Ask AC
Bulldagger
Hello! I want to know the meaning of the term bodagger. I believe it might refer to gay men. I heard the term used by an African American man in a conversation where he said "What about Dykes and Bo daggers?" A google search was not helpful, although there was a link that did not work to a randirhodes show where the term is used, it seems, in a context about gay men. I am not sure. I hope you will answer this one. Thanks!

Dave

Dear Dave,

Your letter illustrates a problem my international students often have (and one I sometimes have myself!) When you hear something unfamiliar, your guess at the spelling of the word doesn't always match the original, making it hard to identify.

My favorite example of this was when a Moroccan student asked me what "Zadol" meant. She was puzzled that she couldn't find it in the dictionary because her coworkers at the bakery said it hundreds of times a day. After I asked her about the context in which she'd heard it, it turned out to be the cashier asking customers "Is that all?"

In this case, the actual word is probably bulldagger. Like dyke and bulldyke, this is an offensive term for a masculine lesbian, as shown in these explicit lyrics from 2 Live Crew's homophobic song Bulldagger Stole my Bitch:

A bulldagger done stole my bitch!
Bitch told me she don’t want no dick!
A bulldagger done stole my bitch
She’d rather eat pussy than suck a nigga dick!*

And if you think rapper Brother Marquis sounds angry and threatened, you're right. Much of the song bitterly explains that lesbians are more skilled at oral sex than men are, giving them an unfair advantage in finding attractive female partners.

Your pal,

A. C. Kemp

*Translation:
A lesbian has stolen my woman!
That woman told me she does not want a penis!
A lesbian has stolen my woman!
She would rather give oral sex to another woman that to a man!

August 2 , 2005

PAST COLUMNS * Does the Carpet Match the Curtains? * The Shocker * Double Clicking the Mouse * Nice Ride! * Bulldagger * Where's the Beef? *Scissor Sisters * Skeet! Skeet! Skeet! * Headsprung * Get Your Eagle On * On the Down Low * Pie Wagon * Tweakers * Tossed Salad * Milkshake * Chode * Does God Use Slang? * Frontin' & Trippin' * Get Crunk! * 818 * What's a Home Run? * Cracker * Sell the Sizzle and not the Steak * Hair of the Dog * Balling the Jack * That Sucks! * What's Gaslighting? * My Boyfriend Called Me a Bitch * Help! I Can't Understand Friends * Glocks & Gats * Should I Get my Freak on? * About Drag Queens * Queef Problems * The Cat's Meow * Fongool *
Got a question for AC? Click here!