# Per this Urban Dictionary description is gay & lesbian "gayface" for real or not?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-this-urban-dictionary-description-is-gay-lesbian-gayface-for-real-or-not/673959>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 15, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-this-urban-dictionary-description-is-gay-lesbian-gayface-for-real-or-not/673959 "2013-11-15T02:37:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-this-urban-dictionary-description-is-gay-lesbian-gayface-for-real-or-not/673959/1 "2013-11-15T02:37:22Z")

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[Re this urban dictionary definition](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gayface)they treat it as a real physical phenomenon. Is this a goof or does “gayface” really exist as an ingrained facial characteristic for gays and lesbians?

> [@](#):
>
> Gay men do not differ from straight men in the size and shape of any facial feature. Rather, the use of certain expressions can become ingrained in the musculature of the face over time. Since effeminate gay men utilize similar facial expressions as women, they develop female aging and muscle contraction patterns in their face. For example, gay face includes tightness around the mouth from pursing the lips, a facial expression common to gay men and women - but not to heterosexual men. Also, gay men are more emotionally expressive, leading to a general “tightness” and muscular activation through out the entire face. Gay face includes an eye expression that is both surprised looking and predatory. Eyebrows are usually arched higher than that of straight men, and eyebrow hair is manicured. There is often a slightly tan and/or leathery look to the skin, especially among older gay men. Lesbians also have a version of gay face that emulates the facial muscular usage patterns straight men. They exhibit an under expression of emotion, relaxed brows, relaxed eyes, and less taut mouth and cheek muscles than straight women. The skin is usually pale and splotchy.

[In looking further this Scientific American article says gayface might actually exist](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=something-queer-about-that-face)

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**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-this-urban-dictionary-description-is-gay-lesbian-gayface-for-real-or-not/673959/2 "2013-11-15T07:48:19Z")

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My skin is ‘not’ pale and blotchy!

(Stomps off, punches wall, downs beer)

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**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-this-urban-dictionary-description-is-gay-lesbian-gayface-for-real-or-not/673959/3 "2013-11-15T09:39:47Z")

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The science seems to indicate that gayface is a real thing, and even when controlling for things like presentation, hair style, etc, people are still able to peg subjects as straight/gay with better-than-chance accuracy. I believe there was a similar study that showed only black/shadowed outlines of men walking, and people could peg which ones were gay just by the way the person walked.

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**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-this-urban-dictionary-description-is-gay-lesbian-gayface-for-real-or-not/673959/4 "2013-11-15T12:17:55Z")

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The OP mentions lesbians, but the experiment described in the article appears to be focused on men.

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**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/per-this-urban-dictionary-description-is-gay-lesbian-gayface-for-real-or-not/673959/5 "2013-11-15T19:20:09Z")

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> [@SanVito](#):
>
> My skin is ‘not’ pale and blotchy!
> 
> (Stomps off, punches wall, downs beer)

You forgot “goes to Home Depot, repairs wall” before “downs beer.”

😉