ConnectWord · Ages 12-30 · In use
gatekeep
Keeping something to yourself so others can't join or copy it, like where you bought a shirt or the name of a song. "Don't gatekeep" means share it.
Where'd you get that hoodie? Don't gatekeep.
For parents and educators
Mostly playful. In fandoms it can describe kids being shut out by older fans.
Where it came from
An older word for controlling access. Fans online used it for keeping hobbies exclusive, and the 2021 joke "gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss" spread it widely.
Also heard as
gatekeeping, gatekeepy, don't gatekeep