LGBTQ slang, LGBTQ speak or queer slang is a set of English slang lexicon used predominantly among LGBTQ people. It has been used in various languages since the early 20th century as a means by which members of the LGBTQ community identify themselves and speak in code with brevity and speed to others.
LGBTQ slang has played an integral part in LGBTQ culture for decades. Slang language initially emerged as a way for queer people to communicate with one another while avoiding detection by mainstream society. Queer people have always existed, but historically, they have had to be discreet about their identities and lives, particularly when being LGBTQ was illegal and/or socially condemned.
LGBTQ slang is used as a way to signal one's identity and build solidarity within the community. When queer people use these certain words and phrases, they demonstrate to others that they are part of the LGBTQ community and share a common experience. This connection can create a sense of belonging for those historically rejected and isolated by mainstream society.
LGBTQ slang is also used by the community as a means of reclaiming language and deconstructing oppressive norms. Queer slang often includes playful references to sexual acts, which can serve as an assertion of sexual agency and a rejection of shame.
History and context
Because of sodomy laws and threat of prosecution due to the criminalization of homosexuality, LGBTQ slang has served as an argot or cant, a secret language and a way for the LGBTQ community to communicate with each other publicly without revealing their sexual orientation to others. Since the advent of queer studies in universities, LGBTQ slang and argot has become a subject of academic research among linguistic anthropology scholars.
During the first seven decades of the 20th century, a specific form of Polari was developed by gay men and lesbians in urban centres of the United Kingdom within established LGBTQ communities. Polari was featured on the BBC radio programme Round the Horne in 1964, exposing the wider public to the secret language. Although there are differences, contemporary British gay slang has adopted many Polari words. The 1964 legislative report Homosexuality and Citizenship in Florida contains an extensive appendix documenting and defining the homosexual slang in the United States at that time. SCRUFF launched a gay-slang dictionary app in 2014, which includes commonly used slang in the United States from the gay community. Specialized dictionaries that record LGBTQ slang have been found to revolve heavily around sexual matters.
Slang is ephemeral; terms used in one generation may pass out of usage in another. For example, in the 1960s and 1970s, the terms "cottage" (chiefly British) and "tearoom" (chiefly American) were used to denote public toilets used for sex. By 1999, this terminology had fallen out of use to the point of being greatly unrecognizable by members of the LGBTQ community at large.
Many terms that originated as gay slang have become part of the popular lexicon. The word drag was first used by William Dorsey Swann, a freed African American slave. Swann referred to himself as the "queen of drag" in the 1880s and 1890s.Shane, Cari. "The First Self-Proclaimed Drag Queen Was a Formerly Enslaved Man." Smithsonian Magazine. Accessed September 23, 2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-first-self-proclaimed-drag-queen-was-a-formerly-enslaved-man-180982311/. Drag was later 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. Conversely, words such as "banjee", while well-established in a subset of gay society, have never made the transition to popular use. Conversations between gay men have been found to use more slang and fewer commonly known terms about sexual behavior than conversations between straight men.
In the Philippines, many LGBTQ people speak with Swardspeak, or "gay lingo", which is a more extensive use of slang as a form of dialect or way of speaking. Other argots are spoken in southern Africa (Gayle language and IsiNgqumo) and Indonesia (Bahasa Binan). More specifically, in a country like Thailand, LGBTQ slang was always present in their history due to their religious, behavioral, and social nature. However, before the term LGBTQ was introduced, the Thai community would use the terms Kathoey and Tom. The term Kathoey was used to describe transgender women who dress, act, or partake in surgery to become female, and the term Tom as well as "handsome girls" in Thai was used to describe women who liked women. Homosexuality and transness has always existed throughout their history, as their behavioral nature did not align with heterosexual ideals.
