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Tom Allen explains gay handkerchief code as he guesses LGBTQ slang terms

LGBTQ Slang is part of the Attitude Pride at Home digital festival taking place online from 9-19 June.

By Alastair James

Words: Brian Leonard

Comedian Tom Allen is scoring high as he takes on the Attitude LGBTQ slang challenge.

The funny man proves he knows his ‘friends of Dorthy’ from his ‘twinks’ in the series, which is part of Attitude’s Pride at home digital festival.

Starting off with an easy one, Tom gets ‘twink’ describing them as a “youthful looking gay guy,” before adding, “probably quite petulant and arrogant and something that I’ve never been, because I’ve always been bald.” 

No comment.

Tom joes that a ‘beard’ is something you need “to live in parts of Kennington,” but also correctly defines it as “of fashioned slang for a wife of a gay man usually designed to mask their homosexuality.”

He also demonstrates a working knowledge of Polari exemplified with his accurate definition of a ‘flamer’ as a flamboyant homosexual.

The comedian calls the Handkerchief code something that “straight people are obsessed with” adding he thinks straight people think it’s still used. Like Tom, we’re not sure this is the case. 

Once more he’s right on the money clarifying that different colours denoted one’s interests.

“But it gets very complicated,” Tom goes on to say, “because I have so many handkerchiefs and they’re so patterned. The scrapes I get into, it’s so embarrassing.

“I have a different handkerchief on every day, it’s like I can’t make up my mind. ‘He’s into everything’. This one is purple, green with orange stripes. Oh my goodness, I’d be exhausted if I did all that.”

Aside from Tom, those putting themselves in the hot seat are pop icons Steps, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie star Max Harwood, Olympic diver Tom Daley, and model, Pablo Hernandez.

LGBTQ Slang is part of Attitude Pride at Home, which runs from 9-19 June at attitude.co.uk, youtube.com/attitudemag and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@attitudemag).

Attitude Pride at Home is to benefit the Attitude Magazine Foundation for LGBT causes. 

To donate £3 please text ATHOME3 to 70480 or click here