Disclaimer: I just want to make it clear from the get go that this article is based off of stereotypes and that this article is meant for humor rather than to be taken seriously. At the end of the day, a person’s personality and behavior should not be categorized into specific labels. As a society, we tend to cling to specific labels to try to meet society’s expectations. However, it is important to remember how artificial this can be. I hope that this article can be used to highlight how ridiculous and meaningless stereotypes/labels are.
1. The Twink
This is probably one of the most controversial terms that has been used in the gay community for years. For the readers who do not know what this term means, a twink is considered a young, slim, gay male who tends to be “flamboyant” and is seen as submissive. “Twinks” are usually tormented by others for being too “feminine.”
2. The Bear
A bear is the complete antithesis of a twink. Essentially, a bear is an older gay male who is considered stronger, more masculine, and is known to be dominant. Most members of society are shocked when they find out that these men are gay.
3. The “Straight” Guy
The quotation marks around the word straight probably reveals the contradictory nature of this term. These “straight” men tend to be individuals who have not revealed their sexuality to others or have not come to terms with their own identity. Therefore, they identify as “straight” and explore their sexuality with other men.
4. The Jock
This tends to be the gay guy that is known to fulfill other guys “straight boy fantasy.” These guys are known for being extremely fit, conscious of what they eat, and shock people by identifying as homosexual. I honestly do not understand this term because anyone can fit the stigma of a “jock.” This term is not sexuality specific and just highlights the unreliable nature of these terms.
5. Queens
In my opinion, anyone can be a so called “queen.” These gay guys are known for being problematic, living for drama, and wanting attention to be on them all the time. Clearly, this is not sexuality specific because I know a wide range of people who would be considered a queen.
I cannot reiterate enough how useless these labels are. We should not be trying to categorize each other in order to meet specific standards that society has set. To most, theses terms may appear innocent. However, it is important to keep in mind that most of the terms discussed above are based off of phsyical appearance and behavior. Another issue with these terms are they force many individuals to feel as though they are not “gay” enough for the LGBTQA+ community. Let’s try to end these microaggressions before they cause more damage in society than they already have.
