Gay trade

tradeadj.

Alright, buckle up!

We’re about to spill the tea on what trade really means, where it came from, and the hilarious ways it pops up online (always good for a laugh 😂).

What Does “Trade” Mean in Gay Slang?

Simply put, trade refers primarily to a masculine or “straight-acting” guy—often someone who might not identify as gay publicly but is still into hookups with gay men.

This has led to their figuring in plays by playwrights such Georges Feydeau and Ferenc Molnár as partners to adulterous society ladies, as well as to their performing as partners of men. The 1975 murder of film director Pier Paolo Pasolini has been attributed to Pasolini's dalliance with rough trade. Back then, gay men often sought masculine partners from outside the community—sometimes in secret—leading to the birth of this cheeky lingo to describe those temp hookups.

Historically, the term carried a bit of an edge, sometimes referring to transactional relationships (think: trade = trade-off), but it also simply celebrated masculinity within queer desire.

The novelist J. R. Ackerley wrote in his memoir My Father and Myself that he considered his guardsman father to have been the lover of an aristocrat for a long period of time before pursuing a wife and family, economically bettered in the end by the support he had received from his male partner.

In any relationship with rough trade, one takes a risk of becoming the object of violence.

It connects you to queer history, humor, and the nuanced way attraction and identity mingle in real life (and online). Similar rumors circulated about the 1976 death of American actor Sal Mineo but statements from his killer cite a botched mugging and allegations otherwise are unsubstantiated. (3)]

(gay) used of someone involved in commercial sex.

In compounds

(N.Z.

gay) the door to a public lavatory cubicle.

W. So, always vibe-check your audience before dropping it. Trade Slang Dos and Don’ts 💡 Here’s a quick-hit list to keep you from going full cringe: Do use “trade” playfully or descriptively when context is clear. Do pair it with humor or memes if you’re chatting with friends who get it. Don’t use it to shame or stereotype masculine-presenting queer folks. Don’t weaponize “trade” to exoticize or fetishize someone. Funny Ways Trade Slang Pops Up Online Ah, here’s where it gets juicy! Ings ‘A Convenient Exchange’ in Public Space 3 18: A lockable door was known as a brandy latch, but the door itself was called a trade curtain.

(N.Z. Here’s how to sprinkle it in naturally:

• Describing a type: “Omg, that guy at the bar is total trade.”
• Flirting hint: “You’re looking kinda trade today 😏”
• Talking community gossip: “Word is he’s been hooking up with some trade downtown.”

But beware: the word can be misunderstood or even seen as objectifying if you use it carelessly.

Using trade gay slang in your chats or DMs can be a fun flex if you’re in the know. gay) a towel used to clean up after sex.