Straight people can apparently be twinks now – at least according to the New York Times
(Getty)
Breaking news – straight people can now be twinks too. At least, that’s what the New York Times seems to think.
In a recent column by Nick Haramis, entitled “Welcome to the Age of the Twink,” the piece discusses what it means to be part of the often hyper-sexualised gay subculture.
A twink is traditionally known as a young gay or bisexual man (teens to early 20s) or one who looks younger than their age, who is typically attractive and lacking in body or facial hair and of a slim build.
Related: What is a twink? The most hyper-sexualised gay ‘tribe’
After starting out well by examining the beginnings of twinkdom, the piece takes a sharp turn shortly after calling Zac Efron a twunk – a mixture between twink and hunk – by describing a new era of twink that somehow now includes straight people.
(New York Times)
The New York Times piece states: “But the latest twinks — many of whom are straight — are what you might call ‘art twinks.'”
Sigh.
While gay and bisexual men don’t have the monopoly on being skinny or looking young, calling yourself twink is a part of gay culture and expression.
Twink is used as a ‘tribe’ on dating apps such as Grindr and is a firmly established part of gay identity and dating.
So it’s understandable that many gay people weren’t too happy with the New York Times’ piece.
The article then went on to call Call Me By Your Name star Timothée Chalamet – who is heterosexual – the “ultimate twink.”
(Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Critics’ Choice Awards)
The article then justifies the existence of these new heterosexual twinks by their aesthetic, pointing out the impact that androgynous models (or “art twinks”) have had upon the worlds of fashion and photography.
As well as making a very bizarre comparison to the #MeToo movement, the piece then goes on to name a – quite surprising – film as a bastion of twinks-in-cinema, 2017’s World War Two epic Dunkirk.
“Christopher Nolan’s 2017 World War II epic “Dunkirk” was an ensemble showpiece of British twinkiness,” the piece boldy states.
“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.”
Confused? So are we.
Does this look like a twunk to you? (Getty)
Once again, it seems like LGBT people can’t have nice things without cishet people trying to barge their way in.
Many people have accused the article and the entire idea of “straight twinks” as a way of co-opting gay culture, as well as comparing it to “straight pride” – the ridiculous phenomenon where heterosexual people come out as straight during celebrations of the LGBT community.
Gay Twitter was just not having it.
People referenced memes in their reactions to the article, which quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons.
(@TristanChiru / Twitter)
One person wrote: “Every straight twink owes me $5.”
Others pointedly stated that heterosexual people cannot be twinks.
(@somehowitspaul / Twitter)
“Twink is a gay word!!!! Straight people can’t be twinks!!!! They’re just skinny!!!”
(@frijolero / Twitter)
“Straight people learning the words twink and bear has literally been the worst thing to happen to gay culture in the past decade.”
Related: Attention straight people, this is how you treat LGB people better
(@Daire391 / Twitter)
“I will destroy twitter for making me read the words ‘straight twink.'”
Others pointed out the more insidious sides of straight people taking yet another part of gay culture – they won’t
(@MJPhillips / Twitter)
“The biggest problem with applying terms like ‘twink’ and ‘bear’ to straight men is that it turns a form of collective sociality into an individual aesthetic. You cannot understand ‘twink’ separate from gay culture and gay sociality.”
So back off, straight people.
