Fag stag
Heterosexual male who enjoys company of gay men
title: "Fag stag" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["lgbtq-slang", "slang-terms-for-men", "1990s-neologisms"] description: "Heterosexual male who enjoys company of gay men" topic_path: "general/lgbtq-slang" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fag_stag" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Heterosexual male who enjoys company of gay men ::
Fag stag and fruit fly are slang terms for a heterosexual man who either enjoys or prefers the company of, or simply has numerous friends who are, gay or bisexual people.
Both terms include derogatory terms for homosexuals (fag and fruit).{{cite book | last = Peckham | first =Aaron | page =100 | isbn =978-0-7407-6875-0 | title=Mo' Urban Dictionary: Ridonkulous Street Slang Defined | publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing | year=2007 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=u27ferHysRMC | access-date=2008-07-23}}
The term, which originated in the United States in the 1990s,{{cite book | last = Green | first =Jonathon | page =485 | isbn =0-304-36636-6 | title=Cassell's Dictionary of Slang: A Major New Edition of the Market-leading Dictionary of Slang | publisher=Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. | year=2006 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=5GpLcC4a5fAC | access-date=2008-07-23}}{{cite book | last = Reuter | first =Donald F. | page =198 | isbn =0-312-35427-4 | title=Gay-2-zee: A Dictionary of Sex, Subtext, and the Sublime | publisher=Macmillan | year=2006 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=7FpPbfVRm3MC | access-date=2008-07-23}} is the male equivalent of the more common slang term "fag hag",{{cite web |last = The Single Guy |first = Jorge |title = Single in the City: Fag Stag |publisher = Generation Q Media |date = 29 June 2006 |url = http://www.generationq.net/articles/Single-in-the-City-Fag-Stag-00001.html |access-date = 2008-07-23 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081012105131/http://www.generationq.net/articles/Single-in-the-City-Fag-Stag-00001.html |archive-date = 12 October 2008 | last = Baker | first =Paul | page =140 | isbn =0-8264-7343-1 | title=Fantabulosa: A Dictionary of Polari and Gay Slang | publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group | year=2004 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=T72TJfZoywAC | access-date=2008-07-23}}
The term can be used as a pejorative or as a term of endearment within LGBTQ communities.{{cite book | last = Self | first =Will | page =85 | isbn =0-8264-7343-1 | title=Dorian: An Imitation | publisher=Grove Press | year=2004 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=nVH4uB_oy54C | access-date=2008-07-23}}{{cite book | last = Adams | first =Kylie | page =204 | isbn =0-7582-1073-6 | title=Ex-girlfriends | publisher=Kensington Books | year=2005 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=Damk_X3FB4UC | access-date=2008-07-23}}{{cite web |last = Ordona |first = Robert |title = State of Gay Unions: The "Fag Stag" |publisher = Planet Out Inc |year = 2008 |url = http://www.gay.com/news/roundups/package.html?sernum=6315 |access-date = 2008-07-23 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090116031833/http://www.gay.com/news/roundups/package.html?sernum=6315 |archive-date = January 16, 2009
Usage
The colloquialism is used, albeit rarely, primarily within the LGBTQ communities.{{cite web | last = Cohen | first =Mo | title=Deconstructing Fag Hags | publisher=Rearguard Monthly Alternative | year=2006 | url =http://www.therearguard.pdx.edu/RG2006_11article_fagHags.html | access-date=2008-07-23}} {{cite web |last = David |first = Marianne |title = Beyond the Flamboyant Façade, The Flip Side |publisher = The Nation |date = 3 June 2007 |url = http://www.nation.lk/2007/06/03/eyefea6.htm |access-date = 2008-07-24 |archive-date = 2008-05-13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080513000325/http://www.nation.lk/2007/06/03/eyefea6.htm |url-status = dead
Mainstream shows, such as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Queer as Folk, Will & Grace and others, often explore the mainstreaming of friendships where differing sexualities play a complement rather than impediment to friendships and social situations.{{cite web | last = Sohn | first =Amy | title=Mano a Mano: Much has been made about how a "Queer Eye" can benefit a straight guy. But there is no shortage of gay men who would welcome a little straightening out. | publisher=New York Magazine | date=13 October 2003 | url =http://nymag.com/nymetro/nightlife/sex/columns/nakedcity/n_9344/ | access-date=2008-07-24}}{{cite web | last = Heinrich | first =Karen | title=The Great Gender Bender: Heterosexual men no longer feel the need to keep their gay friends in the closet. | publisher=The Age | date=22 May 2003 | url =http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/22/1053196672068.html | access-date=2008-07-24}}
In addition, homophobia has become less prevalent, and efforts to confront violence and hostility towards sexual and gender minorities, such as gay–straight alliance, has helped lift some of the stigma attached to having LGBTQ people as close friends.
A 2002 episode of the MTV series Undressed was titled "Fag Stag" and centered on a gay wedding.{{cite web | title="Undressed": Girls Interrupted (2002) | publisher=IMDb.com, Inc. | year=2008 | url =https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948385/ | access-date=2008-07-23}}{{cite web | title=Plot summary for "Undressed" | publisher=IMDb.com, Inc. | year=2008 | url =https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948385/plotsummary | access-date=2008-07-23}}
When Radar magazine debuted, its founder and editor-in-chief, Maer Roshan, called competitor Details editor-in-chief Dan Peres a "professional fag stag", stating, "Let's get one thing straight, Peres is not gay. But his magazine sure seems to be."{{cite web |last = Romenesko |first = Jim |title = Radar's Roshan says Details is an awfully gay magazine |publisher = New York Post |date = 11 April 2003 |url = http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=29576& |access-date = 2008-07-24 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051201131828/http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=29576& |archive-date = 2005-12-01 |url-status = dead
In regards to heterosexual males, the term fag stag is not to be confused with the term gay icon. The term gay icon is used for a celebrity (gay or straight) who is highly regarded by the gay community. While one can be both a fag stag and a gay icon concurrently, the terms are not synonymous.{{cite web |last = Millar |first = Iain |title = The Critics: Channel Hopper - Budluck, bareness and other scourges |publisher = The Independent on Sunday |date = 5 October 2003 |url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20031005/ai_n12746998 |access-date = 2008-07-24 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071210091318/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20031005/ai_n12746998 |archive-date = 10 December 2007
Footnotes
References
References
- Newall, Venetia. (1986-01-31). "Folklore and Male Homosexuality". Folklore.
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