Is there a gay accent in English?

I'm not denying the fact that SOME gay males do speak in a somewhat effeminate manner - be it in a high pitched tone of voice, and effecting effeminate mannerisms - but you only have to visit your nearest gay pub or club - if you can manage to get in the doors in the first place, especially at weekends - for you to discover that guys with such an outward effeminacy of both speech and deportment are really quite in the minority.

If you can manage to overcome either your personal hang-ups and prejudices or just sheer cold tootsies over the prospect of going through the doors of such establishments and assuming simple curiosity then you will see it for yourself as being the case. You'll have quite a range to choose from here in Edinburgh if you ever find yourself in this part of the world.

The style of speech you are referring to isn't an "accent" - it's nonsensical to describe it as such.

Edinburgh is quite a mecca for tourists from all over the world all the year round (furthermore we have a huge International Festival here in this city which runs throughout August) and a fair proportion of those are gay men - and believe you me when they converse in English (as they have to in Scotland if they want to get anywhere as Scots are by no means known for the multi-lingual skills!) - the range of accents is very wide ranging.

It's also true that some gay guys do effect effeminacy of speech and mannerisms deliberately, as has been suggested by one of the resident "Guests" in here. It is their "trademark" you might say - it's their choice. The majority of gay males do not, it's as clear cut as that.

Damian can speak only for Scotland. Visit New York, and you'll want to deny your affiliation to homosexuality at once!

I do know that there is an area of New York called Queens - is there a connection? Anyway, I know what you mean - I've seen one of your wacky American TV shows about a queeny gay guy whose name I can't remember - it is part of the show title of two names, the other one being a woman but he associated with another gay guy who was not quite so fey...strange relationships, so nope, not my scene, sorry. So that's New York off my list of "must visit there" then....

<<...and believe you me when they converse in English...>>


Given your penchant for absurd stereotypes and mindless generalisations and propaganda, I have a hard time believing anything you say.

"I do know that there is an area of New York called Queens "

Oh, young lad! It's after YOUR own queen (Queen Catherine of Braganza, the wife of Charles II, to be precise) that the borough of Queens received its name! The neighboring Brooklyn, similarly, was known as the King County since the mid-17th century (and survived in the form of Kings County up to this day).

This is how the infamous Chelsea Boy looks like:
http://i36.tinypic.com/167mfwl.jpg

And this is a typical Chelsea nightlife event poster:
http://www.boysforbreakfast.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/campus-thursdays-splash-bar-new-york.jpg

But this shouldn't deter you from visiting either the Big Apple or the USA (which I believe you soon shall do!). Your worldview, if you will forgive my unrequested advise, could use a little stretching. It's very British in the worst of connotations.

Hello everyone! Haven't commented in ages!
Hm.. I've never thought of it as an accent either. But there are some men whom I have heard speak in what I imagine they think sounds...feminine. Though honestly, they sound like they are trying to imitate the stereotypical dumb blond from a bad comedy. And most people assume that they wouldn't talk that way unless they were homosexual. Because talking like that isn't something that just comes naturally. To anyone, male or female.
And I agree with Uriel- I have never heard a lesbian talk that way.
But then again, some of my best friends are gay men. They aren't stereotypical- they are just regular guys who like other guys. And they don't talk that way ever. But, they often date men who do. Seems to me that the males speaking that way must be the...erm...omega in the relationship. For lack of a better term.

How is it that everyone seems to have gay friends? Whaaa? I don't know a single gay person and I've only met one or two in my life, and I'm not a hermit or anything.. Where are all these best friends of yours? Maybe I'm just not observant..

I know tons of them. I've met them at school, at work, through friends -- all the normal ways you meet people. I can name at least 3 gay men and 3 gay women that I work with and see on a daily basis, as well as at least 2 ladies that have been known to swing both ways. And this ain't the big city, either! We're talking a dusty little city in the desert at the ass-end of the flyover zone.

Then you must be working at the local newspaper or a small scale porn studio.

I met my friends during annual fag-bashing events. I also met a few at Klan meetings.

Have fun in your Chinese shithole, you clown!

where are the gays Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:03 am GMT
How is it that everyone seems to have gay friends? Whaaa? I don't know a single gay person and I've only met one or two in my life, and I'm not a hermit or anything.. Where are all these best friends of yours? Maybe I'm just not observant..
=================

Hhaha, one of Shuimo's good friends is gay, a fact I didn't know until he told me one day about his little secrect, which surprised me a lot in the very beginning!

But that initial shock was just short-lived!

Through him I've come to know quite a bit about the less-than-sunny life of the gay world, also a very colorful one, I must say!

Think of these wild dancing parties and performances at the gay bars!

Seems to me that the males speaking that way must be the...erm...omega in the relationship.


LOL.

Breathtag - you are, like Uriel, a breath of pure fresh air in this otherwise very bigotted, deliberately prejudiced and exceedingly close-minded thread which I had vowed to never again contribute after my last posting, but I could not bring myself to overlook yours.

If people choose to cling to misplaced prejudices then that is their choice and they are at liberty to do so as long as it doesn't involve anything illegal, slanderous or libellous...we both live in countries where free speech and the expression of opinions are regarded as a legitimate right.

I've encountered homophobia both personally and on a wider sphere but to me it's all water off the proverbial duck's back. In actual fact here in the UK any kind of homophobic abuse from whatever quarter is illegal and all complaints of such abuse generally results in police action.

^ I could never really get into the hang of hating gays or lesbians, either, even when it was fashionable (in the 70s). Anytime someone wanted to talk about it, I could feel myself zoning out, and hoping I could get back to my chemistry/French/damn-good-movie-showing-on-TV that night, etc. It's kind of like people obsessing on the Mormons committing polygamy in Utah—good for a few chance remarks, but not much more. Antimooners, it really is a boring subject (not to invalidate you in any way, Damian.)

This attitude turned out to be a good thing when decades later a family member came out of the closet. (chuckle)