General
friend of dorothy
What does friend of dorothy mean?
A discreet code for a gay man, used when being out could get you arrested or worse. Asking 'are you a friend of Dorothy?' was a way to quietly find your people without saying the dangerous part out loud. It traces to Judy Garland — gay icon, and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz — though some point to the writer Dorothy Parker. The term dates back at least to World War II.
"Back then you couldn't just ask — you'd find out if someone was a friend of Dorothy and take it from there."
Origin
Mid-20th-century coded gay slang, tied to Judy Garland (Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, a gay icon); in use by at least WWII.
Frequently asked questions
What does "friend of Dorothy" mean?
"Friend of Dorothy" is a mid-20th-century coded phrase used to identify or refer to a gay man.
How do you use "friend of Dorothy" in a sentence?
"Back then, asking if someone was a friend of Dorothy was a discreet way to find community."
Why was "friend of Dorothy" used as code?
It served as a discreet way for gay men to identify one another during a period when being openly gay carried real danger.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
