No Tea, No Shade

The slang expression “No Tea, No Shade,” meaning “No disrespect, but …” is common in the drag community, where T means “truth.” The related phrase “All Tea, All Shade,” means “This statement is true, so I don’t care if it offends you or not.” At least as early as the 1920’s the slang verb to shade has meant “to defeat.” This is part of a complete episode.

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