Gay Twitter has been abuzz over two viral images from gay parties showing color-coded drinking cups that indicate a person’s preferred sexual position.
The question at hand: Is this just a harmless bit of cheeky party fun or does it needlessly sexualize an otherwise platonic gathering?
Dark blue for me ? how about you? pic.twitter.com/xDw3QOfGy4
— ??? (@cinnamonzaddy) July 4, 2022
The discussion began when Twitter user @cinnamonzaddy posted an image of seven different colored cups going across the visible light spectrum from red to dark blue. Each color indicated a different preferred position ranging from “dom top” to “sub/pwr bttm.”
@cinnamonzaddy wrote, “Dark blue for me. how about you?”
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While most people responded to his tweet by mentioning which color they’d grab, others got a bit more creative:
I hope there weren’t too many in one group so the cups for that color ran out. I could see a dom top riled up because he had to take baby blue and write DOM TOP all over it in magic marker and then still prolly get hit on by other tops ?
— Bear Remote (@bearremote) July 6, 2022
it’s the dark green for me and I don’t want nothing less pic.twitter.com/baIFm7OZrM
— {JUSE} (@origJusemeister) July 4, 2022
— HIM? (@HotVillian) July 4, 2022
— King Rapsheeba (@AyeMcJaggrrr) July 4, 2022
How bout white for celibacy.. pic.twitter.com/Jub8UROb0w
— chasingcookies (@SamuelR48849316) July 4, 2022
Meanwhile, Twitter user @RocBoiP posted a different image showing four color-coded cups for top, versatile, bottom, and power bottom.
He wrote, “What is this obsession with having people drink out of cups color coded to their sexual positions? Its some of the tackiest s*** I’ve ever seen!”
He added, “Definitely not bitter. Just a time and place for everything. And yall gotta understand Everybody’s idea of fun doesnt revolve around sexual s***. Just enjoy the party with some regular cups. Why does everybody knowing you a top equate to ‘fun’?”
His question kicked off a conversation with some people saying that “gay men sexualize everything” and others saying that gay men are no different from other humans who just enjoy sex (except that gay men have had their sex lives criminalized and punished by death throughout history).
Others brought their own perspectives as well:
It’s called a sex party pic.twitter.com/XtUnli2u32
— smooth. (@sugarfeet365) July 4, 2022
I went to a party before doing this and left immediately. I’ve always been private about what the hell I do in the bedroom. Why is it even a topic of discussion
— Tim LaRon Spruill (@ItsaTimocracy) July 4, 2022
but also? LET people drink out of their anal sex position cups… gay cultúre has hankey codes and cruising. Nothing but modernized queer history here ??? https://t.co/U1dbAyUnna
— max, culture critic at large (@bevknux) July 6, 2022
It helps people not jump to conclusions. When people see me they see a fem bottom. When I'm actually a vers top. Even one time I was wearing a jock strap and someone came up to me and said too bad we're both bottoms and I was like ? I'm literally not I just like my butt.
— Krissy R0$3 (@Flaming_Rose07) July 4, 2022
OMG, would y’all give it a rest. This is not Black tie, obviously this is the type of crowd they have invited. You wouldn’t go putting a piñata everywhere, or have a stripper jump out of a cake, but they have a time and place. Loosen up.
— Default-Setting (@RearViewGone) July 5, 2022
This can be a sexually based situation to get ppl to hookup, however it is really hard to meet guys in non-tech spaces and have the discernment to tell someone’s position. Let’s put a spin on it. This exemplifies the idea that masc/fem presentation is not exclusive to position.
— ????? ??????? (@justxhenry) July 5, 2022
Sigh…I want to agree with you, cause i can see why you think it’s bit much. But on the other hand, I don’t really care. I give as much thought to this as a gender reveal. It’s a party, doesn’t matter what cup I’m holding, you not getting ANYTHING if we don’t click… pic.twitter.com/MAWcGvNjYM
— King Kohai (@King_Kohai) July 5, 2022
To be fair, this is basically along the same line as swinger parties that have been happening for decades. It’s not for me, but as long as everyone is cool, honest, clean and safe icould see it being fun.
