Side
In gay culture, a "side" is a term used to refer to someone who is uninterested in penetrative anal sex. In many cases, this can mean someone who is only looking for oral sex, although the term can also refer to many types of non-penetrative sex, intimacy, and kink.
The term originated among gay men who didn't identify with the usual roles of top, bottom, or versatile, which describe someone's preference for giving or receiving penetrative anal sex. Since then, its use has expanded to include other LGBTQ+ people, including masculine-presenting and nonbinary people with vaginas who prefer to avoid penetrative vaginal sex.
Origins of the Term "Side"
The term "side" was popularized in 2013 by sex therapist Dr. Joe Kort, who introduced the term in an article for HuffPost. Kort identifies as a side, and wanted a way to describe gay men who weren't interested in anal intercourse and didn't identify as Tops, bottoms, or versatile.
Kort came up with the name while talking with friends about his own sexual preferences. He imagined the established sexual roles as parts of a box. So, if there was a Top and a bottom, there could also be a side.
The term gained wider recognition in May 2022, when Grindr added "side" as a sexual position.
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