‘Hey man, how’s u?’: masculine speech and straight-acting gay men online

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores how gay men in the UK reflect upon the speech practices of those who refer to themselves as ‘straight-acting’ on hook-up apps. Using interview data from eight informants, this article identifies cultural and social models of hegemonic masculinity that gay men are perceived to take inspiration from to masculinize their speech and outlines the linguistic conventions and patterns that straight-acting gay men are said to enact. It is suggested that straight-acting gay men draw on the figure of the ‘lad’ in British culture and emulate some of their speech practices to increase their proximity to a hegemonic masculinity, but that they also speak in short, blunt, and non-conversational manners to other app users to remain socially indirect and inexpressive. Using sexual scripting theory and style-shifting as theoretical frameworks, this article also suggests that gay men emulate a ‘straight-acting’ style if a sexual hook-up is sought as opposed to dates or friends. This has potential implications for the self-worth of marginalized, effeminate gay men using hook-up apps, and also contributes to previous literature on gay masculinities, hook-up app usage and interactive practices, highlighting the intersections between hegemonic and subordinated masculinities.