In the context of human sexual behavior, especially anal sex among gay men, a top is an insertive partner, or a person who prefers the insertive role. The counterpart is a bottom. Sexual behavior is a form of physical intimacy that may be directed to reproduction (one possible goal of sexual intercourse), spiritual transcendence, and/or to the enjoyment of any activity involving sexual gratification. ... Roman men having anal sex. ... Although the word gay originally meant happy, in modern usage the term is often synonymous with homosexual. However, both terms are used in several different ways, and are not always interchangable: A gay or homosexual sexual orientation (attraction, preference, or inclination) Gay or homosexual sex involves acts between or among... In the context of human sexual behavior, especially anal sex among gay men, a bottom is a receptive partner (i. ...

"Top" can also be used as a transitive verb meaning to sexually penetrate.

It is very commonplace for partners to change roles from one encounter to the next or to have both insertive and receptive sex, although many people have a preference between roles. A person who enjoys both topping and bottoming is called a switch or versatile. In Singapore, the term is flexible. In the field of sexuality, a switch is someone who can change from one sexual role to another. ...

The terms "dominant" or "active" have been used for "top," though these may be confusing as the sex in question needn't be part of a dominance relationship, nor is the bottom necessarily "inactive."

By extension, the term "top" is also used in BDSM to mean a partner who applies stimulation to another, and who may or may not be dominant. See top (BDSM). A collar is a common symbol of BDSM. BDSM is a term which describes a number of related patterns of human sexual behaviour. ... In human sexual behavior, a dominant is one who enjoys performing any of a variety of BDSM practices upon a submissive; or one who holds a dominant position within a relationship based upon dominance and submission (DS). ... This article is about the erotic activity. ...

Tops sometimes identify themselves by wearing a set of keys on the left side of the belt or a color-coded handkerchief in their left rear pocket. This practice, called flagging, began in the gay male subculture but appears to be dying out. Handkerchief code, more commonly known as hanky code or flagging was a way of indicating, usually among gay male casual sex seekers or BDSM practitioners in the US and Canada, whether they were a top or bottom, and what kind of sex they were seeking, by wearing color-coded handkerchiefs...

In sexually-themed anime and manga, especially shounen-ai and yaoi, a top is referred to as seme, a term from kabuki. A scene from Cowboy Bebop (1998) Anime (アニメ) is Japanese animation, sometimes referred to in the Western world by the portmanteau Japanimation. ... Rurouni Kenshin manga, volume 1 (English version) Manga (漫画) is the Japanese word for comics; outside of Japan, it usually refers specifically to Japanese comics. ... Shōnen-ai (少年愛 from 少年 shōnen young man + 愛 ai love) refers to anime or manga that deals with love between young men, especially of the bishonen variety. ... Cover of Fake by Sanami Matoh. ... Seme is a Japanese term from exercises, especially martial arts, meaning to attack. In anime and manga, especially shounen-ai, yaoi and hentai, seme is a general term for a partner in a relationship who is or is intimated to be predominantly butch, a top, and/or a dominant. ... The Kabukiza in Ginza is one of Tokyos leading kabuki theaters. ...