A 27-Year-Old Twink Tells All

Musto: Hi, Isaiah. Do you identify as a twink?

Isaiah Cruz: For a while, I didn't like the word "twink" because of what I associated with it, but everyone else tells me I qualify for it as a demographic, so I guess I do.

What was associated with the word that you didn't like?

The perceived notion that I got initially was "younger, hairless, kind of vapid, not really intelligent, and just good as a bottom." Just a one-sided archetype, and I didn't like it at all. But as I'm learning and growing, I'm like, "OK, this is what you make it." The first time I got on Grindr, I didn't want to pick "twink" as a category, but there was no other category I fell into, so I begrudgingly put it. But now it's like, "All right, there are worse things to be associated with, I guess."

So you're now ready to embrace the fact that a twink doesn't have to be one type of person?

I very much think that all the categories don't have to be one type--twinks, especially.

Do you think of yourself as an intellectual?
Yes. I love learning, bettering myself and doing things that involve knowledge of this world.

And you go to bars.

I do. I think it's more about trying to cut loose. It's nice to be able to go somewhere where you don't have to worry about your sexuality. You make good friends. I know there's a lot of backlash to the gay bar scene, but I hold a job, I stay responsible, and I don't let it overtake my life.

You mentioned that you resented the "bottom" stereotype for twinks. Are you versatile?

I'm 100% versatile. My last two relationships, I was predominantly the top, and since I've been single, I'm getting more into the bottoming side. The relationships spanned five years, and all that time, my bottoming side had been neglected. I didn't want to lose it. I wanted to get into it. It's fun because it's a different mentality.

How about the cliche that twinks only care about one-named pop divas?

I think that is a stereotype. I think for a lot of the young 20s group, that's prevalent, and I don't think it's bad to know about it. It's entertainment, it's pop culture. But you should also know what's going on in the election, in Benghazi...there are so many other things in the world to be interested in than just divas and pop culture.

Are you an avid reader?

Yes. I read everything: fantasy, mystery, mostly fiction, plus autobiography. And I'm a huge Shakespeare buff. I love classics. One of my favorite authors is Paulo Coehlo, who wrote The Alchemist. I keep up with what he's doing. The glorious thing with social media is they suggest things--"If you like this, you'll like this"--so that broadens my scope.

But aside from keeping up with your favorite authors, how do you stay in touch with things like international politics?

I'm a fan of Rachel Maddow and I watch The Daily Show. I keep up with the fun presentation of politics. I get HuffPo and social media. A lot of my friends are more politically minded, so I'll click on their things on social networks. I do try to keep a broad range of interests and keep up with what's going on.

OK, we've established that you're a twink, but with substance. So, nowadays, if someone said "twink" when they met you, how would you react?

The power of the word "twink" is in what you mean by it. If someone says, "You're a cute twink," does that mean I don't have a lot of body hair and might be a little more bottom-oriented? I wouldn't be offended by that, but what's offensive is if someone uses the term "stupid twink." Like you're shallow and vapid. It depends on who's saying it and how--like most words and slurs.

So you can say with certainty that not all twinks are as slight of mind as they are of body?

Absolutely. It's much like Republicans--the louder ones get the stereotype.

You mean not all Republicans are like Donald Trump?

Or Sarah Palin. But the loudest members become the stereotype for the group, and the same thing has happened to twinks. There's offenses on both sides--twinks and the ones who assume that's what all of them are like. Reversing the twink stereotype would be tops or power tops who don't view the slimmer boy as a sex toy.

Do you think twinks are here forever?

Hmm. I think there will not be a shortage of young, smooth, slim guys in New York City or elsewhere, so I don't think the demographic will change. Will there be a name change in a few years? Maybe. But I think we're around for a while.

MASCULINE FEMININE

Cerebral twinks came out in force to start Fashion Week with the Rootstein party celebrating the male and female Phillipe Blond mannequins, based on the dual moods of the famed half of the design duo the Blonds. The mannequins--which will be in major department stores--are gorgeously sculpted, and at the event were brilliantly adorned with the Blonds' most head spinning creations. Positioned in the middle of them--I think--was the real Phillipe Blond, who told me he was loving this, "though I feel a little guilty not being home getting ready for our fashion show on the 16th." The show's theme will be Egyptian disco, so being a momentary queen of de Nile was fine with me.

The same publicity duo, Mao PR, brought out the well-heeled throngs for their party celebrating Gloss: The World of Chris Von Wangenheimby Mauricio and Roger Padilha. Not only is the deluxe coffee table book a homage to Von Wangenheim's voyeuristic '70s images, but the bash happened to be hosted by Marc Jacobs (for Bookmarc), so floods of people came to the '90s club the Tunnel to revive the era of Studio 54 with all manner of sylph-like bodies, bugle beads, fake fur, and even roller blades.

Amid a crowd that included saucy TV stars Laverne Cox, Lea DeLaria, Wendy Williams, and Kelly Bensimon, I tracked down Marc Jacobs on a banquette and asked if he's a fan of Chris Von Wagenheim. Yes, the designer said, "The first thing of his that I was aware of were his Dior ads, which I loved. And I love Mauricio and Roger." "Is it true," "I smirked, "that the three of you are having an affair?" "Not that I know of," Jacobs laughed. "That doesn't mean it isn't true." (I didn't even bring up Marc's apparent new BFF, Bianca Del Rio.) And finally, I got to the important point: What are Marc's thoughts on Caitlyn Jenner now that she admitted she used to be against gay marriage? "I'm not going there," he responded. "I'm much more about Lana Wachowski than Caitlyn!" And somehow that made such sense that I felt he didn't need to elaborate--especially when DJ Honey Dijon was playing hard-driving disco classics and I looked so very fine.

Fashion Week continued with worthwhile shows by the experimental Academy of Art University and the sexily exotic Marco Marco. (The latter one was marred by a power-mad bleached blond queen demanding that nine people leave the front row to make way for Lady Gaga, who was nowhere for miles. No one budged anyway, and the show--attended by fun celebs like Lance Bass, Michael Urie, and Nick Adams--rocked with models like Milk, Rhea Litre, and various tattooed dudes with facial hair making temperatures rise in various states of gender-ification.)

And then I finally got to the anti-Fashion Week--this past weekend's Bushwig, an annual drag fest held in an outdoor space in Brooklyn's burgeoning Bushwick nabe. Despite drizzles, the show carried on (thanks to a tent), with an array of unselfconsciously eye-catching gender fuck drag and Beales-like inspiration on display. It was great to see my living-large pals like Merrie Cherry, Alotta McGriddles, and Ari Kiki (whom I've dubbed Ariana Muy Grande), as well as new-to-me types, like JoJo and West Vagina, all managing to draw attention from the naked queen prancing around the grass as if shot out of Radical Faeries cannon lodged at Burning Man.