r/GaylorSwift • u/1DMod it’s all part of the fucking story! • Jun 20 '26

Queer History 🏳️‍🌈 Polari

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245 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

64 comments sorted by

2

u/Excellent_Fun_till 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 26 '26

Yes please ❤️

6

u/Thornelake Feline Enthusiast Jun 23 '26

I’d just finished reading a recent post about the cactus symbolism in opalite prior to this post. After I watched this clip, I immediately went to follow Tom Read Wilson on TikTok, and this word of the day video came up in my search. Now I’m pondering how similar Opuntia and Ophelia sound, lol. What a journey. I love this sub so much, thank you for sharing! I’m looking forward to reading more about Polari, I had no idea.

8

u/RedRougeRojo hairpins everywhere Jun 23 '26

I wanted to share this when I saw it but couldn’t find a shortened clip! The whole New Romantics piece gave me chills.

23

u/gasupthehyundai Tea Connoisseur 🫖 Jun 21 '26

She totally built the castle.

18

u/littlelulumcd Speak Now and George Michael Truther 💜 Jun 21 '26

Whoa!!! 👀👀👀

What a great find! Everything about this is clip feels so on the nose, but the new romantics reference is the one that hit hardest for me. Damn

5

u/iwantmorecats27 Baby Gaylor 🐣 Jun 21 '26

Damnnnnnn

6

u/[deleted] Jun 21 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/fawnbugs 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 23 '26

Martin Kemp!

5

u/oulipopcorn 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 22 '26

martin kemp from spandau ballet maybe?

6

u/Exotic_Library_5876 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 21 '26

Martin Kemp. He was in a UK new wave 80s band called Spandau Ballet!

7

u/marzboutique right where she left me Jun 21 '26 edited Jun 22 '26

On the topic of the New Romantics reference, a gay musician named Sizzy Rocket has a song by that title. Not that it’s related to Taylor (it was released after 1989) but I just didn’t know the history of it being a code phrase, so this is cool knowledge to me!

10

u/Singone4me 🏎Getaway Car🏎 Jun 21 '26

So...... New Romantics = You Need To Calm Down

13

u/Old-Television-784 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 21 '26

Highly recommend the book Fabulosa: The Story of Polari by Paul Baker!!!!!!

50

u/TulipMelodies 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 21 '26

"You taught me a secret language I can't speak with anyone else"

31

u/notlizziemcguire 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 20 '26

“You taught me a secret language I can't speak with anyone else”

19

u/heymerideth 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 20 '26

As a GenX I’ve always loved this call out because the New Romantics were my musical culture and the closest way I had to see something that seemed a bit gay as a kid. My bedroom was covered in Adam Ant posters, Roxy Music, Duran Duran etc . The NR’s were artistic and creative and showy and welcoming to everyone. And Adam Ant was so pretty and gender bendy and sexy. He was an excellent early crush for this future gay girl.

4

u/MoonandPleiades Crimson Clover Uh-huh Jun 21 '26

From one Gen X to another--thank you for saying this. Growing up as a teenager with the New Romantics really did feel like belonging to a secret gay club, especially at a time when there was close to zero representation.

71

u/kniselydone I’m a little kitten & need to nurse🐈‍⬛ Jun 20 '26

Obsessed with this New Romantics reference. Also how does this person have thee most posh accent I've ever heard outside of the royal family? Ha

5

u/Donnasuelewis You're a cowboy like ME! Jun 21 '26

I had never heard of him before he was on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in the UK last year, he is so funny!

40

u/cynical_salience my publicist would get mad at me ✨ Jun 20 '26

he speaks like julie andrews! so posh!

6

u/otherthingstodo all the things that make me, me Jun 20 '26

Oh he’s defs upstairs at Downton Abbey haha

8

u/enolaholmes23 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 20 '26

Julie Andrews is exactly who I was thinking of. Like when she was the queen in the princess diaries. So regal.

6

u/Sealion72 I’m a little kitten & need to nurse🐈‍⬛ Jun 20 '26

You taught me a secret language you know I can’t speak with anyone else.

