185. Demon Twinks

0:00 – Snarky Opener

It's a rather tricky sugar and spice concept since you have the sweetness of twinks and the darkness of demons.

0:26 – Episode Introduction

Hello, my LGBTQuties, and welcome back to another episode of A Jaded Gay. I'm Rob Loveless, and today I am a non-jaded gay because it's almost Halloween. You know me, I love this time of year. 'Tis the season to be scary, and with that in mind, I have a little treat for you all.

Today I'm sharing with you a previously released Patreon-exclusive bonus episode on demon twinks. Just as a reminder, every month I release a bonus episode exclusively on Patreon, which you can access for as little as $1 a month. Sometimes they're more conversational with my friends, sometimes they're lighter, and sometimes they focus on a niche queer topic I've always been interested in learning more about.

So, since it's almost Halloween, I thought I'd share this episode as we take a look into demon twinks. So, listeners, beware. And we're going to get into it, but before we do, let's pull our tarot card.

1:15 – Tarot

Okay, talk about déjà vu, or maybe in this case, gay-jah-vu. But we literally pulled the same Major Arcana card in the exact same position as last episode, and that is Judgment in Reverse. So, this may sound pretty familiar, but again, this is indicating a major shift in our life.

It's number 20 in the Major Arcana, so we're coming to the end of this cycle but still have a little further to go. We add double digits together and we get 2, which is tied to duality, partnership, and choice. And this card usually signifies awakening, transformation, and acceptance, but the reversed energy is tied to self-doubt and resentment.

So, this card shows up in reverse when we're repeating patterns without learning important lessons, and it tends to show up when the universe is trying to invite us to something bigger that allows us to have a deeper understanding of universal themes in our lives. So, we should reflect and meditate to understand this message the universe is sending us so we know how to move forward. And while it can be scary, Judgment in Reverse reminds us that the universe has our backs.

And with that in mind, let's get into the episode.

2:11 – What Is a Demon Twink?

Hello, my LGBTQuties, and welcome to your September bonus episode. It is September, and in this household, it is spooky.

Yes, literally the moment the clock struck midnight on September 1st, I have just been in such fall mode. I've been chugging my pumpkin spice coffee. I've been watching horror movies already.

I am just so ready for Halloween. So, while I typically dedicate October podcast and bonus episodes to all things spooky, I wanted to start a little early this year with a special September bonus episode that's going to be a little fun and a little tongue-in-cheek. Yes, as you can tell from the bonus episode title, today we are talking about demon twinks.

Yes, it's a rather tricky sugar and spice concept since you have the sweetness of twinks and the darkness of demons. And if you aren't familiar with the term, you're probably wondering what it is. Well, let's break it down.

As you'll remember from the Twink Death episode in May, we discussed that a twink is a colloquial term for a young, attractive gay man with a slim, boyish appearance. Sounds cute enough, right? But as you may have guessed, a demon twink insinuates something much more sinister. Specifically, they're a chaotic version of this archetype and a party menace.

3:23 – Origins of the Demon Twink

Now, I don't know how far back this term actually goes, but the internet seems to agree that it was coined in 2021 by DJ Ty Sunderland. So, July 31st of that year, there was a Britney Spears boat party in New York City. And for context, remember that this was shortly after COVID restrictions began lifting following the vaccine rollout.

So, people were losing their minds being social again. And I mean, I get it. When “Gimme More” comes on, I usually punch through a wall and let my hair down.

But one person took this holy spirit interaction a little further. In fact, the demon twink in question threw a drink at the DJ equipment, continuously climbed up onto the stage, and then snuck his way into the VIP section, where he then got his ass eaten publicly. Oh my god, go to church.

So, following that outburst, Ty Sunderland tweeted, “There was a demon twink, DEMON in all caps, on Britney boat last night, threw a drink at the DJ equipment, wouldn't get off the stage unless I stopped the music, then the party ended, and he's somehow in VIP getting his ass ate like out in open. We had to literally tell him to stop and go home.” And of course, this took off on Twitter, and even outlets like Just Jared and PopCrush covered the story.

And in the midst of this discourse, Troye Sivan jumped in to jokingly tweet, “Literally so what if I got my ass ate on a boat in New York City, sue me.” And surprisingly, despite the viral sensation, and even some photos and videos of demon twink being leaked from that night, his identity has never been revealed. Ooh, spooky.

4:51 – Demon Twinks in Pop Culture

Still, that one chaotic night and viral tweet has transcended demon twink into a cultural gay archetype signifying men who are young and beautiful, yet capable of destructive antics. And while this probably wasn't a new phenomenon, it was the first time it was given a colloquial label that was quickly adopted in gay vernacular. In fact, in a 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lucas Gage revealed that he was really channeling that demon twink era when he was filming for his film Down Low.

And for context, Down Low is a dark comedy about a repressed, recently divorced man who hires a young sex worker, Lucas Gage, for a hookup. But when an accident leaves another man dead in his home, the two attempt to hide the body and cover up the chaos. And I saw the movie, believe me, there are definitely demon twink vibes going on there.

And more recently, in May of this year, following their performance in Omeri, Cole Eskola was apparently described as a demon twink. And in an interview with CBS, the reporter asked Eskola point blank if they were a demon twink, to which they replied, “That is for the critics to decide. And for the Tony voters to decide.

“Whether or not I'm a demon twink, I, you know, that's not a label one can give oneself.” And then when Eskola won the Tony for Omeri in June 2025, they allegedly said, “The voters have decided I am a demon twink.” And I think this further brought the term demon twink beyond gay vernacular and more into the mainstream.

6:21 – Demon Twinks vs. Chaotic Twinks

Now, with all that in mind, there has been a more recent cultural archetype that is adjacent to the demon twink concept, if not somewhat synonymous with it. And that's the chaotic twink. And truthfully, doing the research for this episode, that was the first time I heard this term.

Now, from what I can tell, one of the earliest appearances of the term chaotic twink appeared in a February 2025 GQ article. And its subtitle gives a pretty good glimpse into what this archetype is. From a Nora and baby girl to queer and even Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan, we've never been more fascinated with beautiful young men who might ruin our lives.

The author Raymond Ng writes that chaotic twinks are pretty boys who wreak havoc on our lives. And this is a quote: “usually with a lethal combination of good dick and empty promises.” And when he was writing the piece, he initially thought about using the term demon twink instead of chaotic twink.

But he considers demon twinks to be pretty boys with malice on the mind and a monstrous appetite for indulgence, whether that's through sex, drugs, or partying, while chaotic twinks are boys in men's bodies who are still finding themselves, inadvertently leaving a trail of broken hearts along the way as collateral damage. Do you see the distinction? Now, regardless of how you classify a demon twink or a chaotic twink, the archetype illustrates a complete juxtaposition. Traditionally, twinks have projected youth, beauty, sex, and to some degree innocence, while the demon slash chaotic twink uses that projection to mask unpredictability and emotional volatility, either through partying, antics, or immature flirtation like in the examples we talked about.

7:55 – Gay Archetypes, Aesthetic Privilege, and Expectations

And I think we touched upon this in the Twink Death episode, but there's obviously a layer of privilege, especially aesthetic privilege, placed upon the twink archetype. And honestly, gay men in particular are especially notorious for categorizing and labeling each other as having to belong to a certain grouping, like twink, otter, bear, top, bottom, and then projecting expectations on how they are to behave and present themselves based upon what they're being labeled as. And while there may be certain parts of gay culture or archetypes we may identify with, it's important to remember that we are all individuals.

I've said this before, but there's no one way to be gay, just like there's no one way to be straight. And while these archetypes may have initially been conceived to help us carve out an area of belonging in queer spaces when we struggle to find acceptance, our community has evolved over time since then. So, we certainly shouldn't be basing assumptions or projecting expectations onto others based on what we perceive them to be.

And while I don't think there's anything wrong with still recognizing these archetypes, I do think it's important that we remember we don't have to hold onto them so rigidly. Because remember, bodies change, interests change, behaviors change. It's called growth. And whether we were ever a twink or not, odds are all of us were a little demonic, either socially or romantically, at one point in our lives.

9:12 – Demon Twink Experiences

In fact, there's an entire Reddit thread dedicated to demon twink experiences. And while I think the original intention for the thread was for others to vent about demon twinks they've encountered, a few replies are actually about people's own demon twink behavior. One user said it was his personality from ages 17 to 27, and another said it was when he could function on two hours of sleep after being out all night.

9:34 – The Demon Twink Short Film

And that and some immature dating dynamics might sound bad, but I can guarantee it's nowhere near as bad as the antics committed by Dante in the short film Demon Twink. According to the movie's website, the film is about an older depressed queer man who has offered eternal youth via a mysterious glory hole, but it comes with a deadly price. Dante must kill every full moon in order to maintain his youth.

But after 30 years of meaningless sex and violence, one unsuspecting hookup leads to a chance at a deeper connection. So, will Dante decide to sever this new connection and stay young? Or will he take a chance at true love and change back to his true form? And the answer is, I don't know. Apparently, this film was released at a few small film festivals, but as of now, it's not available to stream anywhere, and I'm desperate to see it.

I mean, the trailer looks really good. It's a perfect spooky season watch, so if anyone knows anything about this movie or how to watch it, let me know, please. Anyway, there you have it: demon twinks. We should all be so blessed to be possessed by them.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this bonus episode. Hope you're getting excited for spooky season, and I will see you all next month. Bye!

10:43 – Episode Closing

So, obviously, that was a later episode, but I hope you enjoyed it. And connecting it back to the tarot, Judgment in Reverse, this is a Major Arcana card that typically shows up in reverse when we're repeating patterns without learning lessons.

And in this episode, we talked about how demon twinks have that sugar and spice combo of the sweetness of twinks with the chaos of demons. Maybe we've been haunted by a demon twink, or maybe we are demon twinks possessing others. Hey, live your best life.

But if these dynamics aren't fulfilling us anymore, then this card is encouraging us to reflect and understand the universal themes of our lives. And if we pay attention to past situations we've put ourselves in and pay attention to where we're at currently, that will help us understand what we need to create a better future that's aligned with our wants and needs. And while it might be scary to leave behind familiar situations to step out into the unknown, Judgment is telling us that the universe has our backs.

11:29 – Connect With A Jaded Gay

So, happy Halloween, everyone. Hope you enjoyed that little treat, and if you have any feedback or questions, you can email rob@ajadedgay.com. Also, let's keep going. Head on over to our official Discord server, the LGBTQuties Lounge, to connect with myself and other listeners. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe. Five stars only. I greatly appreciate it.

For more information on this topic, episode resources, blog posts, merchandise, links to socials, all that fun stuff, you can visit the website ajadedgay.com. You can connect with the podcast on Instagram, TikTok, SoundCloud, and YouTube at ajdgay. You can follow me personally, Rob Loveless, on Instagram @rob_loveless. Also, if you're feeling generous, consider supporting the podcast on Patreon for as little as a dollar a month.

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12:59 – Outtake

So, we should reflect and meditate to understand this message. Oh, excuse me. That was just me expelling a demon twink. Pardon.