Twinks and Pups for Gay Men Defined
We’ve all heard the term Twink and Pup in gay-speak but what do they really mean? For example, is a Twink the same thing as a pup but share different characteristics? Or do gay men who are given the label of “twink” somehow enjoy their own unique classification?The inspiration for this post came to me after a recent conversation I had with a group of friends at a local gay bar. A buddy of mine saw a hottie walk by and said:
“Oh wow – what a cute twink!”.
When I saw the attractive young man he was talking about, I nodded my head in agreement. “Yep, he’s a cute twink for sure!” I said. But that’s when a person in our group injected the following.
“Technically, he’s not a twink. He’s more of a pup. I happen to know him and this is his very first time at a bar. Can’t you see how green he is? Twinks and pups aren’t the same so get your gay lingo right.”
His bit of insight then led to an hour long conversation about the larger topic of gay twinks and pups – plus a few other labels thrown in for good measure – like wolves and otters.
Oh I know – people get all offended at so called “labels” but they shouldn’t because it’s an important part of our gay culture that we don’t want to lose.
Plus, you have to have something to talk about when you’re checking out the meat at the bar, right? I’m not going to get all heteronormative and start using straight terms!
Anyway …
After we all went home that night – empty handed I might add – I started to do some research on twinks and pups. While I don’t pretend to be an expert, I will give you the basics of what I found out.
TWINK DEFINED
For the most part, a twink is a guy who has a slender build. Usually, they range in age from 18 to early 20’s and have boyish features. Twinks are legally adults – they are NOT tweens!And another thing. Twinks are often thought of as smooth but they can also have body hair. There really isn’t a universally agreed upon construct here.
Many gay men mistakenly think of twinks as “pretty” but that would be incorrect. You see, if a twink is thought of as having pretty features, they are referred to as a glamour twink. That’s a twink subtype in case you didn’t know.
Handsome twinks on the other hand aren’t “pretty” but instead, more rugged in nature.
FYI: Technically speaking, twinks can also be pups but they aren’t exactly the same.
PUPS, GAY PUPS and PUP PLAY
In gay-speak, “pups” are fairly young (18-early 20’s) with the defining feature of having almost zero experience in the gay universe.Basically, pups are newbies and often adorable, just taking their first few steps of self-discovery as part of coming out. What makes them cute is their naïveté.
Pups can be of all body types, including slender and muscular or roundish and heavy (not the same as a gay cub). Pups can also have body hair or be smooth.
Note: Some people understandibly confuse “pup play” (a type of role play) with “gay pups”. They are, however, different.
“Pup play” [sometimes referred to as puppy play] speaks directly to a kink experience. When you hear “puppy play”, think of fetishes involving a dominant and submissive role.
Remember, the defining trait for a gay pup is their newness to the gay scene. After they’ve been out awhile and exposed to gay dating, apps, bars, hookups, etc – they then graduate to another classification.
Pups can silo off into:
- Twinks
- Twunks (muscular twinks)
- Cubs
- Jocks
- Otters
- Bears (rarely)
www.gaypopbuzz.com/twinks-pups-gay/
