“Many contemporary memes and slang terms in mainstream pop culture such as ‘yas Queen’ and ‘throwing shade,’ for example, were appropriated from the unique linguistic practices of the queer community, often coined decades before. It’s a phenomenon that seems to replicate across different cultures, such as Bahasa Gay, a gay speech style of Indonesia, which has made its way into mainstream Indonesian life without the public being particularly aware that gay people even exist. How does this happen?” Linguist Chi Luu explains it all.