Meaning of gayola | Babel Free

Definitions

The practice of American police departments extorting bribes from gay bars, especially in the 1950s and 60s, in return for not raiding them; such a bribe.

historical, uncountable

Examples

“Every one of the bars that testified against the police department during the gayola inquiry was shut down.”

“Policing power over gay bars was thus shifted from the SFPD's beat officers to the mayor and the chief of police. In the wake of the gayola scandal Mayor Christopher launched an offensive against homosexual drinking establishments.”

“One reporter asked the attorneys involved in one of the gayola prosecutions whether “gay bars” were acceptable.”

CEFR level