The Tea Is Hot: Honoring the Black, Queer Origins of “Spilling the Tea”

 

Sip This:

You’ve probably heard someone say it:

“Spill the tea!”

“Girl, what’s the tea?”

“Ooh, the tea is piping hot today!”

In today’s culture, “tea” usually means gossip, juicy truths, or sharing your real feelings with flair.

But the story behind this phrase is richer — and way more iconic — than most people know.

Where “Tea” Really Comes From:

The phrase “T” (short for “truth”) has its roots deep in Black drag and ballroom communities from the 1980s and early 1990s.

Ball culture was — and still is — a powerful world created by Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ folks who were often excluded from white queer spaces.

In these vibrant, underground communities, language was more than just slang — it was survival, self-expression, and sisterhood.

When someone asked, “What’s the T?” they weren’t just digging for drama — they were inviting honesty.

It was a way to say:

“Tell me your truth.”

“What’s really going on?”

“How’s your heart?”

You can hear this history beautifully documented in the groundbreaking film Paris Is Burning (1990), where figures like Dorian Corey talk about “shade” and “tea” as natural parts of community life.

Over the years, “spilling the tea” evolved to mean sharing your real story, airing the juicy details, or delivering some much-needed truth bombs — all with a wink.

When RuPaul’s Drag Race exploded into the mainstream in the 2010s, phrases like “tea,” “shade,” and “reading” made their way into pop culture — but their roots remained firmly planted in Black queer spaces.

Today, when we spill the tea, we’re participating (knowingly or not) in a rich legacy of resistance, humor, and truth-telling.

Why It Matters:

At Have Fun Spread Joy, we believe in giving credit where it’s due.

Pride didn’t start with a party.

It started with a protest.

And the language we celebrate today — words like “shade,” “realness,” and “tea” — were born from the brilliance and resilience of Black LGBTQ+ communities who shaped and saved their own culture.

When we designed our Equali-Tea Is Brewing Hat, it wasn’t just because it sounded cute (though it totally does).

It was because living your truth — and celebrating the truths of those who paved the way — is radical.

It’s joyful.

And it’s exactly what our Proudly Woke collection is all about.

Wear It Proudly:

Our Equali-Tea Is Brewing Dad Hat is part of our Proudly Woke collection — a space where joy, resistance, history, and humor live side by side.

It’s not just about looking good (although you will absolutely slay).

It’s about spilling the best kind of tea:

The tea that says, “I’m here. I’m proud. And I know where I come from.”

Ready to sip some joy?

Want to wear your truth on your sleeve (or your head)?

Click here to shop the full Proudly Woke collection — and spill the good tea, all year long.