This article offers an account of the different terms related to effeminacy, as one of the main stereotypes associated with homosexuality. Some have a symbolic value and are used by gays in their self-characterization, but most are used by heterosexuals with humorous or insulting purposes. They belong to the historic and contemporary gay lexicon of both English and Spanish, and have been drawn from oral and written sources, in particular from an extensive forthcoming Spanish dictionary (Diccionario gay-lésbico) written by the author. The lexical items under consideration have been classified in semantic categories, and their analysis has enabled us to explore the affinities and differences in attitudes towards gays found in both cultures.