Why do lots of gay men have the “voice”?

As a gay man none of this clicks, to be honest. I had a lisp, floppy wrist, and fem voice as a 5-year-old, and I wasn't cruising. Similarly, lots of my friends who are not sexually active or have even only come out a year ago or less have a "gay voice". I heard one theory that it may have to do with gay kids sometimes modeling their speech after women in their lives more than straight kids do (but not necessarily, some straight men have a "gay voice" and many gay men "sound straight"). I get what you're saying about it being similar to things like Polaris where you can be visible only to the right people. If Halberstam and Puar are talking about an evolutionary way of identifying, then maybe, but if it's what you're describing, like a cultural thing, I just don't buy it. I "seemed gay" way before I knew I was.

/r/TooAfraidToAsk Thread Parent