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Various factual corrections with additional links/sources
imported>TXJ
(Reworking the lead, cleaning up some references)
imported>Sorcerykid
(Various factual corrections with additional links/sources)
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[[Boi]] (pronounced the same as "boy"; plural "bois") is a term with many meanings. Broadly, it indicates "[[masculinity]] which is not cisheteronormative."<ref>{{cite book|title=The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality|page=56|year=2019|isbn=9781784506636}}</ref>
[[Boi]] (pronounced the same as "boy"; plural "bois") is a term with many meanings. Broadly, it indicates "[[masculinity]] which is not cisheteronormative."<ref>{{cite book|title=The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality|page=56|year=2019|isbn=9781784506636}}</ref>
This identity originated in the North American gay community in and around 2000 and was widely adopted by young gay men. Even older gay men use it to describe themselves. Some lesbian youth who are more masculine and those who identify as trans employ this term as they have yet to define a common vernacular to describe themselves. Zoi, zeeshe, goi and shoi are alternative terms.{{citation needed}}
This identity originated in multiple subcultures in the mid-to-late 1990s. It was also widely adopted as a self-descriptor by gay men at the time. Some lesbian youth who are more masculine and those who identify as trans employ this term as they have yet to define a common vernacular to describe themselves. Zoi, zeeshe, goi and shoi are alternative terms.{{citation needed}}
==History==
==History==


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"Boi" started out with no queer context, and was possibly a reclaimed racist slur. Boi came to mean a wide variety of alternative masculine identities. ''Mediated Boyhoods'' goes on to tell all about how boi is used "in emo, BDSM, gay, lesbian, and genderqueer communities"<ref>http://genderqueerid.com/post/52144260437/hello-i-once-heard-somebody-say-the-term-boi</ref>. Those interested in the word should read what is visible in the [https://books.google.com/books?id=RIlOxnMIGfQC&amp;lpg=PA17&amp;dq=%22boi%22+black+gender&amp;pg=PA17&amp;hl=en#v=onepage&amp;q=%22boi%22%20black%20gender&amp;f=false Google Books scan of that book].
The author posits that the word may have been a reclaimed slur and goes on to tell how boi is used "in emo, BDSM, gay, lesbian, and genderqueer communities" and  <ref>http://genderqueerid.com/post/52144260437/hello-i-once-heard-somebody-say-the-term-boi</ref>. Those interested in the word should read what is visible in the [https://books.google.com/books?id=RIlOxnMIGfQC&amp;lpg=PA17&amp;dq=%22boi%22+black+gender&amp;pg=PA17&amp;hl=en#v=onepage&amp;q=%22boi%22%20black%20gender&amp;f=false Google Books scan of that book].


==For People of Color only?==
==For People of Color only?==


The word "boi" was thought to have originated in African American culture, it began in the gay men's community are many white people who call themselves bois, others argue that only People of Color are entitled to use this but the word the boy is derogatory and offensive to the larger black community, used to describe black male slaves. While many words has been reclaimed from derogatory language, similar to fag, the word boi remains a descriptor that the general black community refuses to adapt.
The word "boi" appeared in various communities during the 1990s (e.g. masculine-of-center lesbians, butch drag kings, and submissive BDSM partners, etc.) none of which were in any way black-specific. Rap artists didn't begin incorporating the word "boi" into their lyrics until circa 2000 (at least, given the available liner notes). The first use of this word in a song title was likely "Dope Boi Fresh" released in 2002.<ref>"Boi Fancy: Identity Politics and the History of Boi in Queer Spaces" June 20, 2018. http://www.boifancy.com/</ref>


==Variety of meanings==
==Variety of meanings==
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==External links==
==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010417041346/http://groups.yahoo.com:80/group/Boi_Fancy Yahoo! Groups: Boi_Fancy (archived from 2001)]
* [http://www.brownboiproject.org/ The Brown Boi Project]
* [http://www.brownboiproject.org/ The Brown Boi Project]
* [http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/features/n_9709/ New York Magazine: Where the bois are]
* [http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/features/n_9709/ New York Magazine: Where the bois are]
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