Tea is all about exchanging hot gossip. You can get tea, spill tea, and give tea. Often, the term is simply interchangeable with the letter “T.” This slang term—like so many on this list—derives from ’80s and ’90s ball culture, which is where LGBTQ people performed in drag competitions to celebrate their queerness. John Berendt’s 1999 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is often cited for its early use of the term as well.