The Queer Slang of 2025

The Queer Slang of 2025

Yassss, queen! Are we still saying that? Depends on who you ask. As this year comes to an end, we are reflecting on the queer slang that 2025 brought. Some of it is not new, but received a boost in the spotlight. We can thank social media, celebs, memes, and the media for making some of these queer terms stick. The gay community is always thirsty for a new term or trend to devour and glitterfy. (Put "glitterfy" down for 2026.) So here's a list of the terms that came out, along with our hot take.

The Dolls

The term dolls is queer slang for trans women and/or drag queens. The term is not new, originating from the ballroom scene. But 2025 brought the phrase into the mainstream, with even celebrities wearing t-shirts saying "Protect the Dolls." It became a movement beyond the queer community. Unfortunately, the popularity of the term is a response to the voracious attack on the trans community, both politically and socially.

Mother

Another term that originated in the ballroom scene is "mother." If you deem someone a "mother" in your life, you are putting them on icon status, and you derive love and power from such a person. It could be a celeb like Lady Gaga or the neighborhood queer who brings you soup and comments on your outfits. A mother in the queer community has earned their place on a pedestal through their support, activism, and actions. A mother in your life will also give you tough love and pass out sage advice.

Baby Gay

Baby Gay is a sassy term of endearment attributed to someone who has newly come out and is fresh to the queer scene. They may have never been to a gay club, could still be a gay sex virgin, or have never seen an episode of Drag Race. It is a bit of a tease, poking fun at someone's innocence and inexperience. "Oh, he wore Crocs to the club because he doesn't know better...he's a baby gay." There is an element of affection that comes along with the term. Most of us elder gays will take a baby gay under our wings and show them the ropes. Especially in the bedroom.

Black Cat Lesbians

Gurrrllll...we all know black cat lesbians. It is a stereotypical queer slang, but certain stereotypes exist for a reason. Black cat lesbians are sleek and often stylish, but remain unsmiling and cunning. They can tear someone down with just a side eye. They seem unaffected by trivial things and often don't show emotion. They will remain loyal, but will always remain somewhat distant. Kind of like a Karen Walker, but not as expressive. The term has moved on past just the lesbian community, and the term can be used to describe anyone of that nature. Meow.

Era

Era in queer slang exploded this last year. Thank you, Taylor Swift. The term is used to describe a certain attitude or level of empowerment. If you broke up recently, you could be entering your single era. If you are new to bottoming and have totally become a sub in life, you are entering your power bottom era. Any evolution in your life can be an era. Are you in your gluten-free era? As with many things, the gays can often overdo something. This is a term we feel like we can say goodbye to in 2026. Not everything is an era. It should be something huge, something important, something major for it to be an era. Just like we overused the term icon so that it is no longer iconic, we have done so with era. Sigh.

Ate

It is no secret that we love a good eating out. The term "ate" really made an appearance in queer slang this year. She/they/he ate means they came in with a force to be reckoned with and devoured everything in sight. When someone ate, nothing was left standing. They killed the competition. It could be a drag show, a good insult, or an amazing outfit...when someone does it with such perfection, they ate. Unfortunately, we ate too much this holiday. LOL.

Did we miss anything? What is your favorite slang from the year?

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