LGBT slang

Gay slang (sometimes gayspeak) refers to slang used predominantly among gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people (see also: Polari).

Slang frequently arises from the need or desire of a particular subculture to create or maintain secrecy, from want of recognition and acceptance, or fear of prejudice, persecution, or exposure; or to describe situations, acts and things not common in the dominant culture (see also argot).

Assimilation and use of slang also gives individuals a feeling of belonging - necessary in the creation, maintenance or reinforcement of a subculture, its values, politics and sociology.

Many terms that originated as gay slang have become part of the popular lexicon. For example, the word drag, was popularized by Hubert Selby, Jr. in his book Last Exit to Brooklyn. "Drag" has been traced back by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) to the late 19th Century.

Words and phrases

A

A-gay

Short for "A-list gay"; an affluent, well-connected, upwardly mobile gay man or woman.

Abercrombie bitch, Aberzombie, Abercrozombie

A gay male who dresses in Abercrombie & Fitch or similar fashions. Often pejoratively implies a lack of originality or groupthink.

Aberzombie & Bitch

A couple made of two Abercrombie Bitches (see above)

Active

see Top

Ambisextrous

Bisexual; occasionally ambisexual.

Aroma

Poppers, amyl nitrite.

Assimilationist

A pejorative term describing LGBTs who attempt to blend into heterosexual society, usually by adopting standards and norms deemed to be mainstream or heterosexual, such as marriage, child-rearing, dress, military service, religion, etc.

B

Baby dyke

A young, inexperienced and/or boyish lesbian; also sometimes called a Baby Butch

Back room, backroom

A darkened room set aside for sex (sometimes group sex) in a gay bar, club, or gay bathhouse.

Barebacking

Unprotected sex, especially anal sex.

Barebacker

Someone who practices bareback sex.

Basket

The bulge in a man's clothing caused by his penis and testicles. See also package.

Baths

Gay bathhouses or saunas (see Tubs).

Batty Boy

Of Jamaican origin. Relates to homosexuals. Featured in the controvesial hit "Boom Bye Bye" by Buju Banton

Bear

A hairy, often overweight, man, frequently with facial hair.

Beard

A spouse, partner, or date of the opposite sex, with whom the person said to be "wearing" a "beard" is pretending to be involved with to feign heterosexuality: "his wife is just a beard."

Beat

A public place frequented by gay men to have casual sex.

Beer Bust

A long-standing tradition in the gay bar community in which a bar will dedicate a portion of its operating hours, usually a Sunday afternoon, to let local charities and clubs raise money, by offering an all-you-can-drink price on draft beer. Food is usually served and the charity or club raising the money usually has a raffle in which they sell tickets for.

Betty Badge

The police. Other phrases include "Lilly Law" and "Our Lady of the Golden Brooch".

Binder/binding

A device used by many trans-males/drag kings etc. from the classic ace bandages, which are in fact among the less practical options, through commercially made binders designed to hide even quite large breasts.

Bio-boy

Short for "biological boy." A term used to denote a non-transexual man, a man born biologically male. Considered problematic by some because of its emphasis on biological status as a determining factor of manhood. See female counterpart: Genetic Girl or GG.

Birthgender

The social gender role one is assigned at birth.

Birthsex

One's physical sex at birth.

Blanche

A term of endearment; see also Mary. Etymology: Blanche Hudson is the name of Joan Crawford's character in the film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and/or Blanche Deveraux is the name of Rue McClanahan's character on the popular 1980's television sitcom The Golden Girls.

Bona

A polari term meaning "good". This is one of the few polari terms that has survived its fall and remains popular in Britain and, as of late, America.

Both-Ways

(British English): A derogatory term referring to bisexual-people. As suggested, most-often used during opposing attitudes to bisexual-people in phrases such-as: "...you can't have it both ways", (i.e. the person cannot [or 'should', in the opposers opinion] like sexually both men and women and should choose only one gender to like sexually). Surprisingly commonly-heard in the U.K., suggesting an trend of acceptance for gay and lesbian people, but not those who sexually like both genders. Another phrase which is also used without a dark meaning by the bisexual community when referring to themselves, (i.e. "...I swing both-ways").

