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

= 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)