US: The 'New York Times' Discovers Twinks

Glenn Garner is a southern boy, a Drag Race fan, and the love child of Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat. twitter


Another day, another think piece that required little actual thought. Today, it comes from The New York Times, explaining the obsession with twinks… well, not really explaining it, so much as pointing out that there is, in fact, an obsession with twinks. Call it a twink piece, if you will.

Although I hate to be the one to throw down an outrage gauntlet over every ill-conceived think piece, I just have to point out the absurdity of this “revelation.” For gay men, it’s been the age of the twink since long before Oscar Wilde engaged in indecency with Bosie Douglas. It’s that constant epitome of youthful, skinny gay men in a culture that contributes to this heteronormative idea of what it means to be queer, often forming the first impression of our community to young closeted kids who are both under formative influence and eager to define themselves.

A study from the National Eating Disorders Association found that some parts of the LGBTQ community are disproportionately affected by eating disorders. On the list of potential factors playing a role in the development of eating disorders in our community is the “inability to meet body image ideals within some LGBTQ+ cultural contexts.” Read more via INTO