17 Lesbian Slang Terms Every Baby Gay Needs To Learn

I'll never forget the first time I sat in a roomful of gay people, not because I finally felt like I was "at home" or "living my authentic self" or anything nearly as heart-warming. I was terrified and, honestly, a bit confused. Since I hadn't told anyone that I was a lesbian yet, we can chalk the terror up to fear that my conservative roommate would figure it out. But, the confusion was mostly due to the lingo being slung around me. Words like "U-Hauling," "gold star," and "pillow princess" circled my head like the twittery birds in a cartoon.

Sitting in that room almost felt like listening to another language. As far as I knew, a U-Haul was just an American removalist company and gold stars were those stickers that teachers handed out in kindergarten. Yet, it was pretty clear that wasn't what my newfound gay pals were talking about. Over time, I learned what those words, and many more, actually meant, but it took a lot of pretending that I understood and then racing home to Google a new list of words.

So, I've rounded up 17 lesbian slang terms to make it a little easier for the next generation of baby gays (another slang term, though that one is maybe easy to figure out). Just remember, while we're calling these terms "lesbian slang," most of them still work for people who identify as bisexual, queer, pansexual, or any other not-straight orientation.

Want more? Get Refinery29 Australia’s best stories delivered to your inbox each week. Sign up here!