Demystifying the Phrase “Stemmed the Rose”

If you’ve stumbled across the expression “stemmed the rose” in literature or heard it used colloquially, you may have wondered exactly what it means. On the surface, it seems like just an odd reference to the act of cutting the stem from a rose flower. But when used idiomatically, especially by older generations, “stemmed the rose” takes on a much more provocative implication that many readers or listeners may not immediately grasp.

The Literal Meaning

Taken literally, the phrase “stemmed the rose” means just what you’d think – removing the stem from a rose. For example, you might read in a flower arranging guide about “stemming roses to fit them cleanly into a vase.” Or a florist giving advice may suggest you “stem the roses at a 45 degree angle to promote water uptake.”

So in its most basic literal sense, stemming a rose refers to trimming or cutting the stem off a rose to serve some practical floral purpose. This literal meaning does not have any deeper connotation beyond the straightforward horticultural task being described.

The Figurative Euphemistic Slang Meaning

However, when used idiomatically or figuratively in certain contexts, particularly in older slang, “stemming the rose” takes on a more colorful meaning. Specifically it becomes a rather dated euphemism for the act of anal sex between two men.

The “stem” in the phrase becomes a euphemism for the penis, while the “rose” evocatively stands in for the anus So to “stem the rose” is a clever but rather opaque way to describe penetrating a male anus with one’s penis during intercourse

Tracing the Euphemism’s Origins and Use

It’s unclear exactly when or how “stemming the rose” first came into use as a euphemism for gay anal sex. But there are examples of the phrase being used with a sexual connotation dating back to the mid-20th century. Notably, it appears in the seminal gay literature of writers like Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote.

While nowadays the euphemism seems rather quaint, in earlier decades when homosexuality was still taboo, subtler expressions like “stemming the rose” allowed covert reference to gay sex. Similar coded euphemisms were common before LGBTQ culture became more mainstream.

Though the euphemism may seem graphic or vulgar by today’s standards, even calling it dated ignores the repression that LGBTQ people faced in decades past. For marginalized groups, euphemisms have long allowed discreet communication about stigmatized identities and practices.

While not as prevalent today, “stemming the rose” can still occasionally be heard, especially among older generations familiar with the coded slang. Contemporary audiences are more likely to recognize the phrase for its intended euphemistic meaning given changing social mores.

Clarifying This Obscure Idiom

So now when you hear or read the phrase “stemmed the rose,” you can impress friends with your knowledge of its literal horticultural meaning as well as its historical use as a sly euphemistic reference!