Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2015 January 3

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January 3

Peter Parker offensive name?

Why is Peter Parker an "offensive name" for a gay man? On July 18 bill maher made a joke that made everyone laugh, saying that Marvel cannot make Spiderman gay because that would an offensive name. It seems to have been really funny. Bill maher joke starts at 0:58

I'd be very happy if someone can explain. Lgriot (talk) 16:21, 3 January 2015 (UTC)

"Peter", in the US, is one of many slang terms for "penis", so a "peter parker" would be somebody who "parks" their penis someplace, and with a little imagination, we can imagine where a gay man might "park" his. Of course, it could also be offensive for a straight man, but potentially sexual terms seem more likely to be taken that way when applied to gay men, as prejudicial as this is. StuRat (talk) 16:46, 3 January 2015 (UTC)

It's a bit like the way 'Woody' in Toy Story was named - it means 'erection' in American slang. There are lots of these. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 22:11, 3 January 2015 (UTC)

It's not a term you hear all that much, compared with some others. But in the book Superfolks, there's a bit where the protagonist goes into a gay bar in search of long-time friend Peter Pan. He tells the bartender, "I'm looking for Peter." The bartender responds, "Who isn't?" :) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 00:24, 4 January 2015 (UTC)

The father in Family Guy is named Peter, and not accidentally. They get plenty of material from that name. StuRat (talk) 01:53, 4 January 2015 (UTC)

Lots of characters have intentionally rude names, such as Kenny Everett's female character 'Cupid Stunt'. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 06:10, 4 January 2015 (UTC)

It's nothing new. Even in the staid and prudish 1950s, there was Beaver Cleaver. How that one got past the censors still has me scratching my head. Dominus Vobisdu (talk) 20:39, 4 January 2015 (UTC)

There was never a hint at the time that there was anything double-entendre about that name. Folks might have had "dirty minds" in those days, but were not so open about it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:46, 5 January 2015 (UTC)

Thanks all.--Lgriot (talk) 22:35, 4 January 2015 (UTC)

Resolved