I am curious as to what you are basing this question on. I don't recall any notable popularity of that usage, particularly in the 80's. The most recent usage I am familiar with, as cited in this [old post] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3pe8v8/ive_noticed_a_few_instances_of_men_calling_each/), would be in the Beatnik era of the 50's/60's (and even then often ironic). Could you expand on the usage in the 80's?