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Antis/people who believe who believe Louis Tomlinson is straight PLEASE open and read this thread /gen /srs
(It’s safe)
(It’s safe)
It’s pretty well known that Louis wears Polari brand clothing, which is, as we’ve said before and most people know, a gay men’s clothing brand. But, I’ve seen quite a few people say that it’s just a brand, and means nothing. That couldn’t be further from the truth, here’s why+
+Something a lot of people don’t know, is that Polari isn’t just a brand, it’s a lost language. It combines Italian, Yiddish, Romani, Thieves Cant, Parlyaree (another secret language), as well as London slang. In the 1960s and prior, homosexuality was outlawed in the UK.
+ You could be prosecuted and imprisoned simply for being homosexual. The language came about in the 18th & 19th centuries as a way for criminals, sailors, and travelers to communicate secretly. British gay men adopted the language in order to communicate without the risk of+
+prosecution. Examples of Polari words are “bagaga” meaning p*nis, “filiomi” meaning attractive young man, “lallies” meaning trousers, “eek” meaning face, “ferricadooza” meaning a knock down punch, etc. Louis even wore a shirt containing the last word mentioned.+
+Just one example of a sentence in Polari would be “Bona to vada your dolly old eek!”, which means “Good to see your nice face!”. Now, the ferricadooza shirt should be proof enough that Polari the brand is in fact based off of the language, but in case you arent convinced+
+take a look at their Instagram bio.
“Polari: language of the subversive”.
I know many people aren’t native English speakers, so here I’ll include a definition of subversive+
“Polari: language of the subversive”.
I know many people aren’t native English speakers, so here I’ll include a definition of subversive+
+“Tending or intending to subvert, overthrow, destroy, or undermine an established or existing system, especially a legally constituted government or a set of beliefs”.
So, what does this mean? Well, these men were resisting the system, the oppressive laws, and the daily+
So, what does this mean? Well, these men were resisting the system, the oppressive laws, and the daily+
+abuse and injustice thrown at them. By finding their own language, by remaining strong and proud of who they were, by protesting, they were subversive.
The language of the subversive. The language of those who will fight for their rights, and their humanity. Polari.+
The language of the subversive. The language of those who will fight for their rights, and their humanity. Polari.+
+In 1967, homosexuality in England and Wales was legalized by the Sexual Offences Act. Granted, the men had to be over the age of 21, and could only show their love in private, but it was no longer illegal to be gay. By 1970, Polari had fallen out of major use. +
Now, for a minute I want to go back again to Louis’ ferricadooza shirt. At first, it may seem like a random Polari word. But, think about it: “a knock-down punch”.
This represents oppression, it represents homophobia, and all the people holding down the lgbtq+ community, and+
This represents oppression, it represents homophobia, and all the people holding down the lgbtq+ community, and+
+telling them it’s not okay to be who they are, knocking them down for wanting to love freely. Ferricadooza perfectly represents that struggle.+
+I want you to be honest, and open-minded and genuinely ask yourself why a heterosexual man, ally or not, would be not just a supporter, but a spokesperson and representative of this brand. When there are so many gay men in the entertainment industry, why Louis, a supposedly+
+heterosexual man? Why would he be the one chosen to represent this powerful message, filled with history: history of suppression, of pain, of pride, of struggle, without identifying with the struggle himself? If he is straight, can you not see how problematic that is? Can you+
+not see how he would have stolen the position from someone who has experienced that pain, and that struggle themselves? Why would this brand, a symbol of pride and of the history of the lgbtq+ community choose him? They wouldn’t. It’s that simple. They just wouldn’t.
I know a lot of you will say that this proves that he’s homophobic, because he’s straight, and taking this position from someone who is a part of the community, but we know he isn’t homophobic, and here’s an excellent thread of examples why not: https://twitter.com/kmmcopy91/status/1340353142051880961
Sources: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180212-polari-the-code-language-gay-men-used-to-survive
I know Wikipedia isn’t a super reliable source, but it has pretty accurate information for these articles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_Offences_Act_1967
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_Offences_Act_1967
