Q: Possible 1727 "queen" = male homosexual?

[Joel S. Berson]

Is the following an introduction in 1727 of the word "queen" to refer
to "A male homosexual, typically one regarded as ostentatiously effeminate"?

Boston Gazette, 1727 Jan 2-9, p. 1, col. 2.  [EAN]

London, October 20.
Yesterday at Guildhall, at the Sessions of Oyer and Terminer held by
Adjournment from the Old-Baily, one Thomas Coleman and John Irons
alias Hihon (who used to go among the Sodomites by the Name of Queen
Irons) were severally tryed and convicted for an Assault with an
Intent to commit Sodomy ...

[The immediately following item in the BG is about the trial of a
husband and wife for "keeping a disorderly House in entertaining
Sodomites, and knowingly permitting them to commit the detestable Sin
of Sodomy."]

Rictor Norton, at http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1726news.htm,
has from The Weekly Journal: or, The British Gazetteer, 22 October
1726: "[Last Monday] at Guildhall, at the Sessions of Oyer and
Terminer held by Adjournment from the Old-Baily, one Thomas Coleman,
and John Irons alias Hihon [according to The British Journal, William
Coleman and John Hyons] (who used to go among the Sodomites by the
Name of Queen Irons) were severally tryed and convicted for an
Assault with Intent to commit Sodomy ..."

See also _Who's who in gay and lesbian history: from antiquity to
World War II_, Volume 1,  ed. Robert Aldrich, Garry Wotherspoon (2002
[and/or 2001?]), p. 117, for "mollies" adopting feminine
names.   [Google Books, Preview.]

Joel

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