— ?? ????????????? ?? (@IndieScent) July 5, 2022
When you host a party, put out whatever cups you want. Let people do what they want if it’s not hurting anyone else. They’re just cups. It’s not like they’re putting out lines of coke. & I assume there are no minors at these parties. All consenting adults. Maybe some may hookup
— Scruffy Lobo ?? (@Scruffy_Lobo) July 6, 2022
I haaaaate this! Unless it’s THAT kinda party but at these regular parties where it’s me and my Judie’s kii’n….WHY? Can we just have platonic friend gatherings and if folks happen to be interested in each other then it’ll happen naturally SHEESH!
— AGAIN FOR TEQUIDA (@_Rockz_) July 4, 2022
Notice how the “vers” pile is the smallest? It’s almost like people don’t fit into neat little boxes and actually have nuanced need and desire’s
— idiot man (@austjh) July 5, 2022
The only reason you (should) see this is if you're attending/hosting these sex parties people do, otherwise, my sexual preference is not an icebreaker… Sorry not sorry.??????
— J I M M Y – ? ? ???? (@SunshineLifa) July 5, 2022
I don’t think you’ve been victim to wasting your time talking to someone that you see as a potential interest to later find out that they wanna be fcked the same way you wanna be fcked. ?
— ???? ????? (@_MrSilence) July 4, 2022
Yea, more often it’s what you’re saying & I agree – taking away the fun part of a gathering to mingle w/everyone which don’t have to always be a hook up function. Gay stuff always gets sexualized, that be the only way “fun” is had & that’s legit why many official guys don’t come
— #handsbyhim?? ???NYC?7/8-10 | MIA?7/15-18? (@KJoshua21) July 4, 2022
The overall consensus seems to be that these would be perfect for a sex party or one that encourages hooking up, but it could put an erotically charged spin on an otherwise everyday party.
Whichever side of the debate you land on — cheers!
Music908
Blue, for multiple reasons!
bachy
Why not just hang your a** out your pants if you’re bottom, and hang you d*** out your pants if you’re top? Versatile can go pants-free.
MystiRivers
I’d probably drink out of different colored cups throughout the party just to f*ck with people’s heads.
Burtram Fidelity
I’d bring my own Rainbow Striped cup and drink from it to keep everyone guessing.
Mr. Stadnick
As long as the cups are compostable what does it matter
PinkoOfTheGange
Since when are fun and tacky mutually exclusive?
still_onthemark
TACKY!
mailliw110
After two drinks, I can’t even remember names, much less what each color means!
Jim
Two drinks!!!
Two minutes after I left the table I’d forget
Toofie
People have lost their sense of humor…
mikhailmaui
Toofie, I was thinking the same thing.
Jim
Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
IT wasn’t that long ago that guys put handkerchiefs in their back pockets to let other guys know.Certain colors meant certain things and right and left had significance too.
Having said that what to do if you prefer oral??
scotty
ask nicely?
oinkndoink
….kneel???????
johncp56
depending on the party I think they are fun i,m vers/topish lol it is funny
Brian
I’ve never seen these words as nouns. In my mind, they’re verbs. (It’s not “I am a top.” Instead it’s “I like to top.”) I don’t see how a sexual position is innate and permanent. A sexual position is very different from your sex, race, nationality, etc. ….And so, yeah, I’m versatile and I have never been able to understand you people who call yourselves tops or bottoms.
Kangol2
Was this for a platonic party or a sex party. If it’s for the latter it’s quite ingenious, and, like Jim says, is like the hanky/back pocket side code of BDSM/yore. Either way I don’t see what the big deal is. People should lighten up and leave puritanism in the past (monkeypox and other viruses being taken into account.) Anways, if you’re asexual or celibate at this party, perhaps you could ask for a clear glass of water, no?
Steven R
If we can codify which color is for which, it will certainly make the next church potluck worth going to.
scotty
hanky colors and codes ftw