British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called himself a “gooner” during a speech to parliament Wednesday, seemingly unaware of the derogatory meaning in the U.S.
The slang term has two meanings in the U.K. and U.S., respectively. When a Brit calls themselves “gooners,” they are emphasizing their support for the Arsenal Football Club. However, Americans refer to “gooners” as impulsive pornography addicts who are known to be chronic masturbators. Starmer’s innocent intention to connect with sports fans across his native country prompted comical reactions from users on X.
“Mr. speaker, I am a gooner,” the British premier told his colleagues.
lol yes the fuck we do
Been under a rock since 2023? This slang term has been everywhere
A quick google corroborates that gooner’s new meaning is recent slang, gaining popularity about since the 2020s.
Older people probably don’t use it a whole lot, even if they know what it means.
And if you’re an English Premier League fan, gooner has been slang for an Arsenal FC fan for decades.
It’s not everywhere.
Not under your particular rock, it seems.