Bottom

The receptive partner in anal or other penetrative sex (see Bottom (sex)); a partner who receives stimulation in BDSM (see Bottom (BDSM)).

Botty-Boy

(British English): derogatory term for a gay-male, particularly one who engages in anal-sex as the receiver. A derivative of 'batty-boy'.

Boy

Commonly-used word to reference the passive-person (slave) in a BDSM-scene by their controller (master, themselves commonly called 'sir').

Boy bar

A gay bar, particularly one for men only.

Breed

To have heterosexual sex; to reproduce. Also: ejaculation inside the receptive participant.

Breeder

Derogatory term for a heterosexual person.

Brownie Queen

A gay man who enjoys anal sex, especially as the receptive partner.

Bug chaser

An HIV-negative individual who seeks to be infected with HIV, generally through unprotected receptive anal sex. See also gift.

Bull

A large (very muscular or overweight), dominant man who exhibits hypermasculinized traits in build, aggressiveness, and crudeness; an alpha male. Typically a top.

Bulldagger, Bulldyke

A considerably butch lesbian who dresses and behaves in a masculine fashion.

Bummer

(British English): A derogatory term for a gay-male who engages in anal-sex as the provider ('giver').

Buppie

A bisexual yuppie. A portmanteau (or fusion) of bi(sexual)+yuppie.

Butch

A gay male or lesbian evidencing (or affecting) highly masculine traits.

Butt Buddies

Two men who regularly engage in sexual activities together, normally including anal sex, without any romantic attachment.

C

Camp

Ironic, affected, flamboyant, florid, bitchy, frequently effeminate behaviour; putative, stereotypical gay behaviour (with or without effeminate connotations); ironically bitchy. Also camping, camping it up, campy.

Castro clone

see Clone.

Catcher

The receptive partner in anal sex; the submissive partner. Contrast with pitcher.

Chaser

a man who primarily is interested in overweight men, "chubby chaser".

Chicken

A young, teenage, boyish, or young-looking gay male; an underage boy; see also Twink

Chicken-hawk

An older man who prefers younger men; occasionally: a paedophile.

Circuit party

One of several large parties for gay men held in various locations throughout North America each year (the circuit).

Christina, Tina, Xtina

Predominately gay reference to methamphetamines (see Crystal and sex)

Chub

A positive term for an overweight man; also Chubby. see Chaser

Circuit Queen

A gay man who attends the many of the annual circuit parties.

Clone

Originally called the Castro Clone, this particular fashion spread far beyond The Castro district of the late 1970s and established an "out" gay look that was proudly gay, highly sexualized, subversively camp (for its time), yet ultimately conformist. The typical clone was a white gay man, with short hair and a mustache. The clone's sole attire consisted of tight faded blue jeans, a tight-fitting white t-shirt, construction boots, and a leather jacket.photo Different manifestations of the Clone emerge as times and the culture change (see Bear), yet the original is still alive and well.

The closet

The figurative hiding place of gays and lesbians who are not open about their homosexuality.

Closet case, closet-case

A gay person who is not "out of the closet".

Coming out (of the closet)

Publicly revealing one's homosexuality.

Cottage

(British English) A public lavatory where sexual activity takes place. See also tearoom.

Cottaging

(British English) Seeking or having sex in public lavatories.

Cruise

to look for a sex partner in areas known for this activity; to stare at someone with the intention of attracting his or her attention; to flirt.

Crystal dick

Methamphetamine-related erectile dysfunction.

Cub

A younger bear.

Cut

Circumcised

D

Daddy

A positive term for an older man. Typically a daddy is larger, bearish, and takes a fatherly role in a relationship. Also used by some lesbians, especially those in "daddy/boy" relationships between two butches.

