Different names for gay men

Glossary of Terms: LGBTQ

Definitions were drafted in collaboration with other U.S.-based LGBTQ society organizations and leaders. See acknowledgements section.

Additional terms and definitions about gender identity and gender expression, transgender people, and nonbinary people are available in the Transgender Glossary.

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*NOTE: Request people what terms they use to describe their sexual orientation, gender individuality and gender utterance before assigning them a label. Outside of acronyms, these terms should only be capitalized when used at the beginning of a sentence.

LGBTQ
Acronym for lesbian, lgbtq+, bisexual, transgender, and queer. The Q generally stands for queer when LGBTQ organizations, leaders, and media use the acronym. In settings offering support for youth, it can also stand for questioning. LGBT and LGBTQ+ are also used, with the + added in recognition of all non-straight, non-cisgender identities. (See Transgender Glossary ) Both are acceptable, as are other versions of thi

LGBTQIA+ Slurs and Slang

TermContextual noteTime/Region Referencesace queens term essence “great queen”. Prison slang for a man who wears a more “feminine” look i.e. shaved legs, plucked eyebrows. May be described as part of incarcerated homosexual culture. Should not be confused with the more widely-used designation "ace," a shortening of "asexual." See "asexual." UK, USA, s Mosca de Colores – Gay Dictionary alphabet peopleOffensive contemporary legal title for LGBTQ+ people, often used by right-wing people reacting to perceived advancements in LGBTQ+ people's rights. s- Green's Dictionary of Slang - bathroom queen

bog queen

Gay slang expression for people who frequent general toilets looking for sexual encounters.

Synonyms: Bathsheba (composition between bathroom and Sheba to create a call reminiscent of the Queen of Sheba), Ghost (50s, ghost, because they wander the corridors of the bathroom).

USA, UK Mosca de Colores – Same-sex attracted Dictionary batting for the other teamA euphemistic expression indicating that someone (of any gender) is homosexual. T

Glossary of Terms

Many Americans refrain from talking about sexual orientation and gender identity or expression because it feels taboo, or because they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing.

This glossary was written to help provide people the words and meanings to help make conversations easier and more comfortable. LGBTQ+ people use a variety of terms to identify themselves, not all of which are included in this glossary. Always listen for and respect a person’s self identified terminology.

Ally | A legal title used to describe someone who is actively supportive of Queer people. It encompasses straight and cisgender allies, as well as those within the LGBTQ+ collective who support each other (e.g., a lesbian who is an ally to the bisexual community).

Asexual | Often called “ace” for short, asexual refers to a complete or partial lack of sexual attraction or lack of interest in sexual activity with others. Asexuality exists on a spectrum, and asexual people may experience no, little or conditional sexual attraction.

Biphobia | The apprehension and hatred of, or discomfort with

Types

Some gay men use types to describe, identify and communicate themselves. Who hasn't heard someone say “he’s my type" or been asked if a guy is yours? There is always some disagreement around the terms we exploit and whether we should use them at all.

Therefore, you should be sensitive if applying a type to someone, bearing in mind some gay men reject them altogether as narrow, superficial, and demeaning. Equally, some use types affectionately and as a convenient shorthand.

It's a bit of a bear pit (no pun intended), but here's our take on types, though you are perfectly entitled to hurl them out and be your own gay, your own homo, queer, etc.

Physical types and personal characteristics

Some guys are primarily attracted to physical types of gay men (eg: bears, twinks, and muscle guys) while some find characteristics in men most attractive (eg: warmth, intelligence, and humour). Others mix and match and understanding these distinctions is important.

For example, the type(s) of men we find attractive sexually may not necessarily be the qualities we are looking for to sust