Muscle Mary

Muscle Mary is British and Australian slang for a gay man who works to keep a highly muscular, bodybuilt physique. It joins 'muscle' with 'Mary,' a long-standing camp term of address in gay culture. The phrase dates to roughly the 1980s and can be used affectionately or playfully within the community, though dictionaries also note it can be derogatory, sometimes hinting that a man's devotion to the gym outpaces other parts of his life. Like many community-internal terms, it carries a layered mix of admiration, humor, and gentle ribbing, and its tone depends heavily on who is using it and how.