Gay Mafia

"Gay mafia," also known as the Velvet Mafia, is a loose term for the idea that a network of powerful gay men wields outsized influence in industries such as entertainment, fashion, media, and tech. It carries two very different tones. Within some queer circles it is used jokingly, as camp self-awareness about real representation in creative fields. Outside them it often functions as a slur, recycling an old conspiracy trope that gay men rise through secret alliances or sexual favors rather than talent. Commentators note that "mafia" tends to get applied to ordinary professional networking only when the people doing it are disliked. The framing has been criticized for fueling discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in business.