Poofter' is nowadays one of the most pejorative words in Australian English, perhaps because of its use in the phrase 'poofter-bashing' which was something of a national sport when I came to Australia in 1965. I still use it and seem to get away with it, mainly because I stay away from them.
As for lesbians, for a long time I didn't even know such 'things' existed; once I had been educated and even learned how to spell 'LGBTIQA+', I could feel with the people of the Greek island of Lesbos who objected to being called that. As for them now being able to marry each other, they're welcome. Why should they be any happier than the rest of us?
If there is such a thing as a 'favourite lesbian', I'd settle for Miriam Margolyes, whose travelogue - if you can call it that - was recently broadcast on Australian televisison. It was the first time I had ever heard of her which prompted me to pick up her book "This Much is True" at Vinnies today. In for a penny, in for two dollars, I thought and took it to the cash register, together with a couple of equally cheap books.