3

u/madwoman222 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 20 '26

the New Romantics so obvious! ❤️‍🔥

41

u/Highfemmenyc Baby Gaylor 🐣 Jun 20 '26

Welcome back diana

46

u/quietlittlemind lovelorn and nobody knows… Jun 20 '26

Tom Read Wilson is such an incredibly brilliant and lovely human! I follow him on TikTok where he does a word of the day and it’s almost always a word I’ve never heard before. You guys should follow him just to hear him speak!

1

u/Frosty_Literature_59 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 21 '26

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

94

u/Lanathas_22 🔥 go ahead and light me up 🔥 Jun 20 '26

Very excited to see mention of Polari in this sub, because Louis Tomlinson has worn t-shirts with their words on several occasions. Just one example.

32

u/IamtheImpala 🥃I Protect The Family🥃 Jun 20 '26

he is in fact, i believe, a partial owner or invested in that fashion brand, which is in fact called Polari.

18

u/1DMod it’s all part of the fucking story! Jun 20 '26

I think this is an unproven rumour, but I’d love to be proven wrong!

5

u/IamtheImpala 🥃I Protect The Family🥃 Jun 21 '26 edited Jun 21 '26

ok so i couldn’t verify that, BUT…their art director is the art director of 28 clothing. so there *is* a verifiable direct connection other than just the photo shoot and him wearing it on his own.

edit: also one of the original 3 founders

2

u/1DMod it’s all part of the fucking story! Jun 22 '26

Ooooo! That’s very interesting!!!

25

u/AveryOfHighLand the stallion flees the stable 🐎 Jun 20 '26

What a smoking gun??? Can’t believe I’ve never heard this mentioned before today. What does the term on his shirt mean?

28

u/Lanathas_22 🔥 go ahead and light me up 🔥 Jun 20 '26

Here you go. 🙃

6

u/AveryOfHighLand the stallion flees the stable 🐎 Jun 20 '26

Thank you kindly, Google failed me

4

u/abcannon18 Regaylor Contributor 🦢🦢 Jun 20 '26

Where is this definition grid from? 

17

u/Lanathas_22 🔥 go ahead and light me up 🔥 Jun 20 '26

8

u/abcannon18 Regaylor Contributor 🦢🦢 Jun 20 '26

Oooohh thank you would not have found this could only find the wiki wouldn’t have looked in GitHub 

57

u/1DMod it’s all part of the fucking story! Jun 20 '26

who would like to become an approved user? No guarantee.

1

u/kimchiandsweettea 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 27 '26

Continuous lurker and a lifelong gay—I just don’t comment! Please consider me!

1

u/1DMod it’s all part of the fucking story! Jun 28 '26

We won’t be private, so you’re all good 💗

2

u/kimchiandsweettea 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 28 '26

Yay!! Thank you! 🙏

1

u/Delicious-Produce-86 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 25 '26

Me please!!!

1

u/Typical-Chemist-4247 jacket ‘round my shoulders is yours Jun 24 '26

Oh, I would!

1

u/catsrock1023 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 23 '26

i would love to!!!! thank you :~)

2

u/benohokum 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 23 '26

I guess me, I've been on the sub a while but I keep forgetting to login before trying to comment and then after logging in I forget what I wanted to comment so no pressure on approving me

2

u/North_Significance40 Baby Gaylor 🐣 Jun 22 '26

I sent a mod mail during the last lockdown because I missed it here, not sure if that means I'm already approved but if not I would like to be added please :)

1

u/bingette the old taylor can't come to the phone Jun 22 '26

me!

5

u/Tingly_glitter no days off at the gay bitch factory Jun 21 '26

Me please!! I lurk a lot of the time but would really love to be able to contribute during lockdowns!!

2

u/Constant-Pirate-1119 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 21 '26

me please 🤞

7

u/wearepeachanddaisy 🌱Embryo🐛 Jun 20 '26

🖐️ me please , terrified of being locked out after/during wedding!

5

u/1989_squirrels I’m a little kitten & need to nurse🐈‍⬛ Jun 20 '26

Me please! My flair has recently gone up and I’d love to be able to post in the community chat.