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What is a Friend of Dorothy?

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What is a Friend of Dorothy?

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A friend of Dorothy or FOD is someone who identifies as homosexual or queer; the term can encompass a range of people in the queer community, from transsexuals to asexuals. This euphemism came into common use in the gay community in the middle of the 20th century, when people needed to be discreet about their sexual orientation. Although the gay community is increasingly “out” today, the term endures, especially to describe closeted people in the queer community. There are several theories for the origins of this term. The most likely reason is that it is named for Dorothy Parker (1893 – 1967), a famous gay rights ally and icon who inspired a variety of slang terms within the queer community. Parker’s witty, trenchant writing was often littered with euphemisms which were later adopted by the gay community, making it easy for people to identify each other without explicitly stating their orientation. People have been describing themselves as friends of Dorothy since the 1930s, lending c

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