Italian

Frocio

A typical expression of Rome and Lazio to insult gays, although its use is widespread throughout Italy. Its origin, despite the efforts of many specialists, is unclear, since lies in the scope of the Roman dialect slang, which leaves no written documents. The spread of the term in Italy came after World War II due to neorealist movies and novels. In any case, different explanations focus on several issues common to other expressions worldwide and more specific.

1. Foreign Men: in most countries homosexuality, at one time or another, has been seen as a vice come from abroad. In the case of Italy, they suffered attacks of German mercenaries, jokes against the Frenchmen who occupied Rome and the papal Swiss Guard, men from neighboring countries, France, Switzerland, and Germany, socially gifted of the worst habits and ways of being as homosexual behavior. Frocio sometime was used to call foreigners.
2. Despicable man or small man: from the Frocio expression, or its variations, it would be used to call foreigners, could also be used to name the despicable man in general, and thus by extension, used for homosexual men. Also, keep in mind its relationship with the Latin word Flaccus, meaning loose, flabby, soft, etc.
3. The nose: Others point to the nose from the expression “Froge” that relates to the nose. On the one hand, we have the “Fontana delle Froge” (fountain of the nose) an unlocated fountain of Rome where homosexuals supposedly often met. And secondly, that the soldiers of the Papal Swiss Guard, were drunkards and over time their nose grew, being less attractive to women. In addition, the relationship in Rome between this anatomical part with dubious or suspicious things.

Variations: Froscio.