Date: Fri, 22 Dec 1995 09:21:38 -0600

From: "Kathleen M. O'Neill" koneil1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UIC.EDU

Subject: Re: WOTY from David Barnhart



The earliest concrete example we have in the Random House Dictionary

of American Slang files is 1994, and we've read a moderate amount of

gay sources. We do have several attestations of earlier use, such

as Beth's and Ron's above. However, I've also asked a number of

people who have been active in the New York gay community for years

who've said that they just learned it six months ago. I'd suggest,

therefore, that while probably dating back to the 1970s, its wide

dispersal--even within some gay communities--is very recent.



Well, I don't date back 14 years in my usage of

term, but I can definitely vouch for longer than

six months -- in fact, back to 1991. That's when

I first heard the term, and it was commonly used

among the new group of friends from whom I learned it.



I imagine I'd have heard it sooner had I not grown

up in an environment where, for example, I never once

heard the word "bisexual." =^]



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