Saturday, February 19, 2005

4 comments:

C. Dale said...

In Spanish slang, "Mariposa" means gay. Well, the best translation would probably be "fag." Gay isn't negative enough. Queer is too politcal. "Faggot" is too derogatory. "Sissy" too childish. Yup, I think the best english word equivalent is "fag." The actual translation of the word to english in "butterfly." Easy to see how the slang came about.

Suzanne said...

I had no idea, white mariposa (butterfly jasmine) is one of my favorite flowers and the national flower of Cuba. I've always loved the way mariposa sounds when said out loud--how could they take something so beautiful and ruin it?!

C. Dale said...

Sadly, th Spanish didn't "ruin" that word. The English did. The word for a male prostitute who made himself more feminine to attract straight trade is "butterfly." No surprise that M. Butterfly features a man who convinces another man he is a woman so that he can steal secrets for his own government. The spanish slang only co-opted butterly as a term for gay men. Personally, I find the word beautiful, with and without its connotation for gay men. In many ways, I find it flattering, that gay men are beautiful. Ha!

Suzanne said...

Gay men *are* beautiful, it's a bit maddening for the straight girls. ;-)