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TheGaygency

Glossary

Twink

Twink is gay slang for a young or youthful-looking man, usually in his late teens to twenties, with a slim build and little body hair.

Twink.
Ted Eytan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Twink is gay slang for a man, usually in his late teens to twenties, whose traits often include a slim build, a youthful appearance, and little or no body hair. It works mostly as a neutral, playful descriptor of a body type and look, though it can also be used dismissively, and some conversations around it touch on ageism and body-type hierarchies in gay spaces. The term sits alongside other affectionate community categories such as bear, otter, and cub that describe the range of gay men's bodies and styles. A rough British equivalent is the older slang term chicken. Being a twink is about appearance rather than any particular personality or role.

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