lavender linguistics

Homosexuality was illegal in England until 1967 (for men), and you had to be 21 to engage in sexual activity. In 1994 this was changed to 18, then 16 in 2001.

Polari was a secretive language widely used by the British gay community from the 1990s to the 1970s. It was based on slang words deriving from a variety of different sources, including rhyming slang, and backslang (spelling words backwords).

In the 18th century it was mainly used in pubs and around the London dock area.

Allowed gay men to talk in from of straight people. created a group identity.

ethnicity