drop one's beads

English

Verb

drop one's beads (third-person singular simple present drops one's beads, present participle dropping one's beads, simple past and past participle dropped one's beads)

1. (gay slang) To reveal one's homosexuality.
   • 1977, Charles Silverstein, Edmund White, The Joy of Gay Sex, New York: Crown Publishers, →ISBN, page 124:

     But they will “drop their beads” (as queens used to say) one by one, until the full necklace lies on the floor. He'll mention he likes the ballet, you'll tell him of your interest in opera.

Further reading

• Jonathon Green (2024) “drop one's beads v.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang