People who derive more pleasure (or perhaps suffer less anxiety or discomfort) from acting as the insertive partner are referred to colloquially as “tops,” whereas those who have a clear preference for serving as the receptive partner are commonly known as “bottoms.” There are plenty of other descriptive slang terms for this gay male dichotomy as well, some repeatable (“pitchers vs.
What’s more, the study of self-labels in gay men has considerable applied value, such as its possible predictive capacity in tracking risky sexual behaviors and safe sex practices. The ubiquity of homosexual behavior alone makes it fascinating. Whether we’re talking about a penis in a vagina or one in an anus, it’s human behavior all the same. But the great thing about good science is that it’s amoral, objective and doesn’t cater to the court of public opinion. I’m very much aware that some readers may think that this type of article does not belong on this website. But like most aspects of human sexuality, it’s not quite that simple.
Rather, the distinction concerns gay men’s sexual role preferences when it comes to the act of anal intercourse. No, I’m not referring to the relative generosity or gift-giving habits of homosexuals. It’s my impression that many straight people believe that there are two types of gay men in this world: those who like to give, and those who like to receive.
