Yas

Yas is a slang exclamation that works as an emphatic, joyful yes, used to express excitement, approval, or encouragement. It is often stretched out for effect, as in yaaaas or yasss, with the extra letters signaling extra enthusiasm. The word grew out of ballroom and drag culture, the African-American and Latino LGBTQ+ scene where it was called out to cheer on performers. Accounts trace its use back at least to the 1980s ball scene, with some pointing to drag encouragement even earlier. From there it spread through queer nightlife, the internet, and shows built on drag, eventually reaching mainstream pop culture. Knowing its Black and Latino queer origins is part of using it with respect rather than as a hollow meme.