Shade. Embracing the subtle and not so subtle art of shade

It gives relief from the sun. And when one queen casts it at another--or at a straight heckler--it raises eyebrows and makes the corners of the lips twitch. You might say shade's a subtler form of dishing, a mode of repartee with a black accent whose connotations are more ironic and notably more nuanced than what's usually meant by the largely straight term "dis (as in the verb 'disrespect')." Like so many terms from gay slang--black, white, and down to camp itself--shade is shot through with the idea of irony; and irony, literary theorist René Welleck tells us, is the aspect of those phrases and rhetorical figures which we are not sure how to respond to--where language opens up, through a moment's hesitation, into an explosion of potentialities, some appalling, some unimaginably wonderful, and all of which seize power for the speaker and, however momentary, articulate wildly subversive possibilities.
--From "Introduction: Shade..." by Samuel R. Delany

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You hear me talk about shade a lot and what you read above is my favorite scholary defintion of the meaning of shade.  Although, the explanation above refers to the gay community, I would like to point out that shade does not discriminate and doesn't have to be done with any accent.  Although I feel when delivered with proper grammar it packs more of a punch.   I have been taught many lesson in shade by quite a few straight women and men.  I live for the shade thrown by my best friend who sings like Ethel merman and Patti Lupone haad a love child, and throws shade like an old black woman.  But, remember throwing true shade is not being an out right bitch.  Anyone can be a bitch.  Giving shade is an art.  The target may not even realize they got it till a few minutes or even hours later and when they feel that lil sting.  You will feel aflutter in your heart and a slight smile will form, and somewhere a shady little angel will get it's wings!

   So instead of just ripping someone a new *hole, try cooling them off with a little bit of shade.

Right me back folks!  I want to here some examples of shade you've given or received!