Word of the Gay
*Straight talk on Gay language, one word at-a-time.Archive for Male
#35 “walker”
Throughout history, gay men and straight women have gone together like peanut butter & jelly, peas & carrots, or Cagney & Lacey. The level of intimacy that can be reached between these two individuals can rival even that of the most star-crossed of lovers. Now, couple the needs of an older woman who is either single or in a loveless marriage and has vast resources – with that of a younger, attractive man who’s looking to advance his social standing – and you’ve got sheer magic.
“Walker” describes the man in this equation; a young gay man that provides company for older women for the purposes of keeping her company, giving her advice, and escorting her to social events – in lieu of a husband or boyfriend. A walker will usually accompany a widow or unmarried woman, and act as both company and a sort of handler or aide. Since the woman is usually “of a certain age” the term also has a double-meaning, which refers to a walker, which is a device used to assist with standing and/or walking.
This term should not be confused either “beard” or “frock,” which both describe individuals (bread-female, frock-male) who are romantically linked to either a gay man (beard) or a lesbian (frock) in order to keep their sexual orientation hidden. Walkers are not necessarily in (or out of) the closet.
1. noun: A man (usually younger and gay) who is in a non-sexual relationship with an older woman (usually single or widowed), and serves as her social escort, muse, best friend, artistic expert, or confidante.
Ex: “Isn’t that Ms. Weintraub? I haven’t seen her since her husband passed away last year. It looks like that walker of hers is going to be out with her even more now.”
Ex: “Well, I saw Doris at two different events with her walker, Lawrence, again this week.”
[Origin: Most likely American or European, and used almost exclusively in high society circles.]
[Related: “beard” (female who acts as a closeted gay man’s companion in public); “frock” (male who acts as a closeted lesbian’s companion). Examples: George “Gould” Strong & Edith Bouvier Beale; Jack McFarland & Karen Walker.]
#33 “salad”
As a pubescent teenage boy in 1990s America, I certainly had my fill of sexually-charged imagery to fixate upon – Madonna’s “Truth or Dare” documentary (but mainly her male back-up dancers) and those hot, black-and-white Calvin Klein underwear ads. But the main object of my affection in those days, and still continues to be, of course, one “Marky Mark” Mark Wahlberg.
Wahlberg’s body certainly defines the term, “Salad” – which describes a man with a well-defined, muscular physique. You know the type; the guys who aren’t the least bit afraid to take off their shirt or drop their drawers. Basically, we’re talking mainly about underwear models, body-builders, dancers, and athletes. Others might describe those of us who are infatuated with this bodytype as “muscle Queens” or being into “muscle worship”. And why not! These guys are just fucking hot.
[sal-ad] – Definitions, in part, courtesy of the “Salad” Facebook profile.
1. noun: a sexually attractive man with a well-developed physique; well-proportioned and imposing appearance suggestive of health and strength; otherwise good-looking.
2. noun: either of two fleshy protuberances forming the lower and back part of the trunk; buttock; ass.
Ex 1: “Gurl, there was so much salad at The Abbey I didn’t know what to do with myself!
Ex 2: “His salad was like two perfectly tanned mounds of man-flesh.”
[Origin: United States, ca. 1990s. Attributed to “P. Farace”, New York City’s West Village; courtesy Facebook profile for “Salad”]
#32 “trade”
It goes without saying that there are a great many words and phrases that relate to casual sexual encounters. “Trade” is one such word. The word originates from Polari (post #22), the now almost entirely defunct gay “slanguage” from The United Kingdom.
“Trade” originally referred to a straight male who was the sexual partner of another man, either gay or bisexual, and quickly came to describe any pair of male sexual partners. Over time, the term has also been commonly attributed to younger or economically-disadvataged man who becomes the sexual partner of another older, or considerably more affluent, man.
Some specific examples of its use relate to men who seek out overtly masculine sexual partners. For instance, some men will seek out service members of the armed forces, who exemplify for them a very masculine example of manhood. These men are referred to as “military trade“, and may or may not be gay.
Currently, and in most cases, the word is used casually to refer to any male sexual partner of another man.
Ex: “I was at my favorite bar again last night, trying to pick up some trade.”, or “Did you see Chris and his trade come out of the club when it closed last night!”
-noun
1. the male sexual partner of another man; depending upon the circumstance may identify as straight, bisexual, or gay; individual may also receive payment after sexual acts are performed
[Related: “hook up”, “MSM” (men who have sex with men), “one night stand”, “rough trade”, “trick”]
#30 “tucknology”
The term “tucknology” refers to the methods and processes that drag performers (a.k.a. “drag queens”) use to create the illusion of the female form, “down there”.
Being friends with more than a few drag queens, I have grown accustomed to assisting them with their hair, their make-up, and overall look. But there is always a point in the process of getting ready when they excuse themselves, go into the bathroom with a roll of tape and a few layers of undergarments, and come out a changed – woman.
A performer’s tucknology is as unique as their wig, so no two people will necessarily have the same approach. Many implement a “tuck and fold” technique, while others manage to wear very tight underwear and tape down the remaining, offending, buldges. There are more than a few online resources available, for the more adventurous readers out there to peruse… here, here, or even here.
plural -gies. [tuk-nol-uh-gee]
1. noun: the study of tucking and/or binding male genitalia, for the purposes of making them appear to be female.
2. noun: the practice (techniques and processes) that deal with tucking male genetalia.
Ex: “Gurl, whatever techniques you are using down there – your tucknology is workin’ for you!”
[Origin: Joshua Tjaden, 2006]
#1 “Mary”
Gay guys love addressing each other through the use of a female name. “Mary” is their favorite. If you hear a gay using a female name to address another man, he probably thinks that the other is: a) effeminate, b) outlandish, or c) both.
–noun
1. a feminine name used as a substitute for a gay man’s given name, used with affection, ridicule, or familiarity by another gay man
2. a popular greeting or salutation used by gay men to address other gay men they believe to be more effeminate.
: “Hey Mary, how’s it going?
: “Calm down, Mary!”
[Origin: unknown; may be attributed to the popular American actress Mary Tyler Moore.]
Word of the Gay 