Major Antedating of "Queer" (also "Go Down" and "Chicken")

[Fred Shapiro]

A 1995 article in the Journal of the History of Sexuality ("'The Twentieth
Century Way': Female Impersonation and Sexual Practice in
Turn-of-the-Century America" by Sharon R. Ullman) contains a major
antedating of the term "queer," as well as antedatings of "go down" and
"chicken" (all in sexual senses).  The citations, contained in unpublished
manuscripts relating to Long Beach, California, are not noted as
antedatings by Ullman, but I noticed them while perusing her article.  The
"queer" citation, although I present it below as an antedating of the noun
usage, also antedates the adjectival form by eight years.

queer (OED, n.2, 1935)  1914 in _Jrnl. Hist. Sexuality_ V. 593  Fourteen
young men were invited ... with the premise that they would have the
opportunity of meeting some of the prominent "queers," ... and the further
attraction that some "chickens" as the new recruits in the vice are
called, would be available.

chicken (HDAS, 9.a., 1942)  1914 [see above]

go down (OED, s.v. _go_, v. 80.n., 1916)  1914 in _Jrnl. Hist. Sexuality_
V. 595  [The defendant is] said to have to practiced the infamy for more
than nine years, being one who will "go down" on another or will himself
willingly and gladly submit to the outrage. ... I have seen men ... at a
function of that kind ... go around on their knees to various other
persons present and attempt to "go down" on them right before the crowd
and seemingly they have no shame about it.


Fred Shapiro


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