General
the tea / t
What does the tea / t mean?
Gossip, scandal, the juicy inside story. The thing everyone wants 'spilled'. Originally 'T' for truth, the real story under the surface.
"Sit down, because the tea about those two is scalding."
Origin
Black drag and ballroom culture, from 'T' for truth. Documented in the 1990s drag scene (see The Lady Chablis in 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil') and pushed mainstream by RuPaul's Drag Race.
Frequently asked questions
Why is gossip called 'tea'?
It started as 'T' for truth in Black drag culture, then got spelled out as 'tea', which let it pick up the 'spill', 'sip' and 'piping hot' wordplay.
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