# Why is lisping stereotypically associated with homosexuality?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-lisping-stereotypically-associated-with-homosexuality/403561>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [May 10, 2007, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-lisping-stereotypically-associated-with-homosexuality/403561 "2007-05-10T16:22:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![MichelleR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@MichelleR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichelleR)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-lisping-stereotypically-associated-with-homosexuality/403561/41 "2007-05-15T23:38:36Z")

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Does anyone know if this stereotype exists in all cultures and languages or just in English which is what most of us are familiar with? (And I’ve not really noticed lesbians speaking in any stereotypical “masculine” way.)

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**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-lisping-stereotypically-associated-with-homosexuality/403561/42 "2007-05-15T23:58:09Z")

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[QUOTE=MichelleR]  
Does anyone know if this stereotype exists in all cultures and languages or just in English which is what most of us are familiar with? (And I’ve not really noticed lesbians speaking in any stereotypical “masculine” way.)  
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The wrist bending and the over the top drama when talking are common to spanish, at least. Not lisping, though.

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-lisping-stereotypically-associated-with-homosexuality/403561/43 "2007-05-18T04:06:36Z")

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Apparently there is at least one researcher actually researching this topic. While I don’t have a link to any peer-reviewed published articles on his work, yahoo has some 60 Minutes clips of him and his work here: [http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/68/gay\_or\_straight](http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/68/gay_or_straight) (Click on the one with the black and white person and the Can You Tell? label.)

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