eshay
{{Short description|Slang expression associated with an Australian urban youth subculture}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{original research|date=March 2021}}
Eshay ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|ʃ|eɪ}}) is a slang expression associated with an Australian urban youth subculture that originated from Western Sydney in the late 1980s, but has brought into the mainstream since the late 2010s and the 2020s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/from-bodgies-to-eshays-exploring-the-history-of-adelaides-youth-subcultures/news-story/f86f4e35d8e1f341b8dc8b43439b71ae?amp&nk=80055363a166a39aa489d689405f8f28-1708550311|title=From Bodgies to Eshays: Exploring the history of Adelaide's youth subcultures|author=Nathan Davies|publisher=The Advertiser|date=14 May 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/web-stories/free/herald-sun/melbournes-eshay-culture-who-are-they-and-what-do-they-do?nk=80055363a166a39aa489d689405f8f28-1708550578|title=Melbourne's eshay culture: Who are they and what do they do?|author=Miles Proust and Bianca Farmakis|publisher=Herald Sun}}
In New Zealand, "hoodrats" are a similar subculture.{{cite web | url=https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/129904132/violent-or-just-misunderstood-the-rise-of-new-zealands-hoodrat-youth-subculture | title=Violent or just misunderstood? The rise of New Zealand's 'hoodrat' youth subculture | date=23 September 2022 }}
Etymology
The term can refer to individuals within the subculture, or to the subculture itself, and can have various other meanings in different contexts. The word "eshay" apparently derives from the Pig Latin for "sesh" (meaning cannabis smoking session). The term "adlay" ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|d|l|eɪ}}), Pig Latin for "lad," refers to the same subculture.
Description
Eshays, or lads, are often considered stereotypically hypermasculine and inclined to crime and violence. However, while most eshays are male, a minority of them are female.{{cite web | url=https://www.wyndhamtv.com.au/do-eshays-live-in-wyndham/ | title=Do Eshays Live in Wyndham? | date=4 October 2022 }} They may be affiliated with other local youths from a postcode,{{cite journal |author=Athena Lill |date=2014-12-17 |title=From local to global: the evolution of musical play in secondary schools |journal=International Journal of Play |volume=3 |issue=3 |page=256 |doi=10.1080/21594937.2014.976036 |s2cid=143188838}} hang out in groups, use slang derived from Pig Latin,{{cite news |author=Tim Boyd |date=2020-01-24 |title=Inside the secret world of Millennial subcultures |language=en |work=Australian Financial Review |url=https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/punk-s-not-dead-just-invisible-the-fashion-of-today-s-digital-tribes-20191206-p53hgr |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220107225552/https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/punk-s-not-dead-just-invisible-the-fashion-of-today-s-digital-tribes-20191206-p53hgr |archive-date=2022-01-07}} wear sportswear, have mullets and engage in immature and anti-social behaviour. Common fashion items include bumbags and Nike shoes (specifically Air Max Plus aka TNs).{{cite web | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/nike-tns-the-shoe-that-defined-2000s-australian-suburbia/ | title=Nike TNS: Australia's Most Fuck You Shoe | date=8 May 2017 }} Due to the eshay subculture surrounding the shoe, wearers have been banned from some pubs and clubs.{{Cite web |title=How the Nike Air Max Plus Became the Kingpin Down Under |url=https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/features/how-the-nike-air-max-plus-became-the-kingpin-down-under |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Sneaker Freaker |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-30 |title=How this Nike sneaker stomped its way into Australian street culture |url=https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/how-this-nike-sneaker-stomped-its-way-into-australian-street-culture-c-6617736 |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=7NEWS |language=en}} Eshays often have access to alcohol, electronic cigarettes, illegal drugs, pornography and social media{{cite web | last=Cross | first=Julie | title=Parents fear rise of eshay culture on northern beaches | website=dailytelegraph | date=29 January 2021 | url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/manly-daily/northern-beaches-parents-fear-rise-of-eshay-culture-after-a-number-of-antisocial-incidents/news-story/3a67612d16b5cd07317ffd61fb5b9e52 | access-date=21 April 2023}} (namely Snapchat and TikTok).{{cite web | url=https://www.bosshunting.com.au/lifestyle/what-is-an-eshay-australia/ | title=What is an Eshay? The Unofficial Uidegay to Adlays | date=11 July 2023 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=GAWEB_MRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geelongadvertiser.com.au%2Fnews%2Fgeelong%2Feshays-in-geelong-meet-one-of-our-scariest-youth-subcultures%2Fnews-story%2Fc231285fb1e63cfb4039e88461db7f77&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&nk=5a3a29f7b41d20dbd1379be92b2a3e2f-1719559453 | title=Geelong Advertiser }}
Typical hangout areas for eshays include bus stops, shopping centres, pubs,{{cite web | url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/eshays-perth-s-modern-day-bogans-dressed-like-tennis-players-20211219-p59it6.html | title=Eshays: Perth's modern day bogans dressed like tennis players | date=2 January 2022 }} streets and train stations.{{cite web | url=https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/train-station-gangs-eshays-mug-12-year-old-boy-in-queenslan/d71bacba-1228-42e6-9d4c-86a664bb9c41 | title='Eshay' gangs targeting suburban train stations }}{{cite web | title='Eshay' roasted for train guard rant | website=news | date=8 December 2022 | url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/eshay-roasted-for-attempting-to-mock-ticket-inspector-on-sydney-train/news-story/f8e53768107c73b27ee2c5fc787beea6 | access-date=21 April 2023}}
"Gutter rap" (also known as "lad rap" due to its popularity among eshays) is a form of drill rap. Rappers in this genre include Kerser and Onefour.{{cite web | url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/offbeat/what-is-an-eshay-and-why-would-a-perth-nightclub-ban-them--c-9399357.amp | title=Red shoe ban raises question: 'What's an Eshay, bah?' | date=9 January 2023 }}
See also
{{Portal|1990s|2000s|Australia}}
- Chav/Roadman, a similar term used to describe young delinquents in Britain
- Gopnik, a similar term used to describe young delinquents in Eastern Europe
- Skeet (Newfoundland), a similar term used on the Canadian island of Newfoundland
- Racaille, a similar term used to describe young delinquents in France.
- Hoon
- Lad culture
- Ah beng
- Ned (Scottish)