One of the benefits of living with teenagers is, if you’re a Word Nerd, the exposure to all kinds of new and interesting vocabulary. A few days ago, my daughter was filling me in on current social drama at her school when she said, “And she totally spilled the tea about that situation.”
I paused. “The tea?”
She said, “You know, the gossip, the good stuff.”
Ok, like spilling the beans. But where in the world did this phrase come from? The Word Nerd did some research, and apparently teens aren’t the only ones using this term:
More than halfway through it, and it’s quite good. A more personal Clinton than we’ve seen – frank and ready to spill all the tea. https://t.co/TP9kC6GOGQ
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) September 20, 2017
According to Merriam Webster, the phrase comes from black drag culture, much like “shade”. It appeared in print way back in 1994 in John Berendt’s non-fiction book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. In it, Berendt interviews Lady Chablis, a popular drag performer in Savannah, GA. While describing her dating life, Chablis says she avoids men who get violent when they find out “her T”. Berendt asks her explain “T”, and she says, “Yeah, my T. My thing, my business, what’s goin’ on in my life.”
T or tea in drag culture means truth, either a hidden personal truth or someone else’s hidden truth. “Tea” is currently used in general to mean gossip, especially if it’s juicy.
The comedian Larry Wilmore used the phrase “weak tea” on his Comedy Central show to suggest someone wasn’t telling the whole truth. Other writers have used this term too:
Pretty weak tea. Manafort’s lawyer say the real problem is not that prosecutors have a potential crook’s data – it’s that we know about it. https://t.co/Et1RH3hncG
— Wayne Slater (@WayneSlater) September 19, 2017
So, when someone asks you to “spill the tea”, they are encouraging you to gossip. Do with that what you will.
Have you heard or used “spill the tea” yourself? Can you share another interesting slang term?
If you like learning more about words, visit Wondrous Words Wednesday at Kathy’s Bermuda Onion blog.
Thanks for getting nerdy with me!
I have not heard this phrase before, although I guessed at the meaning based on “spill the beans.” Nothing makes me feel older than having to be told what something means by my teenager! Thanks for keeping me cool, Julia (‘cool,” I’ve learned, is no longer cool, though.)
My son is pretty hip so I will have to try this phrase on him. I’ve read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (years ago) and completely missed that.
How interesting! I’m really shocked you’ve heard your teenagers use this expression; it seems a much more “elderly” thing to say. I’m going to start saying this anytime someone comes through the door: spill the tea! pronto!
🙂
I think it’s fairly hip – I mean the origin is black drag culture, not Southern ladies as you might expect. Glad you enjoyed. 😉
Didn’t know this one~ thanks for the info!
As always, happy to inform. 😉