Hookup apps have their own shorthand, and nobody hands you a dictionary. Someone asks if you can host, says they are DL, or wants something NSA, and you are left guessing. This page is the dictionary. It covers the words you will see on gay, bi, trans and queer hookup apps, in plain language, with no judgement about any of them.
It is written by yoBlow, a hookup app built around oral for gay, bi, trans and queer adults 18 and over, so a few of the words are ours too. Most of them, though, you will see on any app. Bookmark it, send it to a friend who is new to all this, and stop pretending you knew what PrEP meant the first time you saw it.
18+ only. Runs in your browser. No app store, nothing to install.
These are the words that decide whether a hookup actually happens. Most plans that fall apart do it right here, so they are worth getting straight.
When someone asks "can you host?" they are asking whether you have a private place for them to come to. A clear yes or no saves both of you a lot of messages. On yoBlow every card already shows host or travel, and you can filter by it, so the question is answered before anyone asks.
On yoBlow these three words are the whole point. Everyone picks one before they see anyone, and the grid sorts by it.
Because your lane is on your card, the first message can skip "so what are you into?" entirely. That is the question these words exist to answer.
A lot of people keep their hookup life private, for all kinds of reasons: they are not out, they are married, they are bi and figuring it out, or they simply like their business to stay theirs. These words are how they say so.
Respecting someone else's discretion is part of the deal. Never screenshot, share or try to identify anyone who asked for privacy.
You will see these in profiles and in chat. Asking about them is normal and respectful, and nobody should be shamed for an answer or for choosing not to share.
Oral can pass on gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes and HPV, and a urine test alone misses the throat, so ask for a throat swab when you test. A doctor or clinic can help you plan the rest. yoBlow profiles can show HIV status, last tested and PrEP, all optional.
A few terms are specific to yoBlow. Here is what they mean if you are new.
On yoBlow everyone says what they are into before they see anyone, and it sits on every card.
It means "do you have a private place I can come to?" If you can host, you invite them over. If you cannot, you can offer to travel to them instead. On yoBlow every profile shows whether someone can host or will travel, so the question is answered before the first message.
DL means down low. It describes someone who keeps their hookups private, often because they are not out to the people around them. Respect it: never share, screenshot or try to identify someone who asked for discretion.
NSA stands for no strings attached. It means a hookup with no expectation of dating, a relationship or anything afterwards. Saying it up front helps everyone know where they stand before they meet.
A giver is the person who gives oral. A receiver is the person who receives it. Someone who is happy either way picks Both. On yoBlow everyone chooses one of these three lanes before they see anyone, and the app sorts the grid by it.