Twinks have had their place in the gay community since, well, forever. But are they about to go mainstream? Nick Haramis at the New York Times certainly thinks so, and he’s just written an entire op-ed about it.
Urban Dictionary defines a “twink” as:
An attractive, boyish-looking, young gay man. The stereotypical twink is 18-22, slender with little or no body hair, often blonde, dresses in club wear even at 10:00 AM, and is not particularly intelligent. A twink is the gay answer to the blonde bimbo cheerleader.
The all-knowing Wikipedia describes a twink as:
Gay slang for a young man in his late teens to early twenties whose traits may include: general physical attractiveness; little to no body or facial hair; a slim to average build; and a youthful appearance that belies an older chronological age.
Haramis writes:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Although the origin of the term has been disputed — some trace its history to “twank,” 1920s British slang for a client of gay male prostitutes, while others insist it’s a vulgar riff on the cream-filled Hostess snack — twinks are young, attractive, hairless, slim men.
But, Haramis says, the traditional definition of a twink seems to be changing.
Related: Does The Word “Twink” Need Reclaiming?
“The latest twinks–many of whom are straight–are what you might call ‘art twinks,'” he writes. “They are more culturally mainstream: a growing cohort of famous (and famously small) boys who stand in opposition to the lumbering, abusive oafs who have been dominating this year’s headlines.”
Haramis now believes we may be on the verge of a twink takeover.
Take, for example, Troye Sivan‘s recent performance on SNL.
“When Sivan, 22, performed on Saturday Night Live in January, his shirt was blown open by a wind machine, his whole mien charged with sex,” Haramis writes. “But there seemed to be safety in his slimness–both for the artist to express himself and for his countless questioning teenage fans.”
Haramis points to several other examples of popular twinks, including Jaden Smith, Adam Rippon, Olly Alexander, and Timothée Chalamet.
Related: Don’t call Gus Kenworthy a twink (unless you want him to post a shirtless selfie proving otherwise)
He concludes:
Female body types have always cycled in and out of style; yet with men, alternatives to the ideal of imposing physicality have usually been ignored or lampooned. But as women continue to use their voices to undo that legacy of toxic masculinity, a different kind of change is taking place from within the culture: These twinks, after all, aren’t just enviably lean boys or the latest unrealistic gay fantasy, but a new answer to the problem of what makes a man.
What do you think? Are we on the verge of a twink takeover? Sounds off in the comments section below…
Kangol
More power to twinks, but no. And the twink aesthetic is nothing new. Emos, nerds, some of the hippies, etc. were versions of twinkdom. Haramis’s fantasy doesn’t equal everyone else’s reality.
Vince
Ha. This pervs definition of anybody who isn’t skinny and hairless is a lumbering, abusive oaf. He seems to be quite obsessed with them.
Frank
it should say white twink takeover because Hollywood love hairless white boys
tnguy
The three best parts of my work day are when I get to walk/drive through a college campus. The twink beauty is breathtaking.
I am considering getting cards printed for the sole purpose of giving in passing to beautiful boys.
CastleSF
Now I know what all those stares and gazes from the seductive older men at college were all about. These twink seekers are ever more present than before like sharks looking for their preys. Fortunately young guys in their early 20s are more alert and experienced .
Vince
Well first off Olly Alexander is pushing 30. I guess we really do have a new definition of twink. Ha
Secondly, anybody ever hear of boy bands. Like they’ve only been around since forever since there’s been teen girls and gays.
MaxH
I always have a little guy when I see a thin, hairless guy in his 30’s calling himself a twink. Desperate much haha.
MaxH
a little giggle*
MaxH
Anyone know who the guy on the right is? Pleaseeee say porn star. I don’t normally bother with porn, with with Grindr requiring less effort, but I’d spend a good 2-3 minutes Googling him.
lessthan
I felt the same about the guy on the left. I Googled it. They are porn stars, left is Lukas Grande and right is Jack Rayder. At least they were 4 years ago for CockyBoys.
galileo
Right click picture, select ‘Google Picture Search’, result is porn actors and “real life couple Lukas Grande and Jack Rayder” though that story was dated 2014 and I doubt they made the year out as a couple.
tdh1980
Twink is not a revolution, merely an early stage in the evolution of almost every man whether gay or straight, which means they’ve always been and always will be. In turn, there always will be those for whom they remain a preference. What exactly is this author trying to say?
Frank
white twink is much more accurate…
Bubbleandsqueal
At 20 I was a twink, at 30 I was a trunk, and at 50 I’m just an old twank.
johnnymcmxxx
Oh dear beaver, I hope not. Ugh
graphicjack
Anyone who’s old enough to remember Tiger Beat will know that twinks are nothing new and have been mainstream forever. Whether it’s teenage girls, gay men or straight women, there will always be fans of younger guys who could be defined as twinks. The Greeks and Romans idealized intergenerational gay sex. Technically, when the Beatles first started, they were twinks. This is not news, folks… just an article written by someone with no knowledge of history or who was too lazy to look it up on the Interwebs
Lacuevaman
for God’s sake, next topic.
Aromaeus
lol they wish.
alanballs
Have always appreciated twinks, and always will, until the day I croak. If they’re ‘going mainstream’ that’s fine; drag queens (who I also dearly appreciate) seem to be going mainstream too, (thanks, largely, to Mama Ru) so it’s all good. Life is a big buffet, diverse and abundant and I’m feasting on the things I love.
tham
No no no, twinks aren’t “taking over the world”.
What is happening is that adulthood is being push well into late 20s. It’s common place to have kids live it’s their parents until….well their still living at home….some in their early 30s.
So no, world isn’t becoming twinks, adolescents is just moving deep into the 20s
chris33133
Gay people, in general, are being more accepted into the “mainstream.” Why should it be any surprise that so-called twinks are also being accepted?
PinkoOfTheGange
In the 70’s & 80’s we called the look androgynous and it wasn’t dependent of age. Bowie was the prime example.
Can I get triggered about the co-opting of my tribe’s culture, if “twink” is going to be used to describe anyone but a young slender gay man of limited mental capabilities?
IWantAFullBeard
I think it’s amazing that gay rights are so far ahead that we can spend our time talking about the physique of thin men without the slightest regard to the eating disorders and body self-image issues that millions of people have and is especially prevalent in the gay community.
bunbao
Nick Haramis’ article could’ve been a really good elaboration on how LGBTQ+ identities no longer rely on “masculinity” as the status quo and have expanded to included a more diverse and intersectional awareness of what queer identities are like now.
And yet, all it does is act as a regurgitation/reiteration of queer “whiteness” under the guise of being the antithesis of masculine ideals by citing porn studios like BelAmi and figures like Timotheé Chalamet. Which, referring to most of the figures cited in his piece, are again predominantly white, cisgender, queer men.
There is nothing “new” about the “Age of the Twink” we are entering.
If anything it’s a growing acceptance for gay-figures in mainstream media. With it still comes a baseline complacency for white, cisgender, queer men as some type of “poster boy” as opposed to acknowledging other queer men and their perspectives who don’t fit the image I just described.
Recycled and reused. Revolutionary? Hardly.