Twink

Twink
The twink flag
Classification	Subculture
Specifics
Gender	Men
Attracted to	Men

Twink is a subcultural term referring to gay or bi men who defy traditional masculine roles, embracing traits that are generally seen as feminine.

Twinks are typically associated with a few key tropes: general physical attractiveness, a slim build, and a youthful appearance that lacks facial hair and often body hair as well. In his book Never Enough (2007), Joe McGinniss describes a court case in which twink was defined as "a gay slang term used to denote an attractive, boyish-looking gay man between the ages of 18 and 23, slender ectomorph and with little or no body hair, often blond, often but not necessarily Caucasian."

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Etymology

The origins of the term twink are disputed.

One possibility is that the term originates from twank, an older British gay slang term which means "the quarry of a homosexual prostitute (male); a man willing and ready to become any dominant man's 'partner'". This would date the term back to the 1920-30s.

Another possible origin of the term may be derived from Twinkie, an American snack cake. The food is described as "little nutritional value, sweet to the taste, and creme-filled"; by comparison, the young men are described as "short, and blond, and full of creme". Cream is a well-known food-related euphemistic terms for semen. Wiktionary lists this as the official etymology. This dates the term back to 1963.

Oxford Dictionaries claims twink originates from the 1950s and is related to the word twinkle.

Community

Flag

The Twink flag was made by Wikipedia user kaisuteknon and uploaded to Wikipedia on June 5th, 2009. While the exact origins of the colors are unknown, the pink stripe is commonly seen as a celebration of the effeminate nature of many twinks.

Controversy

Due to its suspected origins, the term has been accused of being ageist and racist.

Perceptions and discrimination

The twink stereotype has been criticized for its homogenous descriptions, usually bringing to mind thin, white, able-bodied, blond-haired young men. As with many terms, modern usage has broadened the term to include more diverse parts of the community.

Twinks are often common targets of homophobia due to closely meeting gay stereotypes. They also tend to be sexualized in media.