General
omi-palone
What does omi-palone mean?
In Polari, a gay man, formed by joining 'omi' (man) and 'palone' (woman). It let speakers name themselves and each other safely when homosexuality was illegal in Britain.
"Half the bar were omi-palones, but you'd never know to vada them."
Origin
Polari of mid-20th-century Britain, when sex between men was criminalised until 1967; the compound 'omi-palone' (man-woman) is documented in Paul Baker's histories of the cant.
Frequently asked questions
What does omi-palone mean?
It is Polari for a gay man, literally 'man-woman' from 'omi' and 'palone'.
Why did gay men need a word like omi-palone?
Homosexuality was a crime in Britain until 1967, so coded language let men identify each other safely.
Is there a Polari word for a lesbian?
Yes — 'palone-omi', literally 'woman-man', the mirror image of omi-palone.
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