Houseboy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Houseboy, typically is a male servant or assistant who performs domestic or personal chores, as in:
- Houseboy, an American slang term that originated in World War II describing a native boy who helped a soldier perform basic responsibilities like cleaning, laundry, ironing, shoe-shining, running errands, and the like. However, unlike the American "bootleboy" or British "batman", a houseboy was not employed by an officer or noncommissioned officer but by the entry-level soldier or private as a means to reduce a very heavy workload or to cut corners on a large amount of work. The employment was at first condoned but later and especially during the Korean War soldiers who were caught employing a houseboy faced stiff penalties because a lot of them became expert thieves and could be either bribed for information or have their relatives kidnapped or killed for helping Americans. By 1982, Korean houseboys were again permitted (as at Camp Casey), generally middle-aged men conspicuously older than the young troops they served.
- Houseboy, a Commonwealth term for a male housecleaner. This was usually a man of colour who worked for an English family living in a Commonwealth country. A female housecleaner is called a housegirl. Houseboys and housegirls often have to wear a uniform.
- The houseboy became a plot device or stock character in literature and film. The cartoon character Mr. Magoo had a houseboy.
- Houseboy is the name of a diary-form novel written by Ferdinand Oyono that criticizes the morality of colonialism.
- In contemporary usage, both a houseboy and his host(s) are gay, and the houseboy typically is younger. While there may or may not be a romantic/physical relationship, an atmosphere of personal intimacy and mutual support is at the basis of the arrangement. Both houseboys and single hosts often date and form romantic/physical relationships outside of the home. However, few houseboys have a significant other when assuming their position.
- DJ Houseboy - Famouse austrian DJ who loves deephouse, Soul and electronic music. He produces Multimediaart like animated walls with bulbs or LED´s and also electronic Music.