Power Bottom

About

Power Bottom is an LGBTQ slang term for a man who prefers to be on the receiving end of anal sex but, rather than be submissive, controls the encounter and acts dominant in the relationship. It can also be used to describe men who take pride in their ability to handle well-endowed partners and the frequency with which they can engage in anal sex. Originating online as early as the mid-2000s, the term spread on social media and other sites into the 2020s as it became more widely known.

Origin

Though it's unclear where exactly the term "Power Bottom" originated, a definition for the term was added to Urban Dictionary on August 19th, 2005, by the user Tucker, who defined it as the "dominant male in a homosexual relationship who prefers being on the receiving end" (shown below).^[1]

Spread

The term saw increased use in pop culture over the following years, helping it spread. On October 3rd, 2007,^[2] the term was used in a lengthy It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia philadelphia scene (shown below). Between 2013 and 2017 a band named Pwr Bttm was growing in critical acclaim before breaking up amid sexual misconduct allegations.^[3]

Online, the term has been inquired about and written about extensively. For example, on December 1st, 2016, a deleted Redditor inquired about the difference between a "total bottom" and a "power bottom" in the /r/askgaybros^[4] subreddit. There, Redditor Bfarrellatc wrote, "Power Bottoms = active while bottoming, using technique and actively working to pleasure the partner, rather than merely receiving. It's also generally used to refer to Bottoms who are accomplished in taking well endowed partners with little difficulty, and by those who take pride in their role as a bottom."

In July 2021, Men's Health^[5] notably wrote an article defining the term. They quoted adult performer Richard JMV, who said, "A power bottom isn’t as easy to describe unless you’re talking about energy. There’s an energy you can always see and feel from a power bottom’s presence." The piece also says "power bottoms" buck submissive, feminine stereotypes associated with bottoms.

T.D. Jakes Power Bottom Rumor

Pastor T.D. Jakes Power Bottom Rumor refers to a rumor about American pastor T.D. Jakes being involved in allegations of sexual abuse against rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs trafficking charges and also leaked messages on TikTok exposing the pastor for being secretly a gay "power bottom." The rumor sparked an expressive number of reactions, debates and memes on Twitter / X and TikTok.

On December 20th, 2023, TikTok user @jusnene posted a video alleging that R&B singer Sean "Diddy" Combs and his ex-wife Cassie handed over evidence, including Kim Porter's burner phone, to Federal agents. The creator explains that some of the evidence allegedly implicates Christian pastor T.D. Jakes, known for being a longtime friend of the singer's family, as secretly a gay "power bottom," and supposedly an email revealing Jakes's alleged sexual encounters with multiple men at Combs' gatherings. The TikTok video (shown below) amassed over 1.3 million plays and 182,000 likes in a day.

Search Interest

External References