# In UK slang, what is a "bender?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401 "2011-01-12T23:30:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/1 "2011-01-12T23:30:43Z")
In US slang a “bender” is an alcoholic jaunt. In UK I saw it used as a presumably pejorative name to call someone, but just what does it mean? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/2 "2011-01-12T23:32:07Z")
[This?](http://static.tvfanatic.com/images/gallery/bender-smoking.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/3 "2011-01-12T23:35:35Z")
A “bender”, as a pejorative, is a homosexual. Other slang meanings: “going on a bender” means spending a whole day or even several getting rascally drunk. A “bender” was an impromptu shelter constructed by New Age travellers, the Greenham Common anti-nuke protesters or similar, consisting of bent saplings or tree-branches covered in waterproof sheeting. ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/4 "2011-01-12T23:44:34Z")
It makes watching Futurama as an Englishman slightly more amusing than it otherwise would be. ---
**Author:** ![BunnyTVS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BunnyTVS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyTVS)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/5 "2011-01-13T00:40:00Z")
> [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](#): > > It makes watching Futurama as an Englishman slightly more amusing than it otherwise would be. And the Avatar: Last Airbender movie almost watchable. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/6 "2011-01-13T00:46:17Z")
What **Malacandra** said. “Bender” in the UK is a pejorative word for a homosexual, although the US meaning of a heavy night’s drinking and partying is becoming more widely used. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/7 "2011-01-13T01:11:06Z")
In the Gunslinger books by Stephen King a ‘bender’ is also slang for a homosexual…I wonder if that’s where King got it? -XT ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/8 "2011-01-13T03:29:45Z")
> [@bluecanary](#): > > What **Malacandra** said. “Bender” in the UK is a pejorative word for a homosexual, although the US meaning of a heavy night’s drinking and partying is becoming more widely used. I thought that the more common term used to be _Bent_, as in the [famous play by Martin Sherman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bent_%28play%29) And non-bent would then be straight, of course. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/9 "2011-01-13T04:10:58Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > I thought that the more common term used to be _Bent_, as in the [famous play by Martin Sherman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bent_%28play%29) If he is bent, then he is a bender. The OED says that _bender_, in the homosexual sense, is “orig. _U.S._ now chiefly _Brit._” and it has cites starting from 1965 (US) and 1977 (UK). Apparently in the US it referred specifically to a man who took the receptive role in anal intercourse (possibly because he bends over?) but by the time it got to the UK it seems to have broadened to refer generally to homosexual men. _Bent_, meaning homosexual, goes back to 1957 in the UK. It seems to have emerged from a broader meaning of psychologically disturbed or perverted in any respect. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/10 "2011-01-13T08:14:45Z")
_Bent_ can also mean unscrupulous, dishonest or criminal in UK slang, particularly in connection with authorities, for example: _bent copper_ = crooked police officer. (I mention this only because the topic has drifted to the meaning of _bent_ - as far as I know, _bender_ is never used in this way) ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/11 "2011-01-13T12:12:28Z")
It also has the alcohol meaning in the UK. Edit - which i now see has been said. My favourite 70’s band had Ariel Bender on lead guitar if that helps at all. ---
**Author:** ![Uncertain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Uncertain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncertain)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/12 "2011-01-13T13:24:21Z")
I imagine that “get bent!” is related. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/13 "2011-01-13T14:20:47Z")
Other (minor) meanings of the term _bender_ I have encountered: A (cloth or paper) serviette (I believe this may be a brand name gone generic, like _Hoover_) A sausage of continental type, either naturally curved, or made so by a series of shallow transverse cuts along one side. ([Cite](http://wimpyblog.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/bender-in-a-bun/)) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/14 "2011-01-13T14:32:50Z")
**’Camp’ Freddie:** But Mr. Bridger, what if the Professor’s not bent? **Mr. Bridger:** Camp Freddie, everyone in the _World_ is bent! ---
**Author:** ![flano1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f14d63/32.png) [@flano1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flano1)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/15 "2011-01-13T17:53:13Z")
You English is so strange. ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/16 "2011-01-13T18:06:42Z")
I’ve always considered it as being used as the opposite of ‘straight’, and therefore insulting. Is that actually true, or is its etymology different than that? ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/17 "2011-01-13T18:10:43Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > A “bender”, as a pejorative, is a homosexual. I guess that somewhat clarifies the lyrics of “Jeremy Bender” by Emerson, Lake & Palmer. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/18 "2011-01-13T19:14:28Z")
> [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](#): > > I’ve always considered it as being used as the opposite of ‘straight’, and therefore insulting. Is that actually true, or is its etymology different than that? No idea, but it’s worth noting that (as well as meaning heterosexual) ‘straight’, in UK slang, also means honest or upstanding (or sometimes honest and upstanding to the point of being prim). ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/19 "2011-01-13T19:20:22Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I guess that somewhat clarifies the lyrics of “Jeremy Bender” by Emerson, Lake & Palmer. But still leaves the mystery of what Mister Richard Smoker by Ween is all about. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401/20 "2011-01-13T19:20:44Z")
> [@flano1](#): > > You English is so strange. This from the country which came up with “Oh snap!” 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-uk-slang-what-is-a-bender/567401.md?page=2)