Queen

Queen is a longstanding piece of gay slang with several meanings shaped by context. Historically it referred to a flamboyant or effeminate gay man, sometimes as an insult, and one common origin traces it to Cockney rhyming slang. Over time much of the queer community reclaimed the word so that today it often signals affection, camp humor, or empowerment. In drag culture it names a drag queen, a performer who presents in a heightened feminine style. Queen also works as a suffix that flags a particular trait or interest, as in "drama queen" or "size queen." How the word lands depends on who is using it and how, ranging from a warm greeting between friends to a pointed jab.