (1980), writer Christopher Gore used the term "fag hag" in describing the character Doris in her relationship with her gay friend, Montgomery. The character Ralph joked that Doris should audition for the title role in "I was a Teen-Age Fag Hag", a mythical movie in the story's context.
* Comedienne Margaret Cho has written and regularly talks in her stand-up routines about being a fag hag.
* Televisions "Will & Grace" features two fag hag relationships, one covert, the other overt; the centered Will Truman, and neurotic Grace Adler are a gay man and straight woman who share an apartment, while Grace's employee, Karen Walker, is a socialite who has a "gal pal" relationship with the gay and neurotic Jack McFarland.
* In the animated series Rick and Steve, one of the characters, Connie Ling, is a fag hag, though she prefers the term "alternate lifestyle companion".
* "Queer as folk" - Brian calls Debbie the biggest "fag hag" of all time based on her brother, son and the father of her son are all gay, and she also works in a diner in a gay village.

Related terms

American "fag hag" synonyms include " [Gay s _fr. last=Newall |first=Venetia |title=Folklore and Male Homosexuality |journal=Folklore |volume=97 |issue=2 |pages=136 |date=1986 |url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0015-587X%281986%2997%3A2%3C123%3AFAMH%3E2.0.CO%3B2-E ] "homo honey", "fruit loop", "Goldilocks", "flame dame", and "fairy godmother".

Foreign equivalents of "fag hag" are:

*Portuguese: "Ana Flavia"
*Spanish language: "Mari Pili" (Female first name. Usually referes to a very pretty and sexy girl that feels 'safe' with her gay friend/s.). "Mari Liendres" ("Mary Nits") is also used, but on a more pejorative tone.
*French: "Fille à Pédés" ("fag's girl")
*German: "Schwulenmutti" ("Gay mommy"), "Gaby" (female first name, possibly exclusive to the Berlin area)
*Greek: "Αδερφομάνα" (pronounced "a-there-fow-ma-na", "gay mom") usually describes an older (usually middle aged) woman that socializes or supports younger gay men.
*Japanese: "Okoge" (お焦げ or 御焦げ), meaning "burnt rice that sticks to the bottom of a pot." This is in reference to the Japanese equivalent to "faggot," " [Okama#Japanese_gay_s _ok. last=McLelland |first=Mark |title=Male Homosexuality and Popular Culture in Modern Japan |journal=Intersections: Gender, History & Culture in the Asian Context |issue=3 |date=2000 |url=http://wwwsshe.murdoch.edu.au/intersections/issue3/mclelland2.html |accessdate=2007-02-24 ] :The term fujoshi (腐女子, lit. "rotten girl;" a play on 婦女子, also pronounced "fujoshi" but meaning "respectable woman") is also used, due largely to the overwhelming popularity of male homosexuality-related media amongst Japanese women. [cite journal |last=McLelland |first=Mark |title=Why are Japanese Girls’ Comics full of Boys Bonking? |journal=Refractory: a Journal of Entertainment Media |issue=10 |date=2006/2007 |url=http://www.refractory.unimelb.edu.au/journalissues/vol10/maclelland.html |accessdate=2008-02-09 |format=dead link|date=June 2008ndash [http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3AMcLelland+intitle%3AWhy+are+Japanese+Girls%E2%80%99+Comics+full+of+Boys+Bonking%3F&as_publication=Refractory%3A+a+Journal+of+Entertainment+Media&as_ylo=&as_yhi=&btnG=Search Scholar search] ] [cite web |url=http://www.csuchico.edu/~mtoku/vc/Articles/toku/Wil_Toku_BoysLove.html |title=Boys' Love," Yaoi, and Art Education:Issues of Power and Pedagogy |accessdate=2008-02-09 |last=Wilson |first=Brent |coauthors=Toku, Masami |date=2003 |work=Visual Culture: Research in Art and Education |publisher= [http://www.csuchico.edu/ California State University of Chico] ]
*Slovene: "taška" (A term used by some gay men, the usual slang meaning being that of a lady purse.)

Conversely, friendships between heterosexual men and lesbians are addressed with the slang terms "lesbro", "dyke tyke", "Dutch boy", "dyke dog", and "rug doctor" in referring to a straight man with extensive platonic friendships with lesbians, but these usages are uncommon in mainstream sexual culture.

In the case of friendships between lesbians and gay men, the term "dyke diva" describes the woman in the relationship. A straight man of platonic affinity with gay men is a "fag stag"; again, the usage is rare in mainstream sexual culture.

Other uses

*"Fag Hag" (Plume Fiction) by Robert Rodi ISBN 978-0-45-226940-8
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164024/ "Fag Hag" (1998 movie)]

Notes

External links

* [http://thetyee.ca/Entertainment/2005/09/29/FagHag/ Discussion of the anthropology of the phrase]
* [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fag+hag&defid=5855 U.S.-based urban dictionary]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • fag hag — fag ,hag noun count OFFENSIVE a woman who likes spending time with gay men …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • fag hag — ☆ fag hag n. Slang a heterosexual woman who prefers the company of and socializes with homosexual men: usually a term of derision or contempt …   English World dictionary

  • fag hag — noun slang : a woman who enjoys the company of male homosexuals * * * Slang (disparaging and offensive). a heterosexual female who seeks out or particularly enjoys the company of male homosexuals. [1965 70] * * * fag hag noun A heterosexual woman …   Useful english dictionary

  • fag hag — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms fag hag : singular fag hag plural fag hags offensive a woman who likes spending time with gay men …   English dictionary

  • fag-hag — n a woman who prefers the company of homosexual men. The expression became popular in the late 1960s with increased awareness of the gay commu nity among straights. The phrase quickly spread from the USA to Britain and Aus tralia. Although… …   Contemporary slang

  • fag hag — /ˈfæg hæg/ (say fag hag) noun Colloquial (derogatory) a woman who favours the company of homosexual men …  

  • fag-hag — Noun. A woman who prefers the company of gay men over that of heterosexuals. Fag hags have also been known to desire sexual relations with gay men …   English slang and colloquialisms

  • fag hag — Slang (disparaging and offensive). a heterosexual female who seeks out or particularly enjoys the company of male homosexuals. [1965 70] * * * …   Universalium

  • fag hag — noun A woman who likes the company of gay men. It can be affectionate or offensive, depending on the usage …   Wiktionary

  • Fag hag — (derogatory) woman who socialises with male homosexuals …   Dictionary of Australian slang

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