Denialist

Someone who believes that HIV does not cause AIDS. Denialists refer to themselves as AIDS Dissidents.

Dicklet

Slang used by some transmen to refer to their genitals, especially when testosterone therapy has caused the clitoris to enlarge and begin to resemble a tiny penis.

Dock

The act of placing the foreskin of an uncircumcised male over the (usually circumcised) glans penis of another as a form of sexual pleasure, often up to and including ejaculation.

Do-Me Queen

A pushy bottom; someone who expects to be sexually satisfied without reciprocation; a generally selfish or self-absorbed person.

Down-Low

A term once used exclusively by the gay and bisexual black community to refer to working-class men who live as straight men, often who are married, and who secretly have affairs or one night stands with other men. The closest equivalent is the older phrase rough trade.

Drag

Literally, women's clothing worn by men; can refer to any clothing worn for effect, e.g. Leather Drag, Business Drag, Preppy Drag

Dyke hag

Someone who hangs around many gay or bi women.

Dyke tyke

A man who prefers the company of lesbians; the male best friend of a lesbian woman (a rarely-used term, analogous but the opposite of fag hag). Usually pejorative.

Dykes on Bikes, Dykes on Bykes

The women's motorcycle contingent that usually leads a pride parade. Other contingents have popped up humorously as a result, calling themselves Dykes on Real Bykes (bicycles) and Mikes on Bikes (men on motorcycles or bicycles).

Dykon

A gay icon that appeals primarily to lesbians.

Drop a hair pin

(as in "He just dropped a hair pin") To accidentally reveal one's homosexuality through one's actions or mannerisms.

E

English

Caning for sexual pleasure.

Eurofag

A younger, trendy Continental European male (cf: Eurotrash).

F

F2M, FTM

A transgender or transsexual person who is transitioning or has transitioned from female to male. See also Transman

Faerie

One who practices a free-form neo-pagan religion particularly identified with gay men, exemplified by a group known as the Radical Faeries.

Fag

Short for faggot, used as a term of endearment between some queer people and their friends.;

Fag hag

A woman who prefers the company of gay men; the female best friend of a gay man (sometimes considered pejorative).

Fag stag

A heterosexual man who prefers the company of gay men; the male counterpart to the fag hag.

Family

Gay.

Fats and Fems

A derogatory descriptive phrase that either unfairly lumps together all gay men who do not fit into a strict body and behavioral paradigm OR literally describes gay men who are either overweight (not height/weight proportionate) or who are effeminate.

Fay, fey

Effeminate (usually of a gay man).

Felching

The act of analingus; usually after an in-rectal ejaculation.

Fem, femme

Female nouns and pronouns

Sometimes used by gay men and transgendered individuals when referring to one another, derisively or affectionately.

Fence Sitter

(usually pejorative) a bisexual person. The Fence Sitter's Ball is an annual party for bisexuals in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Fierce

Great, awesome, fabulous.

Fish

Derogatory word for a woman.

Flame

To behave in an extremely effeminate, campy manner. Also Flamer, Flaming

Friend of Dorothy

Gay. In The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland played Dorothy; Garland is said to have preferred gay males as friends.

Fruit fly

A heterosexual woman who frequents gay bars (cf: barfly). Occasionally replaces fag hag.

Fuckbuddy

A person with whom a relationship is primarily sexual, but may extend to friendship without romantic affection.

Fur

Body hair

G

Gaily Forward

Straight ahead, as in, "Take a left and then go gaily forward." Used humorously to prevent uttering the word "straight."

Gam

Gay Asian Male

Gaydar

The supposed ability to detect another person's homosexuality by observing behavior, mannerisms, character, etc. Also Doppler Gaydar (from the character Jack in the TV show Will & Grace). There is also a dating website of the same name.

Gaybourhood, gayborhood

A gay village, gay neighborhood

Gay Community

Although this is most-commonly taken as meaning 'every gay-person in the world' (associated as a group), many just see it as a reference to the very 'active' homosexuals; those who are often considered flamboyant, and take great interest in people knowing their identity using stereotypical ways of making their orientation obvious. It is therefore seen that those who make their sexuallity prominant are also those deemed most interested in joining-in 'gay-specific' activities, such as 'gay-pride' events. 'Non-active homosexuals' are sometimes considered 'hiding' and hence 'not part of the [proper] gay community'. This term will have many differing attitudes and opinions to its meaning, depending on the subset homosexual group with which you converse, and to non-homosexuals.

Gay-Scene

A phrase most-common in British English, it refers to nightclubs and venues, (usually found together in clusters), which are specifically catering for gay-people. The phrase is commonly used for both lesbians and gay-men, although 'lesbian-scene' is also heard.

Gayspeak

Gay slang; Polari.

Gay-for-Pay

Straight actors who perform in gay pornographic movies or straight men who work as go-go dancers, strippers in gay clubs, or prostitutes.

Gay-Until-Graduation, GUG

Sarcastic phrase to refer to individuals who have exclusive same-sex relationships in college, but who form heterosexual partnerships after graduating.

Gayteenth and Castro

Eigtheenth and Castro, a world-famous intersection in the heart of San Francisco's The Castro District.

Genderqueer

Someone with an ambigious gender identity

Genetic Girl, or GG

A woman who is chromosomally XX; ie, a non-trans woman. Considered problematic by some because of its emphasis on genetic status as a defining factor in womanhood. See male counterpart: bio-boy.

Gift

an STD, usually HIV. Used by a particular subset of barebackers who actively seek HIV infection. See also bug chaser.

Gift giver

someone who passes on an STD, usually HIV. See also bug chaser.

The Glass Closet

i.e. to be in a glass closet, used to describe one who is an obvious homosexual but claims to be straight.

The Glass Coffin

Derogatively refers to the Twin Peaks bar in San Francisco, the first gay bar in the country which had full, open windows for anyone to see in. This bar is mainly frequented by older men.

Glory hole

A hole, in a wall, partition or similar, through which the penis is inserted for oral or anal sex. Often found in a public lavatory.

Greek

Anal sex.

Guppie

A gay yuppie. A portmanteau (or fusion) of "gay" and "yuppie".

Gym Bunny, Gym Queen, Gym Mouse, Gymbot

A gay man who works out in a gym, primarily to enhance his physical appeal to other gay men. Usually pejorative.

H

Handballing

Fisting.

Hasbian

A woman who has identified as a lesbian in the past but now identifies as heterosexual. Popularized by the Showtime TV Series The L Word.

Het, Hetero

Heterosexual.

Heteroflexible

Bisexual with a heterosexual dominance. See also bicurious.

Homocon

A conservative, right-wing lesbian or gay. Some famous homocons are Andrew Sullivan, Dale Carpenter, and Norah Vincent.

Homo-Hop, Homocore, Queercore, Queer Punk

Music genres with musicians who identify as queer, and who play to predominantly queer audiences.

Homopia

Inability to discern the sexual orientation of others; by word play on myopia. See also Gaydar

Homothug

A gay man who associates with Hip-hop, Rap, or a gangster lifestyle.

Husbear

One of two gay men who identify as "bears" and who are in a committed relationship.

I

Imperial Court System

A system that raises money for charity. Each year an Emperor and Empress are chosen as the Court's representatives. The Emperor is often a man from the leather community (but is sometimes a woman) and the Empress is usually a drag queen. The Emperor and Empress act as goodwill ambassadors, hosting charity events and raising money for community causes. There are currently over seventy courts in the United States and Canada.

Intergender

someone whose gender identity is neither unambiguously male or female.

J

J/O buddy

A partner, usually non-exclusive, with whom one engages in mutual masturbation but not a love relationship and generally not other forms of sex.

Jipperkregg

A Soviet term for male sexual interaction under the guise of heterosexuality

Jockey, Jocker

The insertive partner in the act of anal (or oral) sex. See also Top (sex).

Judy

A woman or gay man prone to mood swings ("Moody Judy"); by reference to gay icon Judy Garland.

K

Kept man

An attractive, typically younger male who financially depends on an older male, providing friendship, sexual favors, and other personal services in return. See also Sugar Daddy

L

Label queen

a gay man who prefers designer clothing. Often pejorative.

Lady

a black femme lesbian.

Latrine Queen

A gay man who engages in sex, or searches for sex, in public restrooms.

Leatherman, Leather man

a gay man who is part of the leather scene.

Leather queen

a gay man, often effeminate, who is into the leather scene; a gay man who is attracted to or fetishizes leathermen (sometimes pejorative).

Leather Scene

A once substantial presence in the gay community, this subculture consists of individuals into uniforms, leather, denim, motorcycles and often Sado-Masochism. The pinnacle of the leather scene is the annual Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco, where hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts gather to play and intermingle.

Lemon

(British English) An (often) derogatory term for a lesbian, although some lesbians also use the term willingly to refer to themselves.

Lesbian Identified Man

A man who prefers the company of lesbian women; the male best friend of a lesbian (from The L Word.

Lesbigay, LesBiGay

Abbreviation for Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay.

Lesploitation, lezploitation

The use of lesbian imagery or themes in advertising or popular media to titilate heterosexual males.

LGBT

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered. This sequence is predominant on the American West Coast, whereas GLBT is predominant on the East Coast. The order LBGT is often used in the UK.

Limp wrist

An effeminate gay male; a gay male; said of gay males; an effeminate heterosexual male; hence: limp-wristed. Usually pejorative. Also the name of an openly, all-gay Straight Edge hardcore punk band.

Lincoln Logs

The Log Cabin Republicans, a gay Republican group. Pejorative.

Lipstick lesbian

A feminine lesbian.

Luppie

A lesbian yuppie.

M

M2F, MTF

A transgender or transsexual person who is transitioning or has transitioned from male to female. See also Transwoman

M2M

Male to male (sex)

MtM

Male-to-Male, term used by some transexual men who object to the term "ftm" or "Female-to-Male" on the grounds that they never identified as female and see themselves as men with a particular physical condition rather than as females who "changed" to male.

Macho-Like-Morrissey

Flaunting one's manliness publicly whilst keeping private one's homosexuality or bisexuality, in reference to singer Morrissey.

Mangina

The anus of a gay man who bottoms in anal sex; i.e., the male counterpart to a vagina.

Mantique

A term sometimes used to refer to an attractive gay man over the age of 50. (A combination of the words 'man' and 'antique').

Mary

An effeminate gay man OR a term of endearment (often used in a similar way to fag). See also Blanche.

Meat

Penis.

Muscle Mary

A gay man who works out in a gym (see Gym Bunny, Gym Queen); a muscular yet effeminate gay man. Usually pejorative.

Muscle queen

A gay man who prefers muscular men, gay or straight. Often pejorative.

N

Natural

Having an uncircumcized penis; unprotected sex.

Neg

HIV-negative.

Nelly, nelly queen

An effeminate gay man.

Nelly name

Identifying oneself by a female name. Once used widely by non-transgendered gay men, now mostly used by drag queens and transgenders.

Net boy, ~man

Someone who meets dates and/or sexual partner exclusivly (or predominantly) via the Internet.

No-ho, no-op

No hormones, no operations. A transgender or transexual person who does not plan on going on hormonal therapy or getting any surgery.

Non-op

A transgender or transexual person who does not plan on having surgery.

O

Oopsy-la

(Imitative) see camp. (Originally coined, but with no apparent gay connotation) by British politician, Government Minister, Privy Counsellor and historian, the Rt. Hon. Alan Clark MP [1]in his "Diaries"). Obtained currency in British gay argot latterly; i.e.: "Mark is soooo oopsy-la he should trade his trousers for a frock and be done with the pretence".

Open & Affirming, ONA

Refers to a United Church of Christ church that has publicly declared that "gay, lesbian, bisexual" (GLB) people (or those of all "sexual orientations") are welcome in its full life and ministry (e.g. membership, leadership, employment etc.)

Otter

A gay or bisexual man who is often tall, lean, lithe or somewhat muscular and mildy to heavily hirsute.

Our Church

(as in "I think she goes to our church") Gay. This expression predates the Metropolitan Community Church and other queer-friendly religious organizations.

Out (of the closet)

Originally, a person who acknowledges, embraces, and projects their comfort in being a homosexual. The term is now used by the dominant culture as a non-gay specific phrase to mean anyone who is open about a once hidden feeling or idea.

To out

To publicly disclose another person's homosexuality, usually against their will or without their knowledge.

P

Package

The bulge in a man's clothing caused by his penis and testicles. See also Basket.

Packer

An artificial flaccid penis, home made or purchased, used by many physically female transgender people to create an appropriate bulge in their pants. In British English, a derogatory term for a gay-male who gives anal-sex to a recipient, as the provider is said to be 'packing' his penis into the recipient.

Pack-n-Play

An artificial penis designed to serve as a packer while still being firm enough to be used for sexual penetration.

Passing

Appearing correctly or convincingly as something, generally a member of a minority attempting to be seen in public as being part of the dominant group to avoid harassment or mistreatment; for example, a gay man can "pass" as heterosexual or a transwoman can "pass" as a cisgendered woman. Derived from older usage outside the queer community, when some members of disadvantaged racial or ethnic groups would attempt to "pass" as white to avoid stigma.

Party bottom

A (usully submissive) man who desires to fellate and/or be penetrated by a large group of men all at one time, usually under the influence of hard drugs. See party and play, bottom (sex).

Passive

see bottom

Party and play, PnP

Used in personal ads and online chat rooms to indicate an interest for casual sex that includes hard drugs such as methamphetamine or ecstasy. Often found in its abbreviated form.

Pig

A person, usually a gay male, with very few sexual inhibitions.

Pink

The colour stereotypically associated with gay-people, and used by many gay-people in a non-derogatory sense when referring to gay-related media, such as 'The Pink Paper', a newspaper written specifically for the gay community.

Pink money

The disposable income or overall financial clout of the gay community.

Pink Saturday

The day before the Pride Parade in which a host of activities occur, most notably the 'Dyke March'.

Pisser

A device, home made or purchased, to allow a physically female person to urinate standing up.

Pitcher

the insertive partner in anal sex; the dominant partner. Contrast with catcher.

PLU

Acronym meaning "People Like Us". It refers to other gay people. Also a gay rights activist group in Singapore. Popularly used in Singapore and Malaysia, among other places.

Pocket gay

A gay man of small physical stature.

Polar Bear

A bear, but with gray body and facial hair, see Bear

Polari

British gay argot or slang, in currency especially prior to the legalisation of male homosexuality in the UK in 1967. Though various Polari words have entered the common lexicon, the language is largely obsolete.

Pos, poz

HIV-positive.

Potato queen

coined as the opposite of rice queen: an Asian man who prefers white men (sometimes considered pejorative).

Pre-Op

A transsexual person who has not had surgery but intends to eventually. May refer specifically to genital surgery, or may be used in reference to other surgical options (e.g., a mastectomy and chest reconstruction).

Pride

Gay pride. Also: the events that surround the "Pride Parade" (i.e., "What are you doing for Pride?"), which in days past was called the Gay Freedom Day parade. The word "pride" has also been adapted for products marketed to the gay community ("pride rings", "pride wear", "pride credit cards", etcetera).

Q

Queen

An effeminate gay man; a drag queen. Also used as a suffix in compound nouns such as "leather queen" or "size queen" to indicate an (often extreme) prediliction for or attraction to something, or in compounds such as "drama queen" to indicate a marked tendency. One criticism of this is that the word's derogatory, both because it's emasculating and also possibly offends gay men with republican or anarchist political leanings.Also: Quean, which has older linguistic roots and provenance. See also camp.

Queen's tank

In many American jails, a section of the jail where gay men, trannies, and hustlers are segregated from the general population.

Queer

Once, and in many parts still, a derogatory term for anyone perceived as "not straight"; this word has been reclaimed by the modern LGBT community as a self-describing blanket term, meant to be as inclusive as possible while theories and identities within the developing community shift and emerge. Many people in the LGBT community still find this an offensive word, with younger, urban, and/or progressive LGBTs generally accepting it, and older, rural, and/or conservative LGBTs not. The use of the word "queer" is also frowned upon by LGBTs who come from more religious cultures. Even further, the term itself, as a method of inclusivity, is opposed by some who dislike or are uncomfortable with being associated with other identities/persons included under the term. For example, some gay men dislike it because it associates them with drag queens, while some African-Americans believe it is Caucasian-centric.

Queer spawn

Term used to refer to the growing population of children raised in queer households. The first large population of Queer Spawn children began with the Lesbian Baby Boom of the 80's, and this first generation is now reaching adulthood. Most Queer Spawn children are heterosexual themselves, but are part of the Queer community through their families.

R

Radaring

When a stranger addresses a Trans person whose gender they do not know, and awkwardly stutters "sir-ma'am-sir." A reference to Radar O'Reily from the television show M*A*S*H, who would respond to female officers and specifically Major Hoolihan with "Yes sir, ma'am, sir!"

Raw

Unprotected sex, especially anal sex. See also: Bareback

Rent, rent boy

A male prostitute (i.e., "working to pay the rent" or a boy for rent).

Rice queen

a non-Asian man who prefers Asians (sometimes considered pejorative). See also potato queen, gaisen.

Rimming

Licking the anus of a sex partner.

Rough Trade

Before the common use of "down-low", this referred to working-class straight men who had secret sexual rendezvous with gay men, often in public settings.

S

S&M

(of a gay bar): "Stand and Model," suggesting a tendency for patrons to be aloof and egotistical. Also a common abbreviation of "sadism and masochism."

Salsa Queen

A non-hispanic gay man exclusively attracted to hispanic men.

Santorum

The frothy mix of lubricants and feces that is sometimes the byproduct of anal sex. See Savage Love.

Scally drag

A UK term refering to a gay man who wears sportswear in a way to imitate young working-class heterosexual males

Scene queen

A gay man who loves to "make a scene" or who often goes to bars, clubs, and/or parties.

Screaming Queen

A flamboyantly effeminate gay man.

The Scene

A blanket term referring to places that are known for their mostly gay appeal. In a social sense; gay bars/pubs and clubs, circuit parties or any other environment in which one's attendance is understood to mean that he or she is gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Seed

For a man to ejaculate inside another, especially anally. See barebacking

Seeker

A man who seeks infection with an STD (usually HIV). See also gift giver and bugchaser.

Shaft

(British English): word commonly-used to refer to anal-sex when between two men. A 'shafter' is also a rarely-encountered derogatory term for a gay-male who performs anal-intercourse as the provider ('giver').

Size queen

a man who prefers large penises.

Sister

a term of endearment between gay men and drag queens. See also Blanche, Mary.

The Sisters

Refers to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an international group of drag queen "nuns" who raise money for charity.

Snow Queen

A non-white gay male exclusively attracted to white men. (often pejorative)

Stack of Fags, Stack o' Fags

An apartment building where many gay men live. See also: Vaseline Towers.

Stealth

Transexual equivalent of the closet. To be secretive about one's trans status and history after completing transitioning to live socially as one's preferred gender.

Straight-acting

A gay man who passes as a stereotypical straight man; often used in personal ads. Can be considered pejorative but is often meant by the person who uses this term to describe himself in a positive manner. This term is known to cause controversy among many people who see/read it.

Stepford Fag

A gay male who has the desire to marry, have a family, and live a "normal" life (from The Stepford Wives).

Stud

A gay male considered by his peers to be extremely attractive physically; a promiscuous gay man; a butch lesbian, especially one who is promiscuous; a black butch lesbian.

Sugar daddy

An older, affluent male whose personal and sexual relationship to a younger male (boy toy) is purchased. See also kept man.

Sweater Queen

1950s slang for an effeminate, well-to-do gay man obsessed with conventional looks and a conservative social scene (from the movie Boys in the Band).

T

T

Abbreviation of "Testosterone," common among transmen. To begin testosterone therapy is to "Go on T." Also is short for "T-Cells" when referring to HIV positive or AIDS-infected men to describe their T-Cell count.

Tea room

(US English) A public lavatory where sexual activity takes place. See also cottage.

Team member, team player

A gay person.

Trade

A heterosexual or bisexual male looking for oral sex (blow job).

Transdyke

A lesbian transwoman.

Transexual

Alternate spelling of transsexual, adopted by some Trans people to decrease the sexual emphasis of the word.

Tranny, trannie

Transgender or transsexual person (considered offensive by some).

Tranny chaser

Someone, often a heterosexual male, who seeks exclusive relationships with pre-op or post-op transgender women.

Trannyfag/Transfag

A gay transman.

Transman

A transexual man (ftm). Preferred by some transexual men over "ftm" because it emphasizes one's status as a man and avoids the image of being a female who "became" a man, while simultaneously recognizing one's trans status and history.

Transwoman

A transexual woman (mtf). Preferred by some transexual women over "mtf" because it emphasizes one's status as a woman and avoids the image of being a male who "became" a woman, while simultaneously recognizing one's trans status and history.

Top

The insertive partner in anal or other penetrative sex (see Top (sex)); a partner who inflicts stimulation in BDSM (see top (BDSM)).

Tourist

A (usually heterosexual) person who visits known gay areas just to "look".

Trick

A prostitute's customer (a John); a sex partner, especially an anonymous or casual partner; a sexual act for money; to have sex.

Troll

as a verb--To walk around looking for sex (cruise). As a noun--an older, or physically unattractive man; a man in a bathhouse or cruising area who continues to make advances even when rebuffed.

Tuna

A pejorative word used by some U.S. gay men to refer to women.

Twink, twinky, twinkie

A young or young-looking man or boy; especially one is slender, clean cut and without facial or body hair.

U

UDC

"Universal dyke cut," a term referring to a hairstyle common among lesbians active in sports (similar to the mullet) with hair cut shorter on the front and sides and longer in the back.

V

Vagina business

Heterosexual sex; ("I'm not in the vagina business").

Vanilla

The opposite of kinky

Vaseline Towers

An apartment building where many gay men live. See also Stack of Fags.

Versatile

A person who will take either top or bottom positions in sex. See also Switch.

W

Wank-buddy

(Chiefly British/Australian English) Gay male non-romantic relationship for the sole purpose of mutual masturbation (and perhaps other forms of sexual activity). From: wank, a slang term meaning male masturbation (equivalent to "jerk off"). See also fuck buddy; jerk-buddy; j/o-buddy.

Water sports, watersports

Urine fetish. Often abbreviated as WS.

Wolf

An attractive man who is not a bear, primarily among bears.

Woof!

Used as a sign of sexual interest, primarily among Bears.

Woofy

Sexually attractive, primarily among Bears.

X

Xpics

Naked pictures or images of sexual acts traded online. See Pornography.

Xtina

see Christina.

Y

Yestergay

A person who identified as gay in the past, but who no longer does so. See also ex-gay, hasbian.

See also

• Japanese gay slang
• Singapore gay terminology
• http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modismos_gay (In Spanish)

External links

• Dictionary of Gay Slang and Historical Terms
• GLTB Slang Dictionary
• Language Gaymes
• Lavender Linguistics, from Guardian Unlimited
• Polari: British Gay Slang
• Queer Slang in the Gay 90's
• qWords — names for queers
• Sexuality as Identity: Gay and Lesbian Language