Homosexuality Terminology – From Roles to Labels for Dummies

Gays, Indian or Western, have their own vocabulary. Terms used to describe different roles and labels under the umbrella of homosexuality have gone through many changes over the years. However, some of them have passed the test of time. Not known to many, these terms further classify how a queer person wants to identify himself. Got confused? Worry not! In this blog, we will make you aware of such terms used with regard to homosexuality that will break some myths and educate you for life! You can look up the most relevant terms here.

Roles 

Top: A gay man who prefers to dominate while having sex. Carnally speaking, he is the one who penetrates the other person. 

 

Bottom: A gay man who prefers to be submissive while having sex. Carnally speaking, he is the one who receives the penetration from the top. 

 

Versatile: A gay man who is open to be dominating as well as submissive during the act of sex. He can individually play top or bottom depending on the sexual preference/interest of the other person. 

 

Switch: The kinky version of a versatile, Switch is a gay guy who enjoys BDSM (Bondage and Discipline, Sadism and Masochism). 

 

Labels 

Queer: A term that has a different meaning for different people is not limited to, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and asexual people. Sometimes, an umbrella term like LGBT can be replaced with “the queer community.”

 

Gay: A sexual orientation toward people of the same gender.

 

Lesbian: A woman whose orientation is toward women.

 

 

Bisexual: A person whose sexual orientation is toward other people regardless of their gender.

 

Pansexual/Omnisexual: People who have a romantic, sexual or affectional desire for people of all genders and sexes.

 

Nonbinary: A gender identity that embraces the full universe of expressions that resonate with an individual. 

 

Drag King: A person (often a woman) who appears as a man for an act or performance. It usually has nothing to do with her sexual preference.

 

Drag Queen: A person (often a man) who appears as a woman for an act or performance. It usually has nothing to do with his sexual preference. 

 

Cross Dresser: A person who dresses like a member of the other gender without carrying any implications of sexual orientation. In some cultures, Cross Dresser has replaced Transvestite as a term.

Slangs in the community

 

Gold Star – A gay man who never had sex with a woman.

Platinum Gay – Someone who has never kissed a girl, never been sexually engaged with one and was born by cesarean section. 

Vegetarian – A gay man who doesn’t like or get into orals. 

Chicken – A young gay man seeking older men. 

Chicken Hawk – S gay veteran looking for young dates.

Unicorn – A gay guy genuinely interested in finding and forming lasting romantic relationships. 

Passion Fruit – A straight-acting and masculine gay man.

Iron Closet – A gay man who is in deep denial about his own sexuality.

Vampire – A queer man who goes out looking for hookups late at night.

Full House – A gay man who has more than one sexual transmission diseases at any given point. 

Yestergay – A gay who is now in a heterosexual relationship. 

 

Other useful terms 

 

Biphobia: This one seems like a new word, but it exists. Yup! Biphobia stands for fear/hatred of bisexual, pansexual, or omnisexual folks. 

LGBT: This is something you must have heard a million times. LGBT stands is an umbrella term used to refer to a community that isn’t heterosexual. It is the abbreviation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. 

Gender Expression: How one dresses, acts and/or behaves to be labeled as “masculine” or “feminine” by society. 

Sexuality: An individual’s collective biological sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual practices.