# Questions about "Gay or British" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826 "2010-04-30T03:56:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/1 "2010-04-30T03:56:58Z")
It is sometimes said that it is hard to tell if a person (always a man) is either gay, or just British. I have a few questions about this: 1. Is it known in Britain that this meme (dunno what else to call it) exists in America? Does it exist elsewhere? 2. What is the earliest reference for this idea? Did it exist at all during WWII when the allies were fighting together? I have on occasion seen news stories or clips where, I would have assumed a man speaking was gay, had he not been British. I suspect that some mannerisms that are more common in Britain coincide more with somewhat stereotypical gay mannerisms in America. Or that it’s just a bunch of bunk. ---
**Author:** ![kim\_jung\_il](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kim\_jung\_il](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kim_jung_il)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/2 "2010-04-30T06:08:55Z")
I had no idea that this expression existed. I am a Brit and a heterosexual and I fail to see what mannerisms a camp person and a run-of-the-mill Brit would share. Are we meant to be camp? I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/3 "2010-04-30T06:20:55Z")
> [@kim\_jung\_il](#): > > I had no idea that this expression existed. > I am a Brit and a heterosexual and I fail to see what mannerisms a camp person and a run-of-the-mill Brit would share. > > Are we meant to be camp? I don’t get it. I think a certain stereotype of British people in the US entails a neatly dressed, polite, well spoken person who enunciates and speaks in complete sentences. The way you tell, see, is check their teeth and ask them to cook you something delicious 😃 ---
**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:** [April 30, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/4 "2010-04-30T06:53:57Z")
I’ve never heard the expression as such, but I’m aware that there exists a stereotype of the slightly eccentric, slightly effeminate, possibly homosexual Brit. I’ve not really encountered it that much (it occasionally crops up in the Simpsons), so it’s not as offensive and tiresome to me as the stereotypes about teeth and cooking. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/5 "2010-04-30T07:27:42Z")
I didn’t know about the connection, although I’d heard that the French think British men are effeminate (pot/kettle??). Britain is populated with a fair few million blokes like [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Winstone) who I suggest you don’t mention this to. > [@Mangetout](#): > > it’s not as offensive and tiresome to me as the stereotypes about teeth and cooking. Quite ---
**Author:** ![Sizzles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@Sizzles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sizzles)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/6 "2010-04-30T10:30:09Z")
The French call Homosexuality ‘the English vice’, probably in the hope of annoying the English. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/7 "2010-04-30T10:45:54Z")
I only knew about the stereotype by having read posts mentioning it here several times. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/8 "2010-04-30T11:34:30Z")
> [@Sizzles](#): > > The French call Homosexuality ‘the English vice’, probably in the hope of annoying the English. I thought that was the love of being caned. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/9 "2010-04-30T11:51:43Z")
> [@kim\_jung\_il](#): > > I had no idea that this expression existed. > I am a Brit and a heterosexual and I fail to see what mannerisms a camp person and a run-of-the-mill Brit would share. > > Are we meant to be camp? I don’t get it. Well, the last time I saw it mentioned on this board was in reference to Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, so run-of-the-mill may not be quite what they’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/10 "2010-04-30T11:57:06Z")
> [@Sizzles](#): > > The French call Homosexuality ‘the English vice’, probably in the hope of annoying the English. They usually mean the reassuring thwhack of bamboo on a nicely-reddened buttock. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/11 "2010-04-30T12:31:45Z")
> [@julius blaze](#): > > It is sometimes said that it is hard to tell if a person (always a man) is either gay, or just British. I have a few questions about this: > > 1. Is it known in Britain that this meme (dunno what else to call it) exists in America? Does it exist elsewhere? Nope. First I’ve heard of it! I can see why though. No one here really knows about the “British people have crooked teeth” meme either, and that one I don’t understand as much - I don’t think any other countries attach that stereotype to us, and I’ve never noticed British people’s teeth being any different to those of Americans. Certainly not regular people anyway. It doesn’t make much sense tome. I mean, at least the “terrible food” and “terrible weather” stereotypes are true… ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/12 "2010-04-30T12:34:24Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > They usually mean the reassuring thwhack of bamboo on a nicely-reddened buttock. Given the choice between the three, I’d go for rum. ---
**Author:** ![alsoknownas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@alsoknownas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alsoknownas)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/13 "2010-04-30T12:41:47Z")
I’ve never heard it. Have heard the teeth one. Our teeth are quite messed up though, I have to admit :D. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/14 "2010-04-30T12:59:48Z")
> [@kim\_jung\_il](#): > > Are we meant to be camp? I don’t get it. Hey, I’m not British or gay! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/15 "2010-04-30T13:06:07Z")
Well, like, when I was a kid, George Michael was always prancing around on the TV. We honestly had no idea he was gay, just, you know, British. Foreign, for one thing, and in the 80’s you saw all the outre examples of “British style” from various scenes, and I know I’m not the only person who was… confused. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/16 "2010-04-30T13:26:58Z")
> [@groman](#): > > I think a certain stereotype of British people in the US entails a neatly dressed, polite, well spoken person who enunciates and speaks in complete sentences. The way you tell, see, is check their teeth and ask them to cook you something delicious 😃 Yeah, I think that’s basically it. To an American, or a Canadian like me, a stereotypical upper class Brit might seems “fastidious and precise” which seems gay. Such a person might even like classical music. The same could be said about upper class Massachusetts natives cf Frasier Crane’s surprisingly straight brother Niles. As to the teeth thing, I always thought it had something to do with [Shane MacGowan](http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f104/Cletus7000/ShaneMacgowan2.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/17 "2010-04-30T13:31:22Z")
I don’t think [this gentleman](http://i39.tinypic.com/14ionzo.jpg) is gay, although I would bet he doesn’t have a wife or girlfriend. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/18 "2010-04-30T14:25:21Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > As to the teeth thing, I always thought it had something to do with [Shane MacGowan](http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f104/Cletus7000/ShaneMacgowan2.jpg). …who isn’t British. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/19 "2010-04-30T14:37:25Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I’ve never heard the expression as such, but I’m aware that there exists a stereotype of the slightly eccentric, slightly effeminate, possibly homosexual Brit. Yeah, that’s probably it. Of course the stereotype isn’t limited to just the Brits. There’s a song in _Legally Blonde: The Musical_ where they discuss a character who’s “either gay, or European.” And 40 years ago, when I was appearing in a play, my father met the director and promptly pronounced him to be “not gay, just theatrical.” ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826/20 "2010-04-30T14:41:07Z")
Who knows what will draw the suspicion of the American Homophobe? (_homophobious, Americus, hypocritus_) They attacked a teletubbie for heaven’s sake! I’ve heard this before, and always thought it was more to do with the way British guys move and dance. There’s a definite difference from American males; something languid. (::aside:: is “languidity” a word?) It’s almost as if they move more with their ligaments than with their muscles. It’s hard to explain. Just a general looseness about the joints, and a less purposeful stride, I suppose. And then there’s the tea drinking of course. A man who drinks tea instead of coffee is definitely going to raise an eyebrow among the homophobes here. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-gay-or-british/537826.md?page=2)