General slang terms
100-footer – an obviously gay or lesbian person (as if visible from 100 feet away) (US) or (man-loving-man) – an umbrella term for attractions and relationships between men, regardless of their sexual or romantic orientation, sometimes including non-binary androphiles. Sometimes known as Vincian, referencing the sexuality of Leonardo da Vinci, or Uranian baths – bathhouses frequented by gay men for sexual encounters (US) beach bitch – a gay man who frequents beaches and resorts for sexual encounters (US) beard – a person used as a date, romantic partner, or spouse to conceal one's sexual orientation beat – an area frequented by gay men, where sexual acts occur (Australia) bent – gay, as opposed to straight (UK) bender – someone who has homosexual intercourse (UK) binding – a technique in which individuals wear tight clothing, bandages, or compression garments, known as binders, to hide and flatten their breasts bottom – a receptive partner in intercourse; also used as a verb for the state of receiving sexual stimulation – someone who dominantly or energetically plays the receptive role in intercourse – portmanteau of "boy pussy"; a male anus, in the context of anal sex. Also used to refer to a trans man's vulva – in ball culture, a gay male who presents as a gay male; that is, neither as a trans individual nor a heteronormative male. This mostly refers to someone who looks the part of what most would identify as "gay" butchy femme – a gender expression between femme and futch camp, campy – exaggerated and amusing, in a way that is typically associated with gay men or femininity clone – a San Francisco or New York Greenwich Village denizen with exaggerated macho behavior and appearance (US) closeted – keeping one's sexuality or gender identity a secret from others cocksucker – a person who practices fellatio, usually a gay male come out (of the closet) – to admit or publicly acknowledge oneself as non-heterosexual/non-cisgender cottaging – having or seeking anonymous gay sex in a public toilet, or "cottage" (UK) cruising – seeking a casual gay sex encounter (historically from ancient Rome) down-low – homosexual or bisexual activity, kept secret, by men who have sex with men (US) en femme, en homme – the act of wearing clothes stereotypically of the opposite sex femboy – a male who presents in a traditionally feminine manner femme – a feminine homosexual – a shorter alternative to folks – a gender expression between femme and butch, or a feminine butch Game of Flats – an 18th-century English term for sex between women The reference is to A. G. Busbequius, Travels into Turkey, English translation (London, 1744). The original book, published much earlier, was invariably cited whenever lesbianism was mentioned, e.g., William Walsh's A Dialogue Concerning Women (London, 1691) and in Martin Schurig's Muliebria Historico-Medica (1729). gaydar – the supposed ability to detect someone's sexual orientation (from gay + radar). Corresponding terms include , , , and gaymer – an LGBTQ person who plays video games (from gay + gamer) gaysian – a gay Asian person – a woman that mostly or exclusively associates with gay/bisexual men. May also mean a woman attracted to gay/bisexual men, also may refer to some gay men or non-binary people fag hag – a heterosexual woman who mostly or only associates with gay/bisexual men fag stag – a heterosexual man who mostly or only associates with gay/bisexual men fruit fly – person of any gender/sexuality that heavily associates with any LGBTQ-aligned person or community. A fruit fly may also refer to a gay man without any connotations of association gold star – a homosexual who has never had heterosexual sexual intercourse gouinage (Brazil) – non-penetrative sex. Named after gouine, similar to side g0y – a man attracted to men who does not identify as gay or bisexual and is not willing to do anal intercourse guydyke or lesboy – a man/boy attracted to lesbian/bisexual women, also may be used to refer to a non-binary person heteroflexible – to be mostly heterosexual homoflexible – to be mostly gay molly – In 18th century England, the term "molly" was used for male homosexuals, implying effeminacy. See Molly house – being "neither/nor" when it comes to normative taboos and self-centered communities platinum star – (see 'gold star' above) a gay man who was born by a C-section procedure and who has never had sex with a woman. Originating from a joke in Will and Grace but has taken on non-comedic connotations poz – HIV-positive person (US) queer – originally a slur against homosexuals, transgender people, and anyone who does not fit society's standards of gender and sexuality; later reclaimed and used as umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities sapphic or (woman-loving-woman) – used to encompass attractions and relationships between women, regardless of their sexual or romantic orientation, sometimes including non-binary gynephiles scissoring – used to refer to lesbian intercourse, though is often derogatory side – a homosexual male who does not enjoy anal penetration (giving or receiving), but will engage in other forms of same-sex activity (fellatio, frottage, handjobs, etc.) – especially in ball culture to dress or be fashionable and flawless swish – effeminate or effeminacy (US) switch – a person who enjoys both topping and bottoming, or being dominant and submissive, and may alternate between the two in sexual situations, adapting to their partner. Synonymous with vers tomgirl – the equivalent of a tomboy, but for boys with feminine traits top – the dominant or inserting sexual partner, usually in a homosexual relation or activity – a submissive top, someone who applies sensation or control to a bottom, but does so at the bottom's explicit instructions tongzhi (同志, "comrade", lit. "same will, same purpose") – a term used to describe members of LGBTQ communities in some Chinese languages trade – a straight-passing male partner, commonly used by gay men or trans women (derived from Polari) (US) also used as slang to indicate the action of "trading" pictures of penises, commonly used on social media vers – short for "versatile," a person who enjoys both topping and bottoming, or being dominant and submissive, and may alternate between the two in sexual situations, adapting to their partner
Terms describing gay men
artiste – a gay man who excels at fellatio auntie – an older, often effeminate and gossipy gay man bathsheba – a gay man who frequents gay bathhouses bull queer – a gay man who exclusively tops in intercourse chicken – a youthful gay man chubby chaser – a man who seeks overweight males daddy – a typically older gay man flit flower – a typically effeminate gay man friend of Dorothy – a gay person. Historically used as a shibboleth to identify other LGBTQ people. Likely a reference to Judy Garland, who portrayed Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939) and had a large gay fan-base light in the loafers / light in the pants / light in the fedora