What is a dolphin – and other gay slang terms explained
Dolphin, bears and more, find out what animal you are in the gay zoo – your guide to gay slang
By Aaron Sugg
Somewhere along the LGBTQ+ timeline, we started labelling ourselves by animal (as if the one label was not enough). Maybe it is a cheeky nod to our sex drives, maybe it’s just a bit of playful self-identification but either way, the “gay zoo” is full of characters.
There are otters, bears, silver foxes and twinks, the later not necessarily an animal, however I’m sure their friends beg to differ on a night out.
On an episode of Celebs Go Dating this week, S Club singer Jon Lee and his handsome bearded brunette date brought a new – or, perhaps, lesser known – member into the gay animal kingdom: The Dolphin. It started as a finny, apologies, funny, discussion about “gay lingo,” and suddenly into a camp aquatic lesson.
This is your cheat sheet for figuring out what kind of animal – or gay tribe – you are, in and out of the sheets…
Twink
Young, slim, hairless and energetic and often the life of the party. Our prime example, Heartstopper actor Joe Locke.
Twunk
Someone who has the youthful appeal of a twink but with more muscle or a stronger build with a slight show of hair. Locke’s co-star and on screen boyfriend Kit Connor being our example of the muscle twink crossover.
Bear
Big, hairy and usually rocking a beard, these maned mammals rule the gay forest. Mean Girls star Damian Leigh is roaring with bear energy.
@mtv Damian’s impact on pop culture & LGBTQ+ teen acceptance is undeniable – and we have @whatsupdanny to thank for his iconic #MeanGirls performance 💕 #danielfranzese ♬ original sound – MTV
Otter
Lean, hairy and playful. Somewhere between a twink and a bear with just-right fuzz. Case in point: How I Met Your Mother actor Neil Patrick Harris serving full otter energy with a hint of daddy (he is a father of two).
Silver Fox
Mature, grey haired and effortlessly handsome. Just like Watch What Happens Live! host Andy Cohen, he makes viewers howl with his salt-and-pepper swagger.
Cub
Like a teddy bear, sweet-faced, hairy and cuddly – Broadway’s own Ben Platt is the perfect example of a soft cub in the gay wild.
Wolf
Strong, rugged and a little wild (especially in his role as Gaston), Luke Evans gives full wolf energy, the heartthrob who could make any gay howl without needing the moon.
Chicken
Not to be confused with a twink, a chicken is a young, fresh-faced gay guy, often twink-adjacent, but just a little older. Comedian Stephen Bailey calls himself a chicken, though he likes to say he’s his own subtext of peacock – he enjoys rustling a few feathers.
Dolphin
A dolphin in gay slang could be described as an otter without the fur – playful, sleek and smooth instead of hairy. Bowen Yang serves dolphin realness with his hilarious and playful TV persona.