Twink (gay slang)

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This article is about the gay slang term. For other uses, see twink.
A twink at a holiday rave
A twink at a holiday rave

Twink is a gay slang term describing an attractive young or young-looking gay man (usually in his late teens or early twenties) with a slender build and little or no body hair. In some societies, the term "chick" or "chicken" is preferred.[1]

Originally, the term referred exclusively to blondes, but among gay people the term has become increasingly inclusive to refer to other young men whose physical features match those principally described above, but are not blond or even Caucasian.

The term can be used in a derogatory and pejorative manner. In some cases it is a neutral descriptive term and can be contrasted with the bears. Closely related (in the United States) is boi, although this generally represents a more feminine look or a generational way of redefining oneself. The term twink is often modified by various descriptors, e.g., "femme twink", "Euro twink", and muscle twink or "business twink". The term is often used in the gay porn industry.

[edit] Origin

The term is an allusion to the Twinkie pastry.
The term is an allusion to the Twinkie pastry.

The namesake of twinks is the "golden-colored phallic-shaped snack cake" Hostess Twinkie, commonly regarded as the quintessential junk food: "little nutritional value, sweet to the taste and creme-filled." A twink is "memorable for his outer packaging", not his "inner depth".[2]

There is a backronym that states that twink stands for "teenaged, white, into no kink," although none of those things are either necessary or sufficient for being a twink.[3][4]

[edit] Notes

Look up twink in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  1. ^ Green, Jonathon (2006). Cassell's Dictionary of Slang. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 272. ISBN 0304366366. Retrieved on 2007-12-04. 
  2. ^ Reuter, Donald F. (2006). Gay-2-Zee: A Dictionary of Sex, Subtext, and the Sublime. St. Martin's Griffin, 215. ISBN 0312354274. Retrieved on 2007-12-04. 
  3. ^ Pride Panel Terms and Definitions. OSU Pride Center, Oregon State University. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.
  4. ^ Twink. The Free Dictionary [Acronyms]. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.

[edit] References

  • Rodgers, Bruce. 1972. The Queen's Vernacular: A Gay Lexicon. Straight Arrow Books. ISBN 0-87932-026-5.
  • Hart, Jack. 1998. Gay Sex: A Manual for Men Who Love Men. Alyson Books. ISBN 1-55583-468-X.


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