Mariposear. Same as coquetear?

Question

First time I heard it is right now. (Testing both now)

Is it like,

me gustaría coquetear con esa chica, pero es demasiado joven para mí

me gustaría mariposear con esa chica, pero me parece demasiado joven, no quiero ir al cárcel otra vez.

But, is mariposear something only a woman would say? It seems like it. Or a man of a certain way.

No me coquetees tanto. Soy heterosexual, Jose.

No me mariposees tanto Maria, estoy casado (pero eso es temporal cariño)

Answer 1

Yeah, in Puerto Rico "mariposear" is mostly used to refer to a man who acts according to the common stereotype of what a gay man "should" be like: effeminate, delicate, 'limp-wristed' etc. But I have heard it in the context of a person of either gender or any sexual orientation/identity who keeps buzzing around someone else in order to get a favor from that other person.

In Puerto Rico, when "mariposear" is used to refer to a man that's perceived to be gay according to the stereotype, it doesn't have to be a situation in which he is allegedly flirting with another man... - 002067fe, Apr 17, 2011

...it could just be an instance in which this guy is just "acting gay", or acting in a manner that is culturally associated with stereotypical images of male homosexuality. - 002067fe, Apr 17, 2011

Agreed. That's the same sense I associate with the word. - Gekkosan, Apr 17, 2011

Answer 2

Sorry - I'm not familiar with the use of this one. I have no idea if straight guys might use it safely somewhere. Where I grew up, this would apply to gay people.

Answer 3

Where I grew up, this would apply to gay people.

Can you expound on that Gekkosan? What does mariposear mean? Is it NOT a reflexion of coquetear, but instead is ONLY used by gay men? Our dictionary says it means "to flirt" and the show I am watching used it that way, but with a gay dude, (my name is Earl, there's a gay guy on that show, well he plays a guy gay anyway).

So it can ONLY be used with the gay people? Like if you say. mariposa, mariquita, etc...? Gracias.

To me the word means the same as Tom explained. - Gekkosan, Apr 17, 2011

I accepted Tom since you already have 200 points and therefore can get any points. - jeezzle, Apr 17, 2011

Indeed, Tom wrote an excellent answer. :-) - Gekkosan, Apr 17, 2011

Thanks, Jeezle. There used to be a musical act, I think in the 60s and 70s, from Cuba (or was it Uruguay?) who called themselves "Las Mariposas";two gays whose entire schtick was singing and cracking jokes about homosexual men, while acting... - 002067fe, Apr 17, 2011

...I'm sorry, I meant "two guys", who sang and joked about gay men while acting stereotypically "gay". It was very popular in those un-PC days, and more recently, they have been condemned for perpetuating negative stereotypes about gay individuals. - 002067fe, Apr 17, 2011