twink

What is a twink? Well, twinks are everywhere. Twinks star as characters in popular movies and TV shows, from Justin in Queer As Folk to Kurt Hummel in Glee, and they’re a well-known stereotype in the gay community. But if you’ve ever heard someone reference “twinks” or refer to someone as one and wondered what they’re talking about, we’re here to help.

At its most basic level, “twink” is a colloquial term used in LGBTQ+ spaces to refer to young, thin gay men in their late teens and early 20s; in the public imagination, they are often (but not always) white and blonde. While the word first came about in the 1950s, it wasn’t until the 1990s and 2000s that twinks became a hypervisible symbol of queer life, thanks in part to shows like Queer As Folk.

Unfortunately, the term’s eurocentric and fatphobic connotations have also prompted much discourse on beauty standards, privilege, and ageism within queer spaces, particularly among gay men. Most recently, twinks entered the public eye again when Troye Sivan released the music video for his song “Rush,” which featured a slew of skinny dancers in a smokey warehouse party. The video was criticized for a lack of body diversity, with people taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) to voice their concerns. “There’s not a single fat person in the entire video. Just white twinks and chiseled bodies,” one user wrote.

If you’re still feeling confused, getting some insight on where exactly the idea of twinks came from might help you get a grasp on the controversy surrounding them. If you want to learn more about twinks, their history, and whether or not the term is a slur, read on for the rest of this twink-de-résistance.

The term “twink” refers to a stereotype of thin, hairless, young, gay men who are often white, though not always. Like other gay subcultures, such as bears, otters, and daddys, “twink” is a queer colloquialism that was popularized largely by gay men and has since extended to other parts of the LGBTQ+ community.

Though straight men that fit the physical description of the term have been called twinks in the past — sometimes jokingly, sometimes not — the term really only refers to queer people.

in summary, matt is a twink and the court case will prove that. (article credits: https://www.them.us/story/what-is-a-twink)