Whether we’re serving fish, reading a queen for filth, or just being fierce and fabulous, gay slang lets us express ourselves in ways that are uniquely queer. It’s like we have our own version of Pig Latin, but instead of making words harder to understand, we make them more fun and fabulous!

Here are some commonly used terms, that you need to know in the gay community:

“Gaydar” – A term used to describe the ability to detect whether someone is gay or not. Find out more about that in our article about Gaydar.
“Bear” – A term used to describe a larger, hairier, and often older gay man.
“Twink” – A term used to describe a young, slender, and often effeminate gay man.
“Drag queen” – A man who dresses up in exaggerated feminine clothing and performs in drag shows.
“Bottom” – A term used to describe a gay man who prefers to receive penetration during sex.
“Top” – A term used to describe a gay man who prefers to give penetration during sex.
“Versatile” – A term used to describe a gay man who is open to both giving and receiving penetration during sex.
“PnP” – An abbreviation for “party and play,” which is a term used to describe the use of drugs during sexual activities.

And let’s be real, there’s nothing quite like throwing some shade, giving some T, or clocking someone’s tea to make us feel like we’re living our best lives. We might not always be understood by the straights, but that’s okay – they can keep their basic language, we’ll keep slaying with our gay slang.

So honey, next time you’re feeling a little down, just remember that you have a whole lexicon of fabulous words at your disposal. Whether you’re feeling like a twunk, a daddy, or a queen, there’s a term out there to help you express your gayness in all its glory. So let your rainbow flag fly, and keep living your best, most extra life!