Calling someone fruity doesn't sit right with me

[leanbackandrelax]

So I've seen people on social media leave comments saying someone looks fruity, I didn't what it meant and from looking it's supposed to be slang for gay I believe. AIBU that this doesn't sit right with me calling people gay in a jokey kind of manner. For context the one I saw recently was between someone I follow on social media who I went to school with whose gay and one of their mates left a comment calling him fruity and he responded in a banter kind of way.

I also saw the term used another time when there were these two lads where one had their hand on the other person's leg and people were leaving comments saying things like "this looks very fruity".

This fits my idea of fruity however it would mean the same/fit for a heterosexual couple too.

Obviously many regional interpretations for this word

My dad sometimes uses it about women who are young and attractive

I thought it meant horny... it used to anyway 😂

It was definitely a standard word for gay in 1970's US gay culture as Michael and other characters use it frequently in Tales of the City (Armistead Maupin).

I thought fruity meant crazy.
You are fruit and nuts- a nutcase- mad.

@leanbackandrelax

I think the term in relation to being gay in the current context started in the US on social media by the LGBTQ community but people outside of the community have started using it.

But that doesn't mean anyone else using it in a completely different context is suddenly wrong. I hate this random taking over of perfectly ordinary words that seems to happen these days. Find a new bloody word, why don't you?

I always thought fruit was the gay thing and fruity was sexual... Or when someone needs a shower.

Fruit - old fashioned homophobic slang for gay man
Fruity - old fashioned slang for a bit rude, sexy, pervy
They might have a similar origin and I'm sure people have used fruity in the first sense but they are different slang terms

gamerchick

I always thought fruit was the gay thing and fruity was sexual... Or when someone needs a shower“

Such an interesting thread, all of the regional variations.

Our youngest, 18, says someone’s a bit “funky” when they need a shower (NW).

Where I'm originally from it means "sexy" in an ooerr Carry On way

I thought fruity was either smelling a bit sweaty or a tad randy - as in the dog 's feeling fruity, as he gets his leg over. I have never seen it in a gay context.

The term was often used in the 1960's, usually towards a young woman, who was a bit flirty and vivacious and outgoing, and fanciable. Nobody ever took offence at such a term such as this thankfully.

I thought being fruity was like someone was being saucy. what do I know?

@Opaljewel

I thought being fruity was like someone was being saucy. what do I know?

^ me too. My aunt uses it in that context and she’s 85

Ok, you don’t like it. So what?

Stop trying to police other people’s language.

@Spanielsarepainless

I thought fruity was either smelling a bit sweaty or a tad randy - as in the dog 's feeling fruity, as he gets his leg over. I have never seen it in a gay context.

Yes I knew the Randy/horny one but forgot it could also mean smelling a bit 'ripe' 😆

I never said I want to police other people's language I just said that I don't personally like the word fruity being used to refer to someone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community but I understand it has different meanings.

It means smelly round here.

'I need a shower. I smell really fruity'

'I think that chicken's off - it smells a bit fruity'

Saucy round these parts.

My daughter and her friends ( age 12/13) use the term fruity to refer to someone as gay. Not meant in a derogatory way- dds friend is gay herself and uses the term also " ooh do you think they are fruity like me? "

What?? I had no idea it meant anything other than feeling sexy / saucy.

So just going to ignore everyone who says it means sexy/sexual then OP. Equally, this sounds like 2 friends who take the piss out of each other. Don't like it, just block him!

I take fruity to mean "ready for sex". At least that is what it meant in the 70s.

I’m mid 40s and did know he’s a fruit is an archaic way of saying he’s gay but haven’t heard it for many years - it’s not something even my mum in her 70s would have used maybe generation before that.
I also know it in the it’s a bit fruity to mean risqué or sexy but again outdated.
I’ve not seen on social media. Is it a reclaim the word type thing?