The internet is filled with slang that people use every day without realising the queer history behind it. So, here’s a list of queer slang and the meanings behind them.
An integral part of exploring your identity within the queer spectrum is learning the community’s vocabulary. Growing up, I learned my queer ABC’s through RuPaul’s Drag Race. Seventeen seasons, multiple All-Star editions, countless spin-offs and hundreds of brilliantly iconic drag queens taught me everything I needed to know before venturing out into the queer realm. But for the longest time, I thought these terms were exclusively reserved for the queer community, that was, until the internet got its hands on them. Suddenly slay was the word of the year. Then came gagged, mother, serve, and whatnot. These days, the internet is obsessed with ‘clock it’. Why? Because, while the queer lingo is as inclusive as the community itself, the internet has a nasty habit of claiming things for its own.
This is a classic example of cultural appropriation, where the internet takes something from a community, usually the minority, and popularises it in the name of representation. As the clout flows in, the history, meaning and cultural impact of those terms are diluted out of existence. Just as the ‘clock it’ trend can be traced back to the 1970’s and the Underground Ballroom Scene, there are multiple predominant queer slang terms and vocabulary from queer history that have made their way into internet communication.
Here are some slang terms and their meaning that you should know, even if you’re not queer!
Mother
Mother comes from the term ‘House Mother’, someone who would take queer folk under their wing and take care of them in their time of need. Nowadays, anyone who’s iconic is termed Mother, and why not, but back in the days, it was considered a highly respectable title.
Snatched
Today, “snatched” is used to describe someone who looks extremely stylish and attractive in what they wear. Back in the day, it was treated as a phrase, ‘snatched my wig’, which basically meant a look so stunning that it snatched the wig off their head.
Mug
While snatched was used to describe someone’s outfit, mug was used as a synonym for the face and make-up. While the word isn’t popular on the internet yet, it is gaining recognition and is used in daily conversations.
Werk
Werk is the queer way of hyping or encouraging someone. Used heavily during the Ballroom scene, it was popularised mainstream through RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Read
‘Reading is Fundamental!’ It’s a phrase known and loved by every Drag Race fan. In simple terms, as the word suggests, you read people by roasting them. It’s a rather humorous and lighthearted tradition that acts as an ice-breaker. The darker, more sinister version of it is called shade.
