Queer Lexicons: A Study of Gay Argots and Their Impact on Global Communities

Instructor Introduction

On the first day of Writing 160: Multilingual Writing in August 2024, a student came up to me, explained that they were on the waitlist, and asked if it was going to be possible for them to enroll. I replied as I always do, that enrollments tend to change and they could always stick around and see what happens. As the first week of class passed, Xavier's thoughtful contributions to course discussions, willingness to share his personal experience with multilingualism, and charming personality made him an asset to the dynamics of the group, and I found myself hoping that he would be able to enroll (which he ultimately did, and excelled)! Xavier's final course project on queer lexicons intrigued me from the outset as a timely and relevant research project on the course topic, multilingual writing, and as he began to find research across the globe related to "gay argots," his interest and passion for the topic fueled a thoughtful analysis of how communities of LGBTQ+ people around the world orchestrate language to build community and advocate for themselves through their constructed voice. By mapping the places where these argots are used with Google Maps and embracing the use of other technological tools to highlight important definitions and nuances of the information through a well-documented annotated bibliography, Xavier composed a multimodal piece that raises awareness of the role of language choices in building LGBTQ+ community and identity across the globe.

— Allie Piippo

Queer Lexicons:
A Study of Gay Argots and Their Impact on Global Communities

This project celebrates the resilience of queer communities worldwide through their unique languages, or "argots." It explores the histories, uses, and vocabularies of these cryptolects. Embedded in an interactive map and website, this work invites viewers to engage with the power of language as a tool for marginalized communities.