Since "gay" used to mean something like "happy, joyful, carefree," there are a lot of streets, towns, and personal names in English that inadvertently have a gay connotation, causing kids to be subjected to homophobic bullying and homophobic adults to petition city councils for name changes.
One of the more interesting is "gaylord," which did not originally contain the words "gay" or "lord." It's a Medieval anglicization of the French
gaillard, "boisterous, high-spirited."
Many people still have the surname Gaylord. Mitch Gaylord was a 1984 Olympic gymnast who moved into acting, starring in American Anthem (1986) and becoming the face of Soloflex fitness equipment.
Jeff Gaylord was a professional wrestler of the 1980s and 1990s. He was usually a villain, dubbed "The Black Knight" and "The Hood."
There are streets, towns, corporations, and businesses all over the English-speaking world named Gaylord. The town in Michigan is known for its Alpine architecture and skiing.
And wrestling.
One gets the impression that men from Gaylord feel a special need to "prove their masculinity."
Gaylord, Kansas has a population of 100 (down from its 1930 height of 300). It's got a post office and a community church. For everything else, you have to drive 14 miles to Smith Center, population 1500, where there's a Pizza Hut and a Jiffy Burger, a Heartland Food grocery store, and a high school.
Gaylordsville, Connecticut, in Litchfield County, has a population of 1,500. Under "The 15 Best Things to Do," Trip Advisor lists the Basket Shop, Montgomery Pottery, Connecticut Antique Machinery, The Covered Wagon Country Store, and Kent Falls State Park.
Um...
But it's near Quinnipiac University, where they conduct all of those surveys and polls. Quinnipiac is also known for its...um...lacrosse and women's wrestling.
And juggling?
See also:
Mitch Gaylord.
