CHAPTER SIXTEEN

As everyone knows, the homosexual grapevine works so smoothly and so well that a new man in town—even in a big city like New York—has no trouble making contacts within a few hours of arriving. He will know the bars where the homosexual businessmen are lingering over a last dry Martini while debating whether to catch the train for the suburbs or pick up a beautiful young man. They will know where the “rough” trade hangs out; where the extremely feminine homosexuals are to be found, and where to find and mingle with the more artistic ones.

The homosexuals of both sexes also have a jargon of their own. The following is a list of the terms and descriptive phrases used among inmates of women's prisons and such juvenile centers as Youth House and the New York Training School.

A bulldiker: Usually heavy-set, very masculine, Butch haircut, no make-up. Does not like children. Always plays the part of the male in the sex act.

A Manatee: A woman homosexual who acts like a man, holding open doors, buying extravagant gifts for her “girls” and even fighting for her if necessary.

A White Liver: A female having no feeling for the opposite sex whatsoever.

A Queer Bird: One who enjoys an occasional homosexual romp but is mostly heterosexual.

Red Top: A female who loves only white blondes.

A Papa: Female homosexual who takes the man's part exclusively. A Mama: Someone who takes the woman's part exclusively.

A Pimp: She does not work and is supported by the earnings of other female prostitutes. She is a jockey or top sergeant. She dresses like a man and although she is white, she often prefers to live with a colored girl.

To Lower Your Belt: A female homosexual who will go with anyone who asks her as opposed to the ones who try to ‘go steady’ even in prison.

The male homosexuals also have a jargon of their own:

A fag—A suggestible person who will try anything for a new kick. Most fags believe they were born fags. None have any desire to be “cured.”

Punkies: Young homosexuals, 14 to 20 years old, who are new at the game.

A Camp: You're a riot, very witty.

Jam fags: Brilliant male homosexuals. Many fags have pseudo-names such as Queen Mary, Princess Wee Wee, Dollar Princess and so on. Faggots feel toward a man as a woman does, meaning that some who have intercourse by rectum can ‘finger themselves’. Others who do it the French way think of a man by just touching themselves.

A double life man: One who cares for men and women at the same time. Most male homosexuals hate the very look of a woman.

Kiki: A male homosexual who indulges in the oral and genital homosexual method at the same time. Most of the fags like the rectal method best and prefer to be the receiver.

A gang fairy: A homosexual in jail who was forced to have homosexual relations with twenty or more men, consecutively.

A fish: A male homosexual who has a mouth homosexual relations with a female homosexual.

All the above terms were culled from various reports on the habits of men and women incarcerated for any reason whatsoever. Most had a previous jail record and, therefore, homosexual record. Says Ellis: “Let's not kid ourselves—wherever any whenever men and women are shut away together with others of their own kind, homosexuality